Jeanfrancois Prins "happy 95th Birthday Toots!.." at The Music Village

Jeanfrançois Prins guitar, voice, Johan Clement piano, Christophe Devisscher bass
Happy 95th Birthday dear Toots!

Toots Thielemans was of course famous for being the world's greatest chromatic harmonica player. We heard him as a soloist with the greatest jazz and pop musicians (from Charlie Parker to Paul Simon, from Elis Regina to Jaco Pastorius, from Quincy Jones to Edith Piaf, from Billy Joel to Joe Lovano, to Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento to cite but a few), in legendary film scores, in children tv shows. Toots was a melodic genius who transcended time and style, who also had a unique voice on guitar (his true love), and created a new sound by whistling along his improvised lines....

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Jeanfrançois Prins guitar, voice, Johan Clement piano, Christophe Devisscher bass
Happy 95th Birthday dear Toots!

Toots Thielemans was of course famous for being the world's greatest chromatic harmonica player. We heard him as a soloist with the greatest jazz and pop musicians (from Charlie Parker to Paul Simon, from Elis Regina to Jaco Pastorius, from Quincy Jones to Edith Piaf, from Billy Joel to Joe Lovano, to Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento to cite but a few), in legendary film scores, in children tv shows. Toots was a melodic genius who transcended time and style, who also had a unique voice on guitar (his true love), and created a new sound by whistling along his improvised lines.

But to me Toots was my musical godfather, who took me under his wing early on in my musical career and shared so much of his beauty with me, and I am eternally grateful for that. Hundreds of times he invited me to sit in on his amazing concerts and play on his guitar, how incredibly generous of him! I remember this finale concert of the Jazz Rallye, on the magical Grand’ Place in Brussels, where I was a guest soloist with his quartet (Michel Herr, Michel Hatzigeorgiou and Bruno Castellucci), along with Judy Niemack and Tom Harrell, and where over 20,000 people were crowding the market place, so that the police had to escort us to the stage, what an unforgettable feeling! I am also grateful for Toots’ adorable wife Huguette who took such wonderful loving care of him for all these years, and who welcomed me immediately as a new member of the family.

Rarely do I spend a day without listening to Toots in some context or other, and he keeps kicking my musical butt every single time. I want to be like him when I grow up!..

Toots left us on August 22, 2016. But his music and spirit live on!

So tonight, we are going to celebrate Toots' birthday by playing some of his compositions and some of his favorite music with love and respect, but also with joy and fun, and in Toots' spirit: "between a smile and a tear".

Thank you dearest Toots for being your unique self and giving so much timeless emotion to the world. Love you! – Jeanfrançois Prins

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