Toots and Mouth Disease

Although the King of Belgium recently bestowed the title of baron on Thielemans, who is now probably the most famous Belgian next to action-movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme, he doesn't take the designation too seriously: "If we were in England, I'd be known as Sir Toots! But you don't play better because of that." Keeping up with the times helps, though, and he's up on what's going on in music currently, especially hip-hop: "I'd like to make a funky record," he laughs. "Something of today that kind of suits my personality." And Thielemans would be the first to gladly confess his disposition is sick -- in a very good way, of course: "Whatever happens in the evolution of popular music is still profoundly African-American. If I have to say thanks for something, it's that African-American virus because I don't know many white guys as black as I am!"