Martijn Luttmer - The Harmonica Page!
Wednesday 10 March 2010   Contact   Nederlandse versie


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Famous artists

The name of many artists is inextricable connected to the harmonica. In the most occasions the harmonica was the second choice of the artist. Good examples are guitar player Jean "Toots" Thielemans and singer and composer Stevie Wonder.

In this brief overview you can find some information about some national and international known harmonica players. For suggestions please mail to martijn@luttmer.nl

International artists

Toots Thielemans
Jean Baptiste "Toots" Thielemans was born on April 29 1922 in Brussels, Belgium. The first breakthrough of Toots was with Benny Goodman during his European tour in 1950. Toots emigrated to the United States in 1952 to expand his career as a guitar player. In 1962 Toots composed his "social security song": Bluesette and he was responsible for many soundtracks such as Truks Fruit, Baantjer and Midnight Cowboy. Toots is still performing and recorded tracks with for example George Shearing, Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones, Bill Evans, Jaco Pastorius, Natalie Cole, Pat Metheny, Paul Simon, Billy Joel and many others. One of the heard quotations of Toots: "Always if something terrible happens you will hear a harmonica".

On the official site of Toots Thielemans you can find more information.
Stevie Wonder
Steveland Judkins was born on May 13 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan, United States Of America. To much oxygen in the incubator caused his blindness. At the age of seven Stevie started playing the piano. Later he also learnt to play the harmonica and drums. In 1961 Motown gave him his current known name: Stevie Wonder. When his contract at Motown was finished in 1971 he released two albums on which he played all instruments himself. A new Motown contract after these two albums gave him all freedom an artist can desire, such as the publication rights for all his music. Stevie worked as a composer, singer and producer and he used the harmonica in several of his greatest hits such as "That's What Friends Are For", in the soundtrack of "The Woman In Red" and with The Euritmics in "There Must Be An Angel".

Visit www.steviewonder.net for more information.


National artists

Jan Verwey
Jan Verwey was born on February 24 1936 in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Just as most harmonica players Verwey learnt himself how to play the harmonica and he specialised in Bebop. During his first visit to the United States of America (1990) he was discovered by producer Bill Goodwin and Verwey made his first CD. It appeared to be a huge success and he was asked to perform on the North Sea Jazz festival in the Netherlands. In 1991 he was the only European musician to play on the "Celebration of the Arts Festival" in Watergap in the United States. During his visit to the United States he did a concert with pianist Hod O'Brien. Jan Verwey played with The Skymasters and with the Metropole Orkest. He played solos for several television shows and he had a performance in the famous Tros Sesjun radio show.

For more information please visit www.janverwey.com.
Hermine Deurloo
Hermine Deurloo was born in Amsterdam. She studied saxophone at the Sweelinck conservatory in Amsterdam. Afterwards she specialised in the chromatic harmonica. Deurloo worked in several theatre productions with for example Dutch comedian Tineke Schouten and she recorded several cd's. Hermine Deurloo did a lot of concerts on the chromatic harmonica. Examples are the the "Gouden Kalf" award in 1999 and a performance with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Hermine Deurloo also cooporated in the Ennio Morricone project with the Metropole Orchestra. Other well known artists she worked with: Al Jarreau, Deborah Carter, Frans Poptie, Eddie Sanchez and Lils MacIntosh. In the "Metrofriends" magazine of April 2000 Toots Thielemans described her as a great talent.

Visit the site of Hermine Deurloo.com for more information.