“The Philly dynasty [of the Heath
Brothers] is what you want to hear—family values with
fire, yet cooler than cool.”
— Village Voice
“The Heaths of
Philadelphia are true jazz blue-bloods, [but] it’s
when these elder statesmen get together that they
become rambunctious, playful kids, making mischief in
bebop’s backyard.” — Newsday
“Keeping the
swing faith with a time-honored groove.”
— Chicago Tribune
“One looks for
good news anywhere lately, and the bass and
drum-playing Heath Brothers alone—with cleanly
articulated, deep, rich bass notes and an easy, funky
swing—can supply it.”
— Ben Ratliff, New York Times |
|
• Tenor saxophonist, composer,
and arranger
Jimmy Heath
and drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath have more than a
century in the jazz limelight to their credit. They
have played and recorded with a near-endless list of
jazz immortals and icons including Charlie Parker,
Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Miles
Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Herbie Hancock,
Wynton Marsalis, and many more.
• This is
masterful music from the brothers’ current working
quartet that includes two rising young jazz stars:
pianist Jeb Patton and bassist David Wong.
• Radio and
press promotion will be handled by an outside source.
• Press by Don
Lucoff at DL Media. Promotion by Mike Carlson at MC
Promotions. |
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The Heath
Brothers Quartet performs at concerts, festivals, clubs and
educational venues world-wide. As The New York Times' chief
jazz critic has written, "their sets offer a glimpse of great
experience filtered through great gentleness; they're a real
shot of joy." The quartet was founded in 1976 by Jimmy, Percy
and Albert "Tootie" Heath -- one of the most distinguished
families in jazz. The Heath Brothers have made 7 recordings,
and their latest is due out soon. Percy Heath was the bassist
for the Modern Jazz Quartet for more than 40 years and a NEA
Jazz Master. Since his death in 2005, Jimmy and Tootie have
introduced new songs, while preserving the band's original
trademark of relaxed, funky, swinging bop.
Jimmy Heath • Tenor and Soprano Saxophones. The middle brother
of the Heath jazz family and the leader of the quartet, Jimmy
is a NEA Jazz Master and was a professor at the Aaron Copland
School of Music at Queens College for 10 years. Awarded 3
Grammy nominations and 3 honorary doctorates, Jimmy was the
first jazz artist to receive a doctorate from the Julliard
School of Music. He has played and recorded with many of his
legendary contemporaries including John Coltrane, Miles Davis
and Dizzy Gillespie. He is a respected arranger and is
credited with 130 compositions and 12 cds as a leader. Jimmy’s
compositions have been played and recorded by Dizzy Gillespie,
Miles Davis, Ahmad Jamal, Cannonball Adderley, Chet Baker,
Clark Terry, Dexter Gordon, Milt Jackson, Yusef Lateef, Blue
Mitchell and Jazz @ Lincoln Center Orchestra. He is also
leader of the Jimmy Heath Big Band.
www.jimmyheath.com
Albert “Tootie” Heath • Drums. The youngest of the Heath
brothers and drummer for the quartet, Tootie is a recipient of
Yale University's Duke Ellington Fellowship Medal. He was the
drummer on John Coltrane’s first recording as a leader and the
last drummer for the Modern Jazz Quartet. Tootie has played
and recorded with Don Cherry, Art Farmer, Benny Golson,
Frederic Gulda, Tommy Flanagan, Dexter Gordon, Nina Simone,
Herbie Hancock, J.J. Johnson, Yusef Lateef, Sonny Rollins,
Bobby Timmons, Lester Young, Cedar Walton and Ben Webster. He
was a featured performer in the recent documentary Between a
Smile and a Tear, by the filmmaker and pianist Niels Lan Doky,
which revisited the glory years of Copenhagen's famed Club
Montmartre where Tootie was house drummer. He is also the
leader of the Whole Drum Truth ensemble, which performs
innovative all-percussion concerts with a rotating roster of
the foremost jazz drummers.
www.thewholedrumtruth.com
Jeb Patton • Piano. A protege of the late Sir Roland Hanna,
Jeb has been a member of the Heath Brothers Quartet for more
than a decade. While a student at The Aaron Copland School of
Music, he received The ASCAP Foundation's Louis Armstrong
Award for Composition. Jeb may be heard on the Heath Brothers'
recording Jazz Family and on Percy Heath's album A Love Song.
His debut recording as a leader is titled A Lovesome Thing.
Jeb has also performed with Etta Jones, Jackie McLean, James
Moody, Frank Wess and Lewis Nash.
www.jebpatton.com
David Wong • Bass. David has filled the bass chair in the
quartet for the past two years. He is a graduate of the
Julliard School of Music, has studied with Ron Carter and Ben
Wolfe, and was a member of the Eric Reed Trio. In addition to
touring with the Heath Brothers, he is the regular bassist for
Roy Haynes' Fountain of Youth band and performs with leading
contemporary jazz artists, including Wynton Marsalis,
Christian McBride, Carla Cook and Paula West. |
