Toots 100
Birthday Celebration
In 2022 we celebrate the 100th birthday of Toots Thielemans, famous jazz musician & Brussels ketje, with a series of tribute concerts, expos and other events.
What a year it was! Exactly one year ago we had the most wonderful 100th Birthday celebration in Bozar Brussels, with his love Huguette and so many friends on stage and in the audience.
Emotional and simply unforgettable, it was the perfect start of a Toots 100-year full of celebration and joy. An exposition, small “full on”-jazz concerts, and big scenes and performances all over Brussels, Belgium and the world. We went from Dubai to the Netherlands, from New York to Berlin, and remembered Toots on the stages of the festivals he loved so much. All of this was only possible with the help and love of Mrs. Thielemans, our partners, many musicians, the concert halls and you, the music lovers.
“Never stop playing” as he always used to say himself. Thank you all so much!
Most of all it was a pleasure, a gift, an honor even to organise all this. Everywhere we arrived representing his legacy, we were welcomed with a big smile, tons of love, and a feeling of recognition. Even with people we didn’t already know before, there always was that one thing in common: the pleasure of having known Toots. His music, but most of all the positive human being that turned every encounter, short or long, in an everlasting and unforgettable memory for life.
So let’s keep on doing this! Let’s keep on celebrating Toots, the joy of music, and bringing people together. Let’s see and enjoy the positive potential of every moment, just like he did.
Between a smile and a tear. Last year, now and forever.
Happy Birthday Toots!
News
Rewind: Bal National & Resto National
2 Heartwarming events that took place in the Marolles in Brussels:
Bal National on July 20 and Resto National on July 21, 2022.
At both events, Toots' 100th birthday was celebrated with many enthusiastic people.
Rewind: Brosella on July 1, 2022 Toots Deconstructed
Bram De Looze: piano
Teun Verbruggen: drums
Yannick Peeters: double bass
Philippe Thuriot: accordion, harmonica
Rewind: Brosella Festival 2022 – Rewind 01.07.2022 Toots 100
WDR Big Band cond. Jörg Achim Keller with special guest Hendrik Meurkens
Rewind: the very beautiful and interactive exhibition about the life and career of Toots Thielemans on the occasion of the 100th birthday.
The exhibition — The sound of a Belgian Legend — took place in the Royal Library of Belgium and the Palace of Charles de Lorraine in Brussels from April 20, 2022 to September 30, 2022.
Rewind: Brosella Festival 2022 – Rewind 01.07.2022 Toots 100
Jef Neve en Teus Nobel – improvisation on Bluesette from Toots Thielemans
A small look back at the special Toots 100 evening at Brosella on July 1, 2022.
The first fragment: the duo Jef Neve (piano) and Teus Nobel (trumpet), who perform their own version of the well-known Bluesette by Toots Thielemans.
CD review: Studio Sessions 1973-1983
Toots Thielemans Meets Rob Franken
(Nederlands Jazz Archief)
by John Pietaro
Bal National & Resto National
Beste dames en heren van de pers,
of op z’n Bal Nationals:
Beste joengens, maskes en kadeikes van de gazetten,
Le soir des 20 et 21 juillet, ça va danser, chanter, rigoler dans les Marolles ! ? Qu’est-ce que tu penses en bas de ça ?
Toots Challenge Presentation
Last Saturday, June 25, 2022 about ten nominees of the Toots Challenge presented their submission to a 5-member jury in the MIM concert hall.
Toots Thielemans 100 Podcast by Bluenotes
Toots talk: interviews during the years – Toots telling his own story of the first years of his career – a compilation made by Nico Kanakaris
Toots 100: Brussels celebrates Toots Thielemans’ 100th birthday
From 22 April onwards, Brussels will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Toots Thielemans. It will be a comprehensive, diverse and fitting tribute to the Brussels jazz icon who passed away in 2016. On the programme are lots of concerts, an exhibition, and above all, plenty of memories and discoveries.
