Sad news for the harmonica world

Toots Thielemans had an amazing career in music that spanned 70 years across the entire globe - not bad for a harmonica player!

While his first love was playing jazz - which he did in the company of a who's who of the music, including Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, George Shearing, and many others, he also crossed over easily into pop music and gigs with Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Julian Lennon, John Denver, and many others, and also played on many soundtracks - the Sesame Street theme, Midnight Cowboy, Jean de Florette, the Getaway (the original Steve McQueen version), In the Heat of the Night, and many more, often working with Quincy Jones.

Toots did play some diatonic and even recorded some overblows back in 1968, but his main axe was the 3-octave chromatic, which he played with astonishing fluency, deep emotion, and a delightful melodic sense. That said, for many years the guitar was his bread-and-butter ticket, but it was eventually the harmonica that became his most powerful voice and the instrument that brought him the widest fame and appreciation.

Toots was never interested in teaching people how to play the harmonica. Rather, he was interested in coaching advanced players on ways of being musical with the harmonica. On Facebook, I'm seeing posts from many of the advanced chromatic players I know who tell stories of his friendship and advice (I was one of them).

Toots retired from playing at the age of 92 - what a run. I remember him giving an interview when he was in his mid-50s and being asked if he'd ever retire. He replied, "They'll have to kill me!" It didn't quite work out that way, but he had an awfully good run