Toots Thielemans 1922-2016

[brownie]

More sad news.

Toots Thielemans died peacefully this morning. He was 94.

 

[Cyril]

R.I.P.,  Jean Baptiste Frédéric Isidor (Toots) baron Thielemans (Brussels, 29 april 1922 - 22 augustus 2016)

Belgian legend & great musician has passed away this morning.

 

Thank you for all your wonderful music !!!

http://www.tootsthielemans.com/

 

 

 

 

[duaneiac]

Sad to hear this, but he did have a good long run and was able to play the music he loved for for much of his life.

He brought respect to a musical instrument not often accorded it (and was a decent guitarist too).

Rest In Peace, Mr. Thielemans and thanks for all the music.  You will be missed.

[BillF]

My favorites are Images, Man Bites Harmonica and Only Trust Your Heart - not that I know all of his work.

[duaneiac]

He ain't whistlin' Dixie!

 

[Hardbopjazz]

RIP, Toots. He had a long life. Thanks for the music.

[Cyril]

 

Again:

Thank you for all your wonderful music, Baron !!!

http://www.tootsthielemans.com/

Edited August 22, 2016 by Cyril

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Always a fun show when Toots was on the bill. He was 94? I would not have known he was that old. The last time I saw him, he was still pretty good.

[fasstrack]

Yes, RIP. A long and distinguished life...

[HutchFan]

R.I.P. 

God bless and thanks for the music.

[Larry Kart]

Took me longer than it should have, but in the last decade or so I really began to dig him. "Affinity" with Bill Evans was the one that turned on the light in my brain. Bless his sweet soul.

 

[mjzee]

How sad.  What an intriguing musician.  Plays on one of the great, quirky albums I remember so fondly:

RIP.

[sidewinder]

More sad news - it made the main radio news broadcast on BBC tonight, not many jazz musicians get that treatment here. First heard him on those 70s Quincy Jones LPs, always enjoy his work on those. I will spin his Riverside LP tonight - RIP.

[gmonahan]

Toots was one of my very favorite musicians. "Affinity," his album with Bill Evans, remains one of my favorites. In fact, I don't think I ever heard a record of his I didn't like.  I think he must hold the record for the number of Down Beat awards for "miscellaneous instrument"! A great loss.  RIP.

 

 

gregmo

[Cyril]

Folks, there are 2 threads about 'Toots'.

 NY Times obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/08/22/world/europe/ap-eu-belgium-jazz-thielemans-obit.html?_r=0

Edited August 22, 2016 by Cyril

[medjuck]

I saw him when he toured with Paul Simon.  Simon gave him a featured spot to play Bluesette.  

[fasstrack]

Memorial broadcast for Toots Thielemans right now on WKCR FM 89.9 FM and streaming live...

[mikeweil]

As spectacular as his harmonica playing was, I like his guitar even more. What was the tune on a Quincy Jones LP where he whistled along to his guitar? Still have it in my inner ear ...

R.I.P. 

[fasstrack]

4 hours ago, mikeweil said:

As spectacular as his harmonica playing was, I like his guitar even more. What was the tune on a Quincy Jones LP where he whistled along to his guitar? Still have it in my inner ear ...

R.I.P. 

Yeah, he was a musical and soulful guitarist with a good sound. Didn't play or need to play a whole lot of notes. I heard him play The Mooche on guitar, after he had the stroke. He nailed it. Good stuff..

[Mobleytime]

I had the great pleasure of seeing Toots Thielemans perform as part of the George Shearing Quintet in 1958 at a place in Baltimore called the Lucky Number Club. Also, in the group were percussionist, Armando Peraza, and vibist and Emile Richards. What a memorable night...particularly since I was not old enough to be in there, but was determined to see the George Shearing Quintet. Toots Thielemans R.I.P.

[Dave James]

Lets not forget Toots Thielemans, the whistler.

 

[Cyril]

22 hours ago, mikeweil said:

As spectacular as his harmonica playing was, I like his guitar even more. What was the tune on a Quincy Jones LP where he whistled along to his guitar? Still have it in my inner ear ...

R.I.P. 

I think you mean 'Bluesette'.  Everybody in the Netherlands and Belgium knows this tune....

 

[Mark Stryker]

A beautiful spirit. To get that kind of nuance and depth of expression out of the harmonica was remarkable. I had only one conversation with him, but it was memorable. Backstage at the 2005 Detroit Jazz Festival, after he had a played a beautifully proportioned set of mostly ballads with Kenny Werner, Oscar Castro-Nevas and Airto Moreira. Toots told me a story about the first time he came to Detroit. It was 1957 and he was working with the George Shearing Quintet at Baker's Keyboard Lounge. J.J. Johnson had played the club the week before with a band that included Bobby Jaspar on tenor sax and flute. Jaspar, like Toots, was born in Belgium. So Toots gets to Baker's on opening night and when he goes into the bathroom he sees scribbled among the graffiti on the wall a missive in Flemish that had obviously been left by Jaspar. The exact translation: "Toots has a big dick."

[BillF]

1 hour ago, Mark Stryker said:

A beautiful spirit. To get that kind of nuance and depth of expression out of the harmonica was remarkable. I had only one conversation with him, but it was memorable. Backstage at the 2005 Detroit Jazz Festival, after he had a played a beautifully proportioned set of mostly ballads with Kenny Werner, Oscar Castro-Nevas and Airto Moreira. Toots told me a story about the first time he came to Detroit. It was 1957 and he was working with the George Shearing Quintet at Baker's Keyboard Lounge. J.J. Johnson had played the club the week before with a band that included Bobby Jaspar on tenor sax and flute. Jaspar, like Toots, was born in Belgium. So Toots gets to Baker's on opening night and when he goes into the bathroom he sees scribbled among the graffiti on the wall a missive in Flemish that had obviously been left by Jaspar. The exact translation: "Toots has a big dick."

[jlhoots]

Man Bites Harmonica

R.I.P.