Toots Thielemans

Biography

His/her parents hold a coffee high street in the middle of the popular quarters Bruxellois of the Marolles where an accordionist plays regularly. His/her father who notices his interest for the instrument, makes him as of the three years age, to start the training of the diatonic accordion. He plays of the haversack, " Tonkinoise " or " International the ".

In 1938, it discovers the Harmonica (with the cinema inter alia) by films with Ray Ventura and its orchestra, it starts to play about it at beginning like simple leisure.

The release of the Second world war which causes the closing of the universities prevents it from continuing its studies. It is during the occupation that it becomes accro with the Jazz, it plays in clubs where one advises to him to learn a " truth instrument". He will learn the guitar by listening to the discs where Django Reinhardt, its first model, plays then with Stephan Grappelli.

With the Release, it is engaged in small formations. It is called " Toots" according to the musicians Toots Mondello and Toots Camarata about which the newspapers speak at the time, its name Jean Thielemans not being judged enough Swing .

In 1947 it accomplishes a first voyage as a tourist with the the United States or it dreams to make career Its first international opening takes place in 1950, year when it joined Benny Goodman for a European round.

In 1951 it makes a round in Belgium with the singer-guitarist and whimsical Bobbejaan Schoepen.

In 1952 it emigrates with the the United States, its first engagements will be like member of the Charlie Parker 'S All-Stars with Philadelphia and of the George Shearing Quintet.

It composes " Bluesette" in 1962, composition which will become a standard and will be worth an international repute to him. It develops a new sound while whistling and playing of the guitar at the same time. He is soloist with the harmonica for film musics: Midnight Cowboy, The Gateway, Sugarland Express train, Cinderella Liberty, Turks Fruit, Jean de Florette,… or for the television program Sesame Street.

It accompanied in concert and recorded with artists like Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones, Bill Evans, Jaco Pastorius, Natalie Cole, Pat Metheny, Paul Frederic Simon, Billy Joel, Oscar Peterson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, the group Machiavel…

It becomes the undeniable reference of the harmonica.

The king Albert II conferred the title to him of baron.

He was nominated for the title Belg der Belgen (the largest Belgian) in 2005 and will finish twentieth in the Flemish version and 44ième in the French-speaking version.

