Toots Thielemans and Bert van den Brink (30-12-1998) - SESJUN • World of Jazz

On April 29, 2022 we commemorate Toots Thielemans' 100th birthday!

Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor, Baron Thielemans (29 April 1922 – 22 August 2016), known professionally as Toots Thielemans, was a Belgian jazz musician. He was mostly known for his chromatic harmonica playing, as well as his guitar, whistling skills, and composing. According to jazz historian Ted Gioia, his most important contribution was in "championing the humble harmonica", which Thielemans made into a "legitimate voice in jazz". He eventually became the "preeminent" jazz harmonica player.

His first professional performances were with Benny Goodman's band when they toured Europe in 1949 and 1950. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1951, becoming a citizen in 1957. From 1953 to 1959 he played with George Shearing, and then led his own groups on tours in the U.S. and Europe. In 1961 he recorded and performed live one of his own compositions, "Bluesette", which featured him playing guitar and whistling. In the 1970s and 1980s, he continued touring and recording, appearing with musicians such as Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Werner, Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Mina Mazzini, Elis Regina, Quincy Jones, George Shearing, Natalie Cole, Billy Joel, Paul Simon and Paquito D'Rivera.

This performance of Toots Thielemans with Dutch pianist Bert van den Brink was broadcast in the TROS tv program 'TROS SESJUN on 30 December 1998.

Watch more World of Jazz videos ► https://goo.gl/Z28cxv
Join us. Subscribe now! ► https://goo.gl/n2FHaL

Thanks for all your support, rating the video and leaving a comment is always appreciated!
Please: respect each other in the comments.

This is the official YouTube channel of World of Jazz.