Past Events
| Datum | Stad | Hour | Locatie | Info | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-03-2022 | Leuven | 12.15H | Bibliotheek | Toots 100 lezing door Marc Van den Hoof | LINK |
| 19-03-2022 | Leuven | 20H | CC30 | LUCA Bigband ft Hermine Deurloo - rebirth collectieve ft Tutu Puoane | LINK |
| 26-03-2022 | Oudenaarde | Harmonie | Duoconcert Jef Neve - Teus Noble | LINK | |
| 31-03-2022 | Brussel | Goudblommeke in papier | “Ket Talks” stories about Toots | LINK | |
| 10-04-2022 | Jette | Bibliotheek | “Ket Talks” stories about Toots | LINK | |
| 17-04-2022 | Austerlitz The Netherlands | Beauforthuis | Mike del Ferro - Frans Van der Hoeven - Roy Dackus en Tollak Ollestad | LINK | |
| 22-04-2022 | Bilzen | 20H | CC De Kimpel | Thank you Toots | LINK |
| 23-04-2022 | Brussel | CC Bruegel | Expo Pictures of Toots on the Brosella festival | LINK | |
| 23-04-2022 | Brussel | 13H | CC Bruegel | Rebirth ceremony with festivities of the giant doll Toots | LINK |
| 24-04-2022 | Amsterdam The Netherlands | Bimhuis | Mike del Ferro Trio FT. Luca Ciarla & Max De Aloe | LINK | |
| 27-04-2022 | Anderlecht | 19H | CC Beeldenstorm | Marc Matthys + guests plays Burt Bacharach meets Toots Thielemans | LINK |
| 29-04-2022 | Brussel | 20H | BOZAR | Toots Thielemans 100th Anniversary official concert | LINK |
| 29-04-2022 | Mol | 15H | Beiaardconcert | Toots on Bells | LINK |
| 29-04-2022 | Mol | 20H | Podiumzaal SJB - College | Mols accordeonensemble cond. Ludo Mariën with Steph Van Uytvanck - harmonica | LINK |
| 30-04-2022 | Mol | 20H | Podiumzaal SJB - College | Mols accordeonensemble cond. Ludo Mariën with Steph Van Uytvanck - harmonica | LINK |
| 30-04-2022 | Brussel | 14H | Warandepark Kunstberg Beursplein Grote Markt | Music on several locations in Brussel with several amateur music organizations of Flanders | |
| 30-04-2022 | Brussel | 20H | Jazz Station | International Jazz Day- Toots Thielemans revisited | LINK |
| 30-04-2022 | ’s Hertogenbosch The Netherlands | 21H | Verkadefabriek | Jef neve- Teus Nobel duo | LINK |
| 01-05-2022 | Tournai | 20.30H | Jazz Festival | Brussels Jazz Orchestra with Kenny Werner - Grégoire Maret - Philip Catherine | LINK |
| 01-05-2022 | Brussel | 16H | Brussels Conservatorium | Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra cond. David Navarro Turres -Toots concerto Olivier Poumay:harmonica | LINK |
| 01-05-2022 | Sint Martens Latem | Leiebocht | Duoconcert Jef Neve - Teus Noble | LINK | |
| 02-05-2022 | Heerlen The Netherlands | 20H | Parkstad Limburg. Theater Heerlen RABOzaal | The sound of a Belgian Legend - Metropole Orkest and guests | LINK |
| 04-05-2022 | Enschede The Netherlands | 20.30H | Wilminktheater | The sound of a Belgian Legend - Metropole Orkest and guests | LINK |
| 04-05-2022 | Merksem | 20.30H | Concertzaal De Volkslust | Ben Vanderweyden Quartet | LINK |
| 05-05-2022 | Brussel | 19H | KBR - EXPO | Matthias Heyman : Toots Tourbillon. Toots’ early years in Belgium | LINK |