Discography

1953-1991 : Masters Jazz 59 (Liveliness). T.T. (hca) with George Shearing Quintet and Gals & Stakes - CD
1954-1978: Harmonica Jazz (CBS). T.T. (WP, hca) with e.a. Ray Bryant (p), Wendell Marshall (b), Oscar Pettiford (b), NR. H. Orsted-Pedersen (b), Alex Riel (Dr.) - CD
1955: The Sound (Columbia).
1957/1958: Man Cocks Harmonica (Riverside/OJCCD). T.T. (WP, hca), Pepper Adams (bs), Kenny Drew (p), Wilbur Ware (b), Art Taylor (Dr.) - CD
1958: Time Out For Toots (Decca). T.T. (WP, hca), Kenny Drew (p), Wilbur Ware (b), Art Taylor (Dr.).
1959: Drunk The off Toots Thielemans (Signature/Doctor Jazz). T.T. (WP, hca), Ray Bryant (p), Tommy Bryant (b), Oliver Jackson (Dr.) - CD
1961: Toots Thielemans (Polydor LP 46.114). T.T. (WP), George Arvanitas (p), Roland Lobligeois (b), Philippe Combelle (Dr.). Republished in 2000 in the collection Jazz In Paris (Gipsies) under the title: Blues For Flirter - CD
1962: The Whistler and His Guitar (ABC).
1962: Toots Thielemans (Paramount).
1972: Toots and Svend (Sonnet). T.T. (WP, hca), Svend Asmussen (vln, cello), Kjell Ohman (organ, p), Stefan Brolund & Red Mitchell (b), ED Thigpen (Dr.) - CD
1974: Captured Alive (Choice). T.T. (hca), Joanne Brackeen (p), Cecil McBee (b), Freddie Waits (Dr.) - CD
1974-1978: Live (Polydor). T.T. (hca) with e.a. Joop Scholten (WP), Wim Overgaauw (WP), Rob Franken (p), N.H. Orsted-Pedersen (b), Bruno Castellucci (Dr.) - CD
1974: Images (Candid). T.T. (hca), Joanne Brackeen (p), Cecil McBee (b), Freddie Waits (Dr.). Republication of Captured Alive + new - CD
1974: Toots Thielemans/Philip Catherine & Friends - Two Generations (Keytone/Limetree). T.T. (WP, hca), Philip Catherine (WP), Chris Hinze (fl), Joachim Kühn (p), John Lee (b), Gerry Brown (Dr.) - CD
1975: Live , vol. 2 (In City). T.T. (hca), Wim Overgaauw (WP), Rob Franken (p), Niels Pederson (b), Bruno Castellucci (Dr.).
1979: Apple Dimple (Denon). T.T. (WP, hca), Tsunehide Matsuki (WP), Akira Okazawa (b), Yuichi Togashiki (Dr.), Tadaomi Anai (perc) - CD
1980: Live in the Netherlands (Pablo/OJCCD). T.T. (WP, hca), Joe Not (WP), Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (b) - CD
1981: All Night Long (Universe Productions). T.T. (hca), David Beecroft (ts), Dolf De Vries (p), Jimmy Karakusevic (WP), John Clayton Jr (b), John Engels (Dr.), Koos Biel (steel WP) - CD
1984: Fall Leaves (Drunk Notes).
1984: Your Precious Coils (CBS/Sony). T.T. (WP, hca) with e.a. Kevin Mulligan (WP), Michel Herr (p), Bruno Castellucci (Dr.) and Chris Joris (perc) - CD
1986: Just Friends (Delta). T.T. (hca), Johnny Teupen (toothing-stone), Paul Kuhn (p), Ack Van Royen (bugle), Jean Warland (b), Bruno Castellucci (Dr.) - CD
1986: C Not Leave Me/Does not leave Me (BMG/Milan/Vintage Jazz). T.T. (hca), Fred Hersch (p), Marc Johnson (b), Joey Baron (Dr.) - CD
1987: Toots Thielemans & Elect Regina: Aquarela C Brasil (Liveliness) - CD
1988: Only Trust Your Heart (Concord Jazz). T.T. (WP, hca), Fred Hersch (p), Harvie Swartz (b), Marc Johnson (b), Joey Baron (Dr.) - CD
1989: Footprints (Liveliness). T.T. (WP, hca), Mulgrew Miller (p), Rufus Reid (b), Louis Nash (Dr.) - CD
1989: In Tokyo (Denon). T.T. (hca), Tsuyoshi Yamamoto (p), Tsutomu Okada (b), Fumio Watanabe (Dr.) - CD
1991: For My Lady - With The Shirley Horn Trio (Emarcy). T.T. (WP, hca), Shirley Horn (p, voc), Charles Ables (b), Steve Williams (Dr.) - CD
1992: The Brasil Project (Private Music). T.T. (hca) with e.a. Mark Isham (tp), Luiz Bonfá (WP), Lee Ritenour (WP), Gilberto Gil (WP, voc), Milton Nascimento (voc), Dave Grusin (p), Marc Johnson (b) and Teo Lima (Dr.) - CD
1993: The Brasil Project , vol. 2 (Private Music). T.T. (hca) with e.a. Mark Isham (tp), Luiz Bonfá (WP), Lee Ritenour (WP), Gilberto Gil (WP, voc), Milton Nascimento (voc), Dave Grusin (p), Marc Johnson (b) and Teo Lima (Dr.) - CD
1994: East Coast West Coast (Private Music). T.T. (hca) with e.a. Jerry Goodman (vln), Lyle Mays (p), Robben Ford (WP), Herbie Hancock (p), Joshua Redman (ts), Terence Blanchard (tp), John Scofield (WP), Christian McBride (b) and Peter Erskine (Dr.) - CD
1995: Concerto For Harmonica (TCB). T.T. (hca) with Big Band of Lausanne and e.a. Fred Hersch (p), Christian Gavillet (bcl, bs) and Matthieu Michel (tp) - CD
1998: Toots 75/The Birthday Album (Private Music). T.T. (hca) with e.a. Shine Bonfa, Philip Catherine, Bert van den Brink, Robben Ford, Charlie Haden, Mike Lang - CD
1998: At Toots (Private Music). T.T. (hca) with e.a. Philip Catherine (WP), Johnny Mathis, Shirley Horn, Diane Reeves and Diana Krall (voc), Hein Van de Geyn (b), Andre Ceccarelli (Dr.) - CD
1999: The Live Takes vol. 1 (Quetzal). T.T. (hca) with Kenny Werner, Nathalie Loriers or Michel Herr (p), Ray Drummond, Michel Hatzigeorgiou or Sal Rocca (b), Jukkis Uotila, Adam Nussbaum or Bruno Castellucci (Dr.) - CD
2001: Toots Thielemans & Kenny Werner (Emarcy/Universal). T.T. (hca), Kenny Werner (p, keyboards) - CD
2001: Toots Thielemans & Elect Regina: Wilsamba - CD
2004: One more for the road - CD

External bond

its official site
Bluesette (chromatic harmonica)
'' Toots tells… '' [[RTBF] radio, audio 20 X 10 minutes]

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