Toots Mellow Tone Harmonica

Ca. 2010

Not on view

Toots Thielemans was a professional harmonica player who elevated the instrument to the highest levels of the jazz world. He performed with Benny Goodman’s band when they toured Europe in 1949 and 1950. He continued playing for more than six decades, performing and recording with most of the greatest names in jazz, including Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgeralrd, Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, and Pat Metheny. Further, he performed beyond jazz, also playing with Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Paul Simon, and many others.

This instrument, owned and performed by Thielemans for his 90th birthday celebration concerts in Belgium, The Netherlands, and New York City, was a model that he developed with the Hohner company specifically to have a mellow tone for playing ballads and softer jazz compositions.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Toots Mellow Tone Harmonica
Maker: Hohner (German, Trossingen founded in 1857)
Date: Ca. 2010
Geography: Germany
Culture: German
Medium: Brass, nickel, pearwood, chrome, stainless steel
Dimensions: Length: 15.5 cm / 6.1"
Classification: Musical instruments
Object Number: 2025.816
Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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