Toots Thielemans - Sophisticated Lady

[alina6947]

красиво! с Весною! спасибо.

[dblivezalwayz]

How can a harmonica sound so beautiful? Play Toots! I could listen to him all day.

[paco59520]

that's a great man...

[dsivi123]

is that Don Alias over there?

[330marty]

This is amazing playing! Toots is the best in the world!

[craigmusic1707]

Toots played on Sesame Street and w/ Billy Joel! (Just some lowbrow stuff that sounds great)

[podfunaug30]

toot good to be human

[EchoCannon89]

one of the most underrated musicians ever, a true great

[wa1ufo]

Toots is superhuman!!

[KingCrimson776]

Holy mother, this guy is the Allan Holdsworth of the harp.

[changer81]

0:10 haha fantastic man, he's like introducing the metronome! Thanks for the music Mr Thielemans!

[Methyl10]

what kind of Chromatic he is playing ? Suzuki ?

[MusicTheEarth]

Sophisticated Music !

[RedPortiaOne]

I've loved Toots music since I was a kid in the 70's and fell in love with the theme from Sesame Street. Hearing this, I almost regret becoming a professional trumpet player, but met Miles in 1990 and that was it for me.

[RedPortiaOne]

If God played the harp, he'd sound like Toots.

[ddecto]

one old mofo

[McC1oudv2]

heh, brother on base haha

[abehammy]

Didn't Toots also play the Sesame Street theme on harmonica?

[lukeonbass]

This is just spectacular musicianship.

[dp1582]

i love the reverb on his harmonica, it gives it a strung out feeling to it

[Ankerouky]

I saw him play 2 days ago in his hometown on Saint-Jazz Brussels, I'm 28, my friends and me felt blessed being able to be there and witness such a humble, lovable and exremely gifted man. I wish he was my grandpa ;-)

[sabsaka]

@Ankerouky : so he still can play!! :-) I was lucky to see him in Milan two years ago, I really wanted to go at his concert because I thought he was so old we could have him with us for not so long (God bless him, I wish he could live 200 years!). I'm glad to hear he's still rocking!

[UltraArsenal]

@sabsaka yes he still can play I saw him 6 month ago in Belgium!

[stuarthants]

The Grand Master of the free reed!! - a virtuoso, and a jazzman (the latter of which the likes of Larry Adler and Max Geldray were not).

[JeromeHattKronen1664]

Abo's playing in the background

[bassollie]

Wow, he looks old, even in 1989, en now, 20 years later he's still playing, I really like this guy :)

[MarceloBatista1]

The eternal TOOTS! For ever and ever... the great, great TOOTS THIELEMANS!!!

There's nothing more to say!!! Thanks a lot for this so agreeable moment!!!

From BraSil

Marcelo Batista

[wkialyleiam]

This is so beautiful. I love the soul in his music.

[Phil4877]

He is great,been playing the harmonica most of my life, never get near his talent.

[JAZZOLOGIST1]

I've liked Toots for a long long time. There's a great heart and mind in that man.

[Roelandvinken]

Impossible not to love this man.

[Tony7840]

One of the highlights of my life, other than my association with Ella, was to watch and listen to "Toots" at the Northsea Jazz Festival in Den Haag, Holland. Pure genius and joy!!!! Very comparable to Ella's talents.......

[Izzy94bg]

is this......real....wow i mean wow this is...

[Patrickphx11]

cool cool cool and the time don't lie baby

[jazzmusic1937]

i ased toots the first i met him where in the world he learned to play harmonica he replied why my grandfather in belgium true story he was playing with shearing in ny city at the time at the embassy club

[RaiderEleven]

Fantastic! His control, his ideas, his dynamics are phenomenal. Yeah, Toots is a musician without borders, some of his best music was made with Elis Regina in Stockholm, and with Quincy Jones, and in Rio De Janiero. Miss the NightMusic TV show of the 80s-90s.

[LIFEmimicsART]

Hearing Toots playing the harp is like watching a guy fold an origami automobile from newspaper, then step inside and drive himself through the mountains on a lazy afternoon.

There is a God, and he definitely likes music!

[greggtelian]

@LIFEmimicsART great analogy!

[direquefernand71]

toots is from Jazzland, no border overthere...

[skikko0]

jazzland with no borders

i quote for the rest of my life

no doubts! lol

[rondlite]

@direquefernand71 he is still in the list of Greatest Belgians that Ever Lived, they are re-inventing the borders there right now.

