Meantal Heath

Jimmy Heath - Little Man Big Band (1992) {Verve Records 314513956-2}
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© 1992 Verve Records / PolyGram ‎| 314 513 956-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Modern Big Band / Saxophone

Bill Cosby produced Little Man Big Band to give journeyman composer and saxophonist Jimmy Heath a larger palette for his work. Most known for his work with small ensembles, especially the Heath Brothers with siblings Percy Heath on bass and Tootie Heath on drums, Jimmy Heath brings to life his compositions, including his greatest hits "CTA" and "Gingerbread Boy," with blaring, upper register trumpets, punchy trombone countermelodies and swirling saxophone ensembles. He is an able practitioner of big band orchestration, concentrating largely on using the band to frame soloists, most prominently himself.

Albert "Tootie" Heath, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street - Philadelphia Beat (2015) {Sunnyside Records}
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© 2015 Sunnyside Records | SSC 1403
Jazz / Post Bop / Drums

There have been pivotal locales which were the nurturing ground for the vanguard in many art forms. Jazz music has had a number of these spots, from New Orleans up to Chicago, then to New York and outward. It would not be hard to argue that the great city of Philadelphia should be recognized with these others as a wellspring of talented musicians. One of Philadelphia s prominent sons is the fantastic drummer Albert Tootie Heath. He, like so many other Philly natives including his brothers Jimmy and Percy, grew up in the music, as the city was ripe with musicians of the first order and an important stop for many of the progenitors of the music. On his new recording Philadelphia Beat - Heath returns to his native ground to catch the spirit and preserve it.

Released seven months after his death in January 2020, Love Letter finds legendary saxophonist Jimmy Heath offering a warmly rendered collection of ballads that works as a romantic capstone to his illustrious career. Known for his lyrical sound and nuanced arrangements, most notably with his siblings Percy and Tootie in the Heath Brothers, and with trumpeters like Chet Baker, Blue Mitchell, and Kenny Dorham, Heath brings all of his experience to bear on Love Letter. Joining him are pianist Kenny Barron, guitarist Russell Malone, vibraphonist Monte Croft, bassist David Wong, and drummer Lewis Nash. Together they craft a deeply heartfelt and enveloping sound that evokes Heath's classic acoustic work of the '50s and '60s…

The six string quartets of Béla Bartók mark a high point in the genre, and even though their myriad technical demands, rhythmic complexity, and bracing dissonances are no longer obstacles to frequent performance, they still present a major challenge for any string quartet. The Heath Quartet has been performing since 2002, and it has considerable experience with repertoire ranging from Beethoven to contemporary music, though this 2017 set on Harmonia Mundi shows that even after 15 years of music-making, these musicians can still be in awe of Bartók's achievement.

The seven sides that make up the all-star outing Picture of Heath (1961) might be familiar to fans of co-leads Chet Baker (trumpet) or Art Pepper (alto saxophone), as Playboys (1956). Perhaps owing to trademark-related issues with the men's magazine of the same name, Picture of Heath became the moniker placed on the 1961 Pacific Jazz vinyl re-release, as well as the 1989 compact disc. Regardless of the designation on the label, the contents gather selections recorded on October 31, 1956 – the third encounter between Baker and Pepper. ~ AllMusic

Jimmy Heath - Triple Threat (1962) {Riverside OJCCD-1909-2 rel 1998}
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© 1962, 1998 Riverside / Fantasy | OJCCD-1909-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Jimmy Heath has long been at least a triple threat as a musician (tenor, flute and soprano), arranger and composer. On this 1998 CD reissue, Heath sticks to tenor, performing "Make Someone Happy" and "The More I See You' while joined by pianist Cedar Walton and his two brothers, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath. The other five numbers consist of four of his originals (best-known is "Gemini") plus a reworking of the ballad "Goodbye." For these selections, the quartet is augmented by young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (who takes a few fiery solos) and Julius Watkins on French horn. The arrangements of Heath uplift the straightahead music and make each selection seem a bit special.