Harmonica legend Toots Thielemans dies at 94

PanARMENIAN.Net - Legendary jazz harmonica player Toots Thielemans died Monday, August 22 in Belgium at the age of 94, Belgian media reported, according to the Associated Press.

Broadcaster RTL reported that his manager, Veerle Van de Poel, said "there were no complications. He died of old age, his body was simply worn out."

Van de Poel could not be reached immediately for confirmation.

Thielemans was hospitalized last month after a fall, and reportedly died in his sleep.

Jean-Baptiste Frederic Isidore Thielemans was a legend in his own right but also played with jazz greats Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis as well as mainstream stars like Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Billy Joel.

Born in Brussels on April 29, in 1922, Thielemans started playing the harmonica as a hobby and got "contaminated" by the jazz virus during the German occupation, according to his website.

His first international breakthrough came in 1950 when he joined Benny Goodman on a European concert tour. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1952, joining Charlie Parker's All Stars.

His harmonica solos figure on many film scores, including "Midnight Cowboy," ''The Getaway" and "Sugarland Express", but also on the theme music to the popular children's series, "Sesame Street."