[dudefrombelgium]

Could be i live close to the dutch border to

great Coffeeshops over there ;)

[dudefrombelgium]

and hes from belgium!!

[Aquir00]

Oh god, it's awesome

!!!!

[mendeljev]

That watch on the keyboard's wrist, I saw it before... Oh my god, it's the cloak and dagger ! Attention, red spy in base !

[RobinLovesSunshine]

WAAAUWIE ♥

[brunoraspanti2006]

increible!

[theworstexperience]

love the yellow watch on the keyboard dude

[moonchildiva]

a magnificent performance, perfect rainy day music, i'm in a MOOD

[Zoetezoen]

Toots's music is always between a smile and a tear; Belgium can be really proud of this great musican, who is also a wonderful person that has the respect of so many colleague musiscans and filmmakers... Great composing by the Duke also...

[chelseagurl97]

@Zoetezoen Why does Belgium have to be proud of anything? Nationalism is always wrong,ass jockey.

[Hjernded]

@chelseagurl97 No need to start arguing with someone showing love to this great musician. I agree, nationalism is never something good, but keep the anger out of this forum :)

[jagrnut7]

We were at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles and at the break we were having a glass of wine in the lobby. Toots came in and walked over and started chatting. What a thrill! You can't get any better!!! Oh yeah---up walks Quincy Jones who had been chums with Toots for 40 years. It was such a treat to share in their reminiscences of days in their youth.. It will be a evening Madelyn and I will never forget. Jerry

[bingodelmar]

Yeah he plays guitar and whistles too....beautiful!!!

[Jazzwayze]

And you should hear Toots play guitar too.

[mcul2112]

totally agree. he coulda done the whole thing over that metronome...and it woulda been sweet. he doesn't need all that other stuff.

guys....we like his playing better than the band's. that's a compliment, when you just want to hear the person playing, and nobody else.  no need to neg on the comments. (you idiots.)

[rubbersoul2015]

The electronic stuff ruins it.

[valienen]

wa ne krak

[MusicMan20061210]

Sweet intonation!

[PUTSAS]

rally so the music on harmonica in cowboy beebop was he playing?

awsome!

[HSSIW]

What is a year of this video ?

[scmm42]

>> What is a year of this video ?

1989.

[ardiesken]

muscles from brussels!! toots golden breath will never die

[svenvranken]

Hell yeah ket! Groeten uit belgië!

[FilipJers]

really nice nice

filip

[MrHyde4X]

hugh hefner has gotten good at harmonica! jokes. i love this guy. found out about him through cowboy bebop.

[MicheleVK]

Fabulous!

[Johnflugelhorn]

Toots is the greatest Jazz harmonica player ever. Great video.

[sometrumpetplayer1]

Pure genious! This man is the best harmonica players, and one of the best musicians on the planet. Still going strong in his mid 80's. I love your music Toots. Thanks for posting this :)

[BelgianMusic]

This is simply wonderful.. I've known about him for ages but I never took the time to listen to him and his music, but as I'm getting older now I'm starting to appreciate this stuff. Tof gedaan, Toots!

[GalaSmel]

This is a real sophistication !!

Thank you for chance to listen to the great player !

[thegothicrocker2]

toots

[hachamacha]

Can't believe I missed this episode of my favorite show, Night Music. Great player, always love his playing. Thanks, Hashi

[pawsofmusic14]

i dont like jazzzz. but wow he's gooodd. my guitar teacher told me about him.. so here i am researching him. soo good

[Djonasz]

I am looking for a video with Jaco Pastorius and Toots Thielemans! Anyone knows the name of the song?

[jdean9]

reply to djonasz: watch?v=JalSofa7KDQ&feature=re­lated

[bassmaster947]

chromaic harmonica seems like a great idea for all of the ones outhere istead of having ones in different keys

[ElizabethGS]

@bassmaster947 I know what you're saying, but a chromatic is a different instrument than a diatonic. Most of those who play diatonics (in many different keys) don't play the same style of music as chromatic players. AND many of them can achieve close to the 'missing' notes via OverBlowing and OverDrawing (diatonics have come a long way). Many styles of chromatics also come in different keys too...the workhorse by Hohner (the 270) is favored by studio musicians...comes in a whole range of keys.:)

[radiofreccia2008]

brilliant!!