| 05-05-2022 | Essen Germany | 20.30H | Philharmonie Alfried Krupp | The sound of a Belgian Legend - Metropole Orkest and guests | LINK |
| 06-05-2022 | Brussel | 12.30H | Royal Library Belgium concertzaal | Concert with Nathalie Loriers - Bart De Nolf - Grégoire Maret | SOLD OUT |
| 06-05-2022 | Ardooie | 20.30H | De Schaduw | Duoconcert Jef Neve - Teus Noble | LINK |
| 07-05-2022 | Stabroek | 20H | Zaal Moorland | Duoconcert Jef Neve - Teus Noble | LINK |
| 07-05-2022 | Utrecht The Netherlands | 20.15H | Tivoli Vredenburg | The sound of a Belgian Legend - Metropole Orkest and guests | LINK |
| 08-05-2022 | Amsterdam The Netherlands | 15H | Theater Carré | The sound of a Belgian Legend - Metropole Orkest and guests | LINK |
| 10-05-2022 | Brussel | 20H | BOZAR - zaal M | Toots 100 & Beyond Toots Thielemans Award | LINK |
| 10-05-2022 | Brussel | 20H | 6 rue de l'Argonne | NaPraça feat Marylène Corro - Nova Era | LINK |
| Van 09-05-2022 tot 21-05-2022 | Brussel | Flagey | Photo exhibition Foyer I in Flagey : Toots through the eyes of the photographerJos Knaepen | LINK | |
| Van 09-05-2022 tot 11-05-2022 | Brussel | 11H | Royal Library Belgium | Colloqiuim: "Toots Thielemans (1922-2016). A Century of music across Europe and America" | LINK |
| 19-05-2022 | Brussel | 19H | KBR - EXPO | Frederik Goossens | |
| 20-05-2022 | Brussel | Blue Flamingo Festival | “Ket Talks” stories about Toots | LINK | |
| 22-05-2022 | Brussel | 12.30H | Muziek instrumenten museum | Concert with Ivan Paduard en Olivier Ker Ourio | LINK |
| 22-05-2022 | Ukkel | GC Het Huys | “Ket Talks” stories about Toots | LINK | |
| 22-05-2022 | Kalmthout | 14.45H | Mimuze | Duoconcert Jef Neve - Teus Noble | LINK |
| 23-05-2022 | La Hulpe | TBA | L’Académie de musique | Harmonica concert | TBA |
| 25-05-2022 | La Hulpe | TBA | Oli-Wood guest house | Frédéric Viale | TBA |
| 27-05-2022 | Brussel | 19H | Maison Jamaer Avenue de Stalingrad 62 | Yassir Bousselam Quartet | LINK |
| Van 27-05 tot 29-05-2022 | Brussel | Jazz Weekend | Several locations in Brussels | LINK | |
| 29-05-2022 | Marollen (Brussels) - Molenbeek | Walk | Fanfakids in the footsteps of Toots | LINK | |
| 02-06-2022 | Brussel | 17H-22H | KBR - EXPO Nocturne | Meet the legend lecture and behind the scene | LINK |
| 04-06-2022 | Brussel | 11H | Koninklijke Bibliotheek Belgie Bibliothèque Royal | Bart Cornand (NL) - In de sporen van Django - Toots op gitaar | LINK |
| 04-06-2022 | Antwerpen | 20H | Love2Arts Gallery | Duo Marc en Vanessa Matthys | LINK |
| 05-06-2022 | Holsbeek | 20.45H | Kasteel Van Horst | Duoconcert Jef Neve - Teus Noble | LINK |
| 06-06-2022 | Kortrijk | 11H | Openlucht concert Schouwburgplein Kortrijk | Concorde Jazz Ensemble cond. J. Deryckere en gasten Marc en Vanessa Matthys | LINK |
| From 28-04-2022 until 09-06-2022 | Brussel | Royal Library Belgium | Nocturnes in KBR every Thursday evening from 17H until 22H with special events | LINK | |
