Although preceded by
Larry Adler (who has actually spent much of his career playing popular and
classical music),
Toots Thielemans virtually introduced the chromatic harmonica as a
jazz instrument. In fact, ever since the mid-'50s, he has had no close competitors.
Toots simply plays the harmonica with the dexterity of a saxophonist and has even successfully traded off with the likes of
Oscar Peterson.
Toots Thielemans' first instrument was the accordion, which he started when he was three.
Although he started playing the harmonica when he was 17,
Thielemans' original reputation was made as a guitarist who was influenced by
Django Reinhardt. Very much open to
bop,
Thielemans played in American GI clubs in Europe, visited the U.S. for the first time in 1947, and shared the bandstand with
Charlie Parker at the Paris Jazz Festival of 1949. He toured Europe as a guitarist with the
Benny Goodman Sextet in 1950, and the following year moved to the U.S. During 1953-1959,
Toots was a member of the
George Shearing quintet (mostly as a guitarist) and has freelanced ever since. He first recorded his big hit "Bluesette" (which featured his expert whistling and guitar) in 1961, and ever since has been greatly in demand (particularly for his harmonica and his whistling) on pop records (including many dates with
Quincy Jones) and as a
jazz soloist.
Toots' two-volume
Brasil Project was popular in the 1990s and found him smoothly interacting on harmonica with top Brazilian musicians. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
