A jazz standard by Toots Thielemans is "Bluesette," where he used whistling and guitar in unison. He worked both as a bandleader and as a sideman, including many projects with composer/arranger Quincy Jones. He performed on many film soundtracks, such as Midnight Cowboy, Cinderella Liberty, Jean de Florette, The Sugarland Express, The Yakuza, Turkish Delight, the 1972 version of The Getaway, French Kiss, Dunderklumpen!, and in various television programs, including Sesame Street, whose closing credits (which did not list him accordingly) featured his performance, on harmonica, of the show's theme, the Belgian television series Witse, and in the Netherlands, for the Baantjer series.
Thielemans started his career as a guitar player. In 1949 he joined a jam session in Paris with Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Max Roach and others. In 1951 he went on tour with Bobbejaan Schoepen.
He moved to the United States in 1952 where he was a member of Charlie Parker's All-Stars. He played and recorded with names like Ella Fitzgerald, The George Shearing Quintet, Quincy Jones, Bill Evans, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Astrud Gilberto, Elis Regina and others.
A jazz standard by Toots Thielemans is "Bluesette" where he used whistling and guitar in unison. Bluesette became a major 1962 world-wide hit for him and this still much beloved and requested piece has been re-recorded by him and commercially released on records/CDs many times over both in various studio versions and live on-stage performances performed in several different countries. His trademark harmonica playing can also be heard in movie scores such as Breakfast at Tiffany's (where his plaintive "Moon River" solo in the opening scene brilliantly establishes the film's mood of romance noir), Midnight Cowboy, Bagdad Café, French Kiss, and in various TV programs like Sesame Street, the Belgian TV series Witse and the Dutch TV series Baantjer. His professional whistling and harmonica playing can be heard on Old Spice radio and TV commercials that have been made over the years. In 1983 he contributed to Billy Joel's album An Innocent Man, and his trademark harmonica can be heard on "Leave a Tender Moment Alone."
In the 90s Thielemans embarked on theme projects that included world music. In 1998 he released the a French flavoured album titled "Chez Toots" that included the Les Moulins De Mon Coeur (The Windmills of My Heart) featuring guest singer Johnny Mathis. This CD continues to sell well.
Today Jean "Toots" Thielemans remains a strong favorite among jazz aficionados and professional critics alike. His music CDs continue to delight (many of which were recorded in the 2000s) and have introduced him to entire new generations of keen fans.
Apart from his popularity as an accomplished musician, he is well liked for his modesty and kind demeanor. In his native Belgium, he is also popular for describing himself as a Brussels "ket", which means "street kid" in old Brussels slang. He received a joint honorary doctorate from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and in 2001 Thielemans was ennobled a baron by King Albert II of Belgium.
In 2005 he was nominated for the title of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian). In the Flemish version he ended 20th place, in the Walloon version he ended 44th place.
Thielemans may have had a significant impact on The Beatles, (John Lennon in particular), during the group's pre-fame formative years. When performing in a 1959 Hamburg Germany with the pre-fame Beatles, John Lennon (sometimes with fellow Beatle George Harrison in tow) would often go over to the club where Toots was performing (at a noontime venue) as a member of The George Shearing Quintet. Lennon evidently was taken with Toot's harmonica playing and also for the guitar Toots was playing, an electric American made Rickenbacker with a short play neck. Based on the sound Lennon heard, he decided to purchase a natural alder wood "alderglo" colored three pickup Rickenbacker 1958 model 325 Capri guitar with a short scale as former Beatle and friend, George Harrison would recall to various interviewers many years later. (This iconic famous guitar often fondly referred to as the "Holy Grail" of all guitars, which was customized and tinkered with many times over the years by Lennon including being re-painted to jetglo black in September 1962, is the very same guitar that he played on The Beatles first and third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show during February 1964).
Toots Thielemans died peacefully in his sleep on August 22, 2016 after being hospitalized for a fall a month earlier.
Coisa Féita
Toots Thielemans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reencarnação da Princesa do Dao... mé
Eu sou marfim, lá das Minas do Salomão
Me esparramo em mim, lua cheia sobre o carvão
Um mulherão, balangadãs, cerâmica e sisal
Língua assim, a conta certa entre a baunilha e o sal
Fogão de lenha, garrafa de areia colorida
Pedra-sabão, peneira e água boa de moringa
De farejar ouro
Princesa do Da... o... mé
Sou coisa feita, se o malandro se aconchegar
Vai morrer na esteira, maré sonsa de Paque... tá
Sou coisa benta, se provar do meu aluá
Bebe o pólo norte, bem tirado do samo... var
Neguinho assim, ó, já escreveu atrás do caminhão
"A mulher que não se esquece é lá do Daomé"
Faço mandinga, fecho os caminhos com as cinzas
Deixo biruta, lelé da cuca, zuretão ranzinza
Pra não ficar bobo,
Melhor fugir logo
Sou de pegar pe... lo pé
Sou avatar vodu,
Sou de botar fogo
Princesa do Da... o... mé
The lyrics to Toots Thielemans's song Coisa Féita depict a confident and strong-willed woman who knows her worth and value as both a person and a romantic partner. She describes herself as a "woman who can catch a man by the foot," a reincarnation of the Princess of Dao, and as "ivory from the Mines of Solomon."