| 11-06-2022 | Laken | 19H | Atomium Atomiumplein 1 - Laken | Toots Tribe Musicians: Stéphane Mercier – alto sax Jeanfrançois Prins – gitaar Christophe Devisscher - contrabass Bruno Castellucci - drums | LINK NL LINK FR |
| 11-06-2022 | Terneuzen The Netherlands | Zeeland Jazz Fest. | Mike del Ferro | LINK | |
| 14-06-2022 | San Francisco The United States | SF Jazz Festival | Kenny Werner - Grégoire Maret :duo | ||
| 15-06-2022 | La Jolla The United States | The Athrnaeum | Kenny Werner - Grégoire Maret :duo | ||
| 16-06-2022 | New Mexico The United States | The Outpost | Kenny Werner - Grégoire Maret :duo | ||
| 16-06-2022 | Brussel | 19H | Koninklijke Bibliotheek Belgie Bibliothèque Royal | Hugues Warin ( FR) - La posture de Toots face à une | LINK |
| 17-06-2022 | Koekelberg | Baseliek | Young “ Toots” Quintet and What a Wonderful Toots | LINK | |
| 18-06-2022 | Molenbeek - Koekelberg | Walk | Fanfakids in the footsteps of Toots | LINK | |
| 23-06-2022 | Brussel | 19H | Koninklijke Bibliotheek Belgie Bibliothèque Royal | Géry Dumoulin (FR) Harmonicas et anches libres: questions de principe | LINK |
| Van 24-06 tot 26-06-2022 | La Hulpe | TBA | Jazz Village Tour | Small concerts on 8 locations in La Hulpe | LINK |
| 25-06-2022 | Rotterdam The Netherlands | Mike del Ferro | LINK | ||
| 26-06-2022 | Feerwerd The Netherlands | 14.30H | Kerk | Jef Neve- Teus Nobel duo | LINK |
| 26-06-2022 | Brussel | 19H | KBR - EXPO | Géry Dumoulin: Harmonicas and free reeds: a question of principle | LINK |
| 26-06-2022 | La Hulpe | L’Académie de musique | Opendoor concerts | LINK | |
| 26-06-2022 | La Hulpe | 17.30H | Grand Place | West Music Club | LINK |
| 26-06-2022 | Zutphen The Netherlands | Mike del Ferro | LINK | ||
| 26-06-2022 | Kortrijk | 22H | Jazzkaffee Damast | Duo Marc en Vanessa Matthys | LINK |
| 28-06-2022 | Brussel | 20H | T'chabola, Stalingradlaan 25 (Stalingrad Village) | Aleph quintet | LINK |
| 30-06-2022 | Brussel | 20H | L'Antartique, Stalingradlaan 67 | Aleph quintet | LINK |
| Van 01-07 tot 03-07-2022 | Brussel | Groentheater | Brosella Festival | LINK | |
| 05-07-2022 | Brussel | 20H | TBA | NaPraça & Marylène Corro | LINK |
| 10-07-2022 | Brussel | 11H | Koninklijke Bibliotheek Belgie Bibliothèque Royal | Marc Danval ( FR) toots Bruxelles et la Belgique | LINK |
| 20-07-2022 | Brussel | Marollen- Vossenplein- Place du Jeu de Balle | Bal National | LINK | |
| 21-07-2022 | Brussel | Marollen- Vossenplein- Place du Jeu de Balle | Resto National | LINK | |
| 21-07-2022 | Tienen | 16.45H | Jazz Tienen Festival - “Thank you Toots” | Ben Vanderweyden Quartet | LINK |
| 04-08-2022 | Place Communale de La Hulpe | 16.30H | « Mon plus beau village » | La Hulpe needs 100 persons to whistle or sing Bluesette | Inscrivez-vous ici |
| 12-08-2022 | Rosignol | Gaume Jazz Festival | Tootsology with Antonio Serrano Quartet | LINK | |
| 14-08-2022 | Antwerpen | Jazz Middelheim Park Den Brand | Toots Thielemans 100th Anniversary official concert | LINK | |