[nvjharmonica]

The man at his best. He is so smoothand his phraseiology is so smooth.

[upsstc]

A Duke Ellington classic, played by Toots, can't get any better!!

[Danman917]

how corny

[LancelotVantuyckom]

haha asswhipe

[solodad15]

Toots is a master musician residing in Belgium and I wish he would do one more concert!!

[Patalak]

I think Toots is brilliant

[tisenderbluesman]

isn't that phillipe saisse on keys? Nice!! toot's the man!!

[bluemonk82]

Okay, here's the problem I have the harmonica. While the idea of the instrument is very appealing, it's tone is not. They need to figure out a way to not make it not so harsh sounding. I mean it has a very piercing sound that is not very pleasing to the ear.

Jazz is played best by the following instruments: trumpet, saxophone, trombone, guitar, clarinet, and piano. The reason these instruments sound so wonderful is because they're capable of a very mellow tone.

[firehandszarb]

I would say that the harmonica is capable of being very mellow. Something about that sound sets my teeth on edge, I suspect its a digital thing, nothing wrong with the instrument or Toots.

[MY599FERRARI]

Who died and made you the Jazz / tone expert bluemonk82?

[bluemonk82]

Because I've been a jazz musician for 20 years, that's what makes me an expert. Not only that, but I have taste, which is something that you apparently lack....moron.

[MY599FERRARI]

Wow........more piehole words that self promote one self, sounds like " I like me who do you like" !

[Saxyman14]

Jazz would be around if everyone thought the way you did. If no one comes up with new ways to do things, how will anything new come to be? 20 years is never enough experience to say you're an expert. And with music, you're never good enough. It's a life long pursuit. If you feel like you've mastered it, maybe you've been doing it wrong.

[bluemonk82]

God forbid I make a comment about Toots Thielemans. I don't like him. Big deal.

[taiyo06]

I don't like you. Get lost.

[miguelbaptista]

Jazz is, as any other kind of music, art. It represents the diversity we humans have, from the more outward aspects of culture, to the more inward aspects of each one's psicology, empathy and sensitivity.

It doesn't bother me if somene hates something I like.

As i'm glad not everyone hates the same things I hate, or else those people wouldnt have anyone to relate to.

May be moralist or whatever, but this is how I think.

[henk0909]

everyone has his own opinion i respect that but one question why did you searche this when you dont like him

[TechnikBassMusic]

Iemand moet is het liedje waar hij het thema van Witse speelt laten zien of weet iemand een link ?

[DyvaNaye]

His music just makes me take off in thought... dreamy...what a brilliant musician...

[9623072]

Que maravilha.

[Rasmarker]

Wonderful composition, but try the same number by Jaco Pastorius and Toots posted by "emmadet"

[usairpilotfophx]

I saw him in Miwaukee a few years back and he put on a great show...One of the best concerts I have attended...

[Tomducq]

Proud of Belgium

[lesyouri]

I saw him a few weeks ago, same story, he is the best.

[HabsburgLorraine]

I saw him a year ago in his home La Hulpe. Beat that.

[curtisefontaine]

amazing

[jimn35]

I will probably never get to see this legend play live. But if i did, i would think it would be really cool if he performed his famous closing theme to sesame street as his encore.

[kricket428]

just got my harmonica today, i love jamming, :P im trying to learn a few songs i can play but im not sure how to read the tabs, does -6 mean you breathe in on 6 or blow out? btw toots the man, if you notice while hes playing hes moving his pointer finger to bend a note it seems, what is he doing?

[bartlettbooks]

-6 means to draw on that hole. Toots is playing a chromatic harp. It has a button the side that is pushed in to play sharps and flats. That is what he is doing with his finger.

[lwajman]

very nice!!!!! Toots is wonderful!!

[shaneboylan]

Is he playing a 16 hole chromatic?

[diremyth]

Class. All on his own.

[KMNKeybordValt]

I got to say again and again I LOVE THIS SONG.

[ekim53]

It don't get any "gooder" than that!

I'm just now pulling up my socks.

[potkettle]

He bends notes in a way no-one else does. You could tell his playing a mile off, it's wonderful.

[LadyRBlues]

Very nice!

[KMNKeybordValt]

This is my Favorite Song and i always love this version the way Toots played it and that keyboard player is too cool.

[joebandana]

hey i know this is a newbie question, but can you play an entire chromatic scale on a harp? i.e. allowing for any choice of notes at any time? or do harps have particular notes missing depending on key etc?

