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The Belgian Jazzmen(2)

JEAN TOOTS THIELEMANS

Even if you do not know him, you already heard him and most probably liked his music...

This highly talented Belgian Jazz harmonica player is the best present musician for this instrument. He of course have a top reputation as a Jazzman, but he is ready for all kind of good musics... that he will bettered. The haunting theme in the film Midnight Cowboy: Toots... Backgrounds in Sugerland Express: Toots. He backed up very popular pop stars in some sessions: Billy Joel, Paul Simon and many others.
So definitively: you already heard him play! Credits to his name was not always present, due to contracts exclusively. But Toots does not care: he likes good music, Jazz or not.

A GREAT JAZZMAN...
After WWII the young Jean Thielemans, born in 1922 and living in Brussels, was very quickly interested by Jazz music. As a boy he learned accordion, but was attracted by the guitar after hearing some Jazz of the period, mainly from Django Reinhardt. He also started fiddling with a harmonica...
In the early fifties, after a few years of practicing jazz in Belgium he left for the USA where the whole action was. His talent and his willingness to improve made him selected by George Shearing (a huge Jazz star in these days) as the guitarist for his famous quintet.
At the same time, Toots developped his original harmonica style and techniques. The style of Thielemans had evolved and was under bop and post bop influences, making him fit for a lot of small studio orchestras ot these days, in New York or elsewhere the Modern Jazz musicians were calling for him.
[CD cover- Jazz NY]

It was with his harmonica that he built his real personal style, rich in harmonic inventions and daring improvisations. His technique as a harmonica player is unrivaled and he was able to develop the be-bop style for the instrument and even making it evolve to the limits reached by the Modern Jazz inventions of the sixties.

"Man Bites Harmonica" - 1958- with top players like Pepper Adams and Kenny Drew - Riverside- CD Re-issue ...>>>>

He had also a very particular talent: whistling Jazz! He used it discretely but with a real impact in melodies or rythmic improvisations... When Jazz was forgotten by the producers (mid sixties, seventies) Toots used his huge talent to make a lot of film musics, commercials or studio work for pop stars in the USA. He was out of his natural league: Jazz, but he was always an honest musician refusing to go to musical vulgarities or easy make-believe... In parallel he came back more often in Europe were he could, as many other Jazzmen, continue to play his original Jazz music.

AN HONEST MUSICIAN...
[timelessCD]

He composed in 1961 a very simple tune with a waltz tempo, that he played in a Jazzy interpretation: Bluesette- this piece was more directed to the general public. It became a hit and he revisits this theme often now with a more straight Jazz treatment. However it certainly allowed him to survive in these difficult periods for Jazz; as Toots presents this tune now: "...my Social Security number!"
(Remember Bluesette? You can check out a new version of for this tune in one of his latest albums on Timeless label, with the guitarist Philip Catherine)
Toots Thielemans succeeded something difficult for Jazz musicians: being known by the general public and still practicing high-class Jazz receiving the high appreciation of his peers and connoisseurs. Toots is regularly nominated first of his category in the referendums of the famous Down Beat Jazz Magazine in the USA by critics and public.

A GREAT PERFORMER...
As many good Jazz players, Toots shines on stage. He likes his public and the public likes him! This relationship can be often felt in concerts he gives in Belgium or elswhere in Europe, where he appears more often since the mid of the seventies.
I remember his undisguised emotion when he played in the historical center of Brussels, his hometown, that was celebrating its thousand years of existence in 1979. The city was organizing a string of free public Jazz concerts in the open places of downtown. Toots was one of the invited stars, as Ella Fitzgerald and other great names. He briefly recalled what made him tick for Jazz when he was young in Brussels and all the love he always had for his country of origin. This day his music, always sensitive, was particularly loaded with intense feelings and the public responded accordingly!! A great reunion Concert between Toots and his hometown...
Or in more casual concerts in smaller places where he keeps the public breathless to the end, improvising on any small phrase he picked from a tune ... or like in this live recording made in Belgium in 1986 with his American combo: Do Not Leave Me (Milan records-CD): on one of his rendition of Bluesette the public is whistling the tune for him!!! An amazing moment, available on disc...

FOR A DETAILED BIOGRAPHY...
Check these two links:

Timeless records site - In English
Noordsea Jazz Festival - In Dutch and in English

HOMAGE ON THE WEB...
The German site dedicated to Jazz: "Jazz to Jazz" selected Toots Thielemans as their musician of the month in December 97.
Check out their page -in English - with interesting links at: "Artists of the Month". Available in German as well.

TOOTS' BIRTHDAY CONCERT - APRIL 1997 IN BRUSSELS...

25 April 1997. Toots Thielemans was celebrating his 75th birthday in his hometown, Brussels, by giving a public concert. Check out for our report. All what you need to know about this fantastic event!
Surprise candy

Discover what happened in this concert and why did they distibute these "candies" in yellow wrappings... that were not intended for chewing!

LISTEN TO TOOTS THIELEMANS
I would suggest the following recordings:

Only Trust Your Heart-One of his best Jazz recordings ever. A must for all jazz fans. Tremendous development of themes with all what Toots' heart can give. A great record. On: Concord Jazz- CCD 4355.

Live in The Netherlands-An exceptional Jazz concert on disc. Toot's in top condition with all his rythmic and improvising powers. With the American guitatist Joe Pass. Astounding! On: Pablo/ CD and LP. Worth the search to get it.

The Silver Collection- A good introduction to the Jazz of Toots Thielemans, even if not his best music. On Polydor CD.

The Brazil Project- Vol 1. A good example of Toots pluralism in music where he gives backup to some famous Brazilians: Gilberto Gil, Luis Bonfà, Edu Lobo and others. Jazzy world music, maybe more easy to approach for people not too familiar with modern Jazz. On:Private Music/BMG.

Mambo à Buenos Aires- A CD telling a story where a comic character (another Belgian specialty...) Natacha is having problems in south America; the CD supports a book with illustrations by Walthéry but no text in the comics. Toots is one of the musicians giving background music... I mention it more for the originality of the idea than for the music.(Published in Belgium - story in French only)

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