| 27-08-2022 | Brussel | 12H | Koninklijke Bibliotheek Belgie Bibliothèque Royal | Jacques Onan avec Michel Herr, Michel Hatzigeorgiu et Bruno Castellucci (FR) - Toots chef de Band(e) | LINK |
| 31-08-2022 | Brussel | Koninklijke Bibliotheek Belgie | Afsluiting Expo The sound of a Belgian Legend” | ||
| Till 31-08-2022 | Brussel | Subway construction site Metro 3 (Marollen) | Exposition " The live of Toots Thielemans from his early years in the Marollen until his career as musicians all over the world. | LINK | |
| Till 31-08-2022 | Brussel | Koninklijke Bibliotheek Belgie | Exposition “ The sound of a Belgian Legend” | LINK | |
| 25-09-2022 | Grimbergen | Baseliek | Beiaardconcert | LINK | |
| Till 30-09-2022 | Brussel | Royal Library of Belgium ( KBR) | Group offer” Toots 100 - The sound of a Belgian Legend” A guide shows you around in the exhibition “Toots 100. The Sound of a Belgian Legend”. Through images and music, you will learn all about Toots as a musician and a human being, but above all about his “sound”. Discover what makes Toots’ sound so special and how he used it in various domains of music. | LINK | |
| 02-10-2022 | Brussel | 14H | In front of the Cathedral Saint Michael and Gudule | Free open air concert with 2 carillon. One of the Cathedral and one on a truck. | LINK |
| 02-10-2022 | Brussel | 14H | Musical Instrument Museum - MIM Free entrance | Duo Szabadsag : Ariane Cohen-Adad : violin, viola, 5-string fiddle, vocals Jefferson Louvat : mandolin, mandola, mandocello | LINK |
| 30-10-2022 | Geel | 14H | CC De Werft | Tribute to Toots Thielemans 2440 Big Band met Ben Vanderweyden | |
| 02-11-2022 | Amsterdam The Netherlands | 20.15H | Concertgebouw - Kleine zaal | Dutch Jazz Heritage : Toots 100 celebration with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw special guests: Cor Bakker (piano) and Hermine Deurloo (Harmonica) | LINK |
| From 4 till 6-11-2022 | NYC The United States | Dizzy’s JALC | Kenny Werner - Grégoire Maret :duo | ||
| 13-11-2022 | Kortrijk | 20.30H | Jazzkaffee Damast | Vanessa Matthys, vocal - Marc Matthys, piano - Bart De Nolf, bass - Luc Vanden Bosch, drums. | LINK |
| 17-11-2022 | Brugge | 20.00H | Stadsschouwburg te Brugge | Koninklijke Muziekkapel van de Marine olv kapelmeesterB. Verschoore | LINK |
| 25-11-2022 | La Hulpe | L’Eglise st Nicolas | L’Académie de musique | LINK | |
| 26-11-2022 | Berlin Germany | 15.00H | Centre Manouche Liebigstraße 25 - Berlin | Masterclass with Steven De Bruyn Collaboration between Harmonica School Berlin, The Legacy of Toots Thielemans and Brussels-Capital Region. | Participation is free. Please register by mail: contact@harmonica-school-berlin.com |
| 26-11-2022 | Berlin Germany | 21.00H | ZigZag JazzClub Berlin - Germany | Bert Joris Quartet with special guests celebration Toots 100th Birthday | LINK |
| 16-12-2022 | La Hulpe | 20.00H | L’Eglise st Nicolas | Philip Catherine Quartet invites Grégoire Maret (Harmonica) | LINK |
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If you want to organise your own event or tribute, please contact us.