[cweeks2]

Diatonic single-key harmonicas have notes missing, but you can buy chromatic harmonicas that have all of the notes.

[japphan]

Except chomatics, there are diatonic harps on which you can play the whole chromatic scale, usually called "Valved" harmonicas. It takes alot of skill to play them well though.

[joebandana]

how interesting, thanks heaps for that information! toots is the man

[harplaya]

Diatonic and chromatic harps can play the entire chromatic scale. On the chromatic its easier but it's still a pretty complicated instrument. On the Diatonic you need to make blow bends, draw bends, overblows and overdraws.

[cantordelmar]

Muy muy bueno ,esa harmonica suena muy celestial,me es muy sentimental ,llena de tanta sensibilidad,y ver a este maestro,como lo es toots Thielemans dan ganas de llorar de alegría...emoción desde TAGANGA aldea de pescadores en el mar caribe, ALFREDO TEJEDA-CANTOR DEL MAR

[pinkieldred]

Toots Thielemans is a marvelous artist,, playing one of the more difficult Ellington tunes...wonderful

[dariusagoodwin]

so sweet melodic ideas and cool keyboard player (and synth!) and band!

[stooge]

sweet!

[eightstring]

Beautiful !! Thank you for posting this gem.

RC

[professor501]

Does anyone happen to know when this aired? And exactly where does "Night Music" air? Is that in the U.S. or in Europe?

[scmm42]

Night Music aired for two seasons on NBC. 1988-89 and 1989-90. It was just too good to survive on commercial American TV. This episode aired in Spring 1990.

[professor501]

Toots plays that harp like a sax player plays his sax. He has such a soulful, passionate sound.  One of the world's most legendary, beloved musicians.

[hjrvideo]

Very good music, I heard him playing on North Sea Jazz 2007. Very old man, could hardly walk, they have to help him on his seat. But when he starts playing, he changed in an very swinging musisian. Great performance!!!

[surapun1]

I wonder how he put his soul in such way of playing .. . so amazing

Toots is always my favorite musician.

Thanks for producing the great thing for this world.

Thanks for posting too.

[flutehood]

Dear Toots, there is no words to describe you how great impact in my life as musician had done from your personality. The creative freedom,joy,tought and imagination in your so natural performing is just amazing! Thank you for sharing your Godly gift with us on this world.

[flutehood]

Dear Toots, there is no words to describe you how great impact in my life as musician had done from your personality. The creative freedom,joy,tought and imagination in your so natural performing is just amazing! Thank you for sharing your Godly gift with us on this world.

[moneymasterjet]

is he still playing? where can i find him?

[Hansmiseur]

belgium maybe

[ElizabethGS]

Toots has a Myspace site..run by his manager...very cool. Yes, he is still playing.

[moneymasterjet]

that's great!  thank you

[PianistaItaliano]

Fantastic! Great version, I enjoyed very much! Thanks for posting.

[aLaRmCaLL1983]

Does anyone have or know where i can find a video of Toots performing "for my lady"

or videos where he whistles?

thank you

[harpmac]

TOOTS = CLASS!

[ntrimm]

They don't have enough stars for this dude.

[charrocanroll]

cool!!!!

is amazing!!

[marcioscialis]

Brazilian Harmonica Player (my video)

Thanks!

[tisbamar]

I know a lot of excellent harmonica players, but considering this style, Toots always will be the best.

[BelgiumOnStage]

this week he's 85 and still playing !

[usarmy4u]

Where can I get a video of this recording? Thanks Ed

[HammondB200]

which mic is mr. t using?

[Straker58]

Adoro il suono dell`armonica di Toots!

Splendido.

[filleke69]

i met him in casino in knokke, i went accidently on stage thrue the artist entry and there he was... A man with class.

[ALLDALI]

I a&m going to see Toots this evening at Bluenote festival in Ghent !

[Wilsox]

that's was probably thing I ever heard and saw

[nathdrumz]

amazing...

[jujusunrise]

Always between a tears and a smile.

Paris misses you toots!

[shanicles]

oh that's nice

[jtrouveroy]

ooh yeeaah!! a slice of heaven!

[sommid]

Great timeless music of a even greater performer....

Thanks so much Toots

[ntrimm]

Big band jazz from such a small instrument. Wow.

[dmaxmodels0711]

toots is a giant.