The woman is unapologetically herself - a "big woman, with ceramics and sisal" - and knows exactly what she wants, and what she deserves. She speaks of her tongue being the perfect balance of vanilla and salt, of her love for using a wood stove and drinking water from a moringa tree. She is confident in her ability to both hunt (like a lion) and protect (like a goddess).
The chorus of the song, "Sou coisa feita," translates to "I am made thing," which can be interpreted as the woman knowing her own strength and self-worth, and refusing to compromise on that. She also warns that if someone tries to take advantage of her, they will meet their end ("Vai morrer na esteira, maré sonsa de Paque... tá").
Overall, the lyrics depict a powerful and confident woman who is unafraid to be herself and knows her self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
Sou bem mulher de pegar macho pelo pé
I am a woman who can easily charm men and lure them in.
Reencarnação da Princesa do Dao... mé
I am the reincarnation of a noble woman from the land of Daome, blessed with great beauty and power.
Eu sou marfim, lá das Minas do Salomão
I am as precious and rare as ivory from the mines of Salomon.
Me esparramo em mim, lua cheia sobre o carvão
I am like a full moon shining over coal, fully embracing and expressing myself.
Um mulherão, balangadãs, cerâmica e sisal
I am a voluptuous woman with grace and elegance, like handcrafted ceramics and natural sisal.
Língua assim, a conta certa entre a baunilha e o sal
My words are as sweet and savory as the perfect balance of vanilla and salt.
Fogão de lenha, garrafa de areia colorida
I am a woman of traditional values, with a wood-burning stove and colorful sand bottles as decoration.
Pedra-sabão, peneira e água boa de moringa
I appreciate natural elements, such as soapstone, a sieve, and fresh water from a moringa tree.
Sou de arrancar couro
I am a force to be reckoned with.
De farejar ouro
I have a keen sense for finding hidden treasures and opportunities.
Princesa do Da... o... mé
I am royalty from the mystical land of Daome.
Sou coisa feita, se o malandro se aconchegar
I am a masterpiece, and any man who tries to take advantage of me will regret it.
Vai morrer na esteira, maré sonsa de Paque... tá
They will meet their end, drowned in the calm tide of the river.
Sou coisa benta, se provar do meu aluá
I am a blessing, and those who taste my aluá will be rewarded.
Bebe o pólo norte, bem tirado do samo... var
They will experience something magical, like drinking from the North Pole, sourced from the same place as the spirits.
Neguinho assim, ó, já escreveu atrás do caminhão
People have acknowledged my greatness and written about me on the back of their trucks.
Faço mandinga, fecho os caminhos com as cinzas
I can work magic, and I use my power to block harmful influences with ashes.
Deixo biruta, lelé da cuca, zuretão ranzinza
I can cause chaos and madness, making people feel insane and unstable.
Pra não ficar bobo,
Melhor fugir logo
To avoid getting fooled or hurt, it's better to run away from me.
Sou de pegar pe... lo pé
I am good at catching men off guard and making them fall for me.
Sou avatar vodu,
Sou de botar fogo
I am a representation of voodoo and can cause intense passions and desires.
Writer(s): A. BLANC, P. EMILIO, J. BOSCO
Contributed by Audrey O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
massimiliano mangiagli
Drumming meraviglioso...
Giovanni Giorgi
Grazie !
Giuseppe Modena
Troppo troppo bravo Giovanni Giorgi , per me è il top dei batteristi , anche perché lui non è solo un batterista , ma è un musicista , ed è questo che lo distingue da altri batteristi
Giovanni Giorgi
Grazie Giuseppe !
🎼Alberto Drummer🎼
Tecnica impeccabile,complimenti👏
Giovanni Giorgi
Grazie Alberto, di cuore.
Rodney Ramos Jr.
That right hand....bravo👍🏼
Marcos Almeida Drummer
Show
Giovanni Giorgi
Grazie !
Alessandro Bianchini
Raffinatezza gusto e musica