Brussels celebrates its greatest jazzman

13/04/2022

Toots Thielemans would have turned 100 this year, and the city of Brussels will pay several tributes to its jazz icon, with music of course.

There will be a very full programme from 22 April. Mark your calendars:

On 29 April, Toots' birthday, there will be a concert at Bozar by the Jazz Orchestra, the Metropole Orchestra and musicians including Kenny Werner, Grégoire Maret and Philip Catherine.

On Saturday 30 April, the harmonies and orchestra of Flanders will take over the Mont des Arts, the Place de la Monnaie and the Place Sainte-Catherine! In the evening, it's off to the Jazz Station for a concert by the former pianist and friend of Toots, Michel Herr.

The celebrations continue in summer on 20 July, with a tribute at the popular National Ball concert.

The immersive exhibition Toots 100. The Sound of a Belgian Legend, will be held from 22 April to 31 August at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR). This exhibition will allow visitors to discover lesser known facets of the artist. Do you think you already know the Brussels jazzman? With sound archives, instruments, testimonies and a biography of Toots, this exhibition may well surprise you, whether you are a jazzophile or a neophyte. Did you know, for example, that the man with the harmonica was also a guitarist, a great whistler and even an accordionist?

Toots still has plenty of surprises in store for us!