The Heath Brothers Jazz

   The Heath Brothers Jazz for The People Playlist


The Heath Brothers is a jazz group, formed in 1975 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the brothers Jimmy (tenor saxophone), Percy (bass), and Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums); and pianist Stanley Cowell. Tony Purrone (guitar) and Jimmy's son Mtume (percussion) joined the group later. Tootie left in 1978, and was replaced by Akira Tana for a short period before returning in 1982. They also added other sidemen for some of their recording dates.
The group still exists with just two of the brothers, Jimmy and Tootie, and additional sidemen as needed.

The DVD, Brotherly Jazz: The Heath Brothers, recorded in 2004, shortly before Percy Heath's death, was one of the last times the three brothers played together, and chronicled the Heath Brothers' personal lives as well as socio-political issues many jazz musicians dealt with in the later 20th century, including jail, drugs, discrimination and segregation.
The 2009 CD Endurance was the first without Percy, and features seven original numbers by Jimmy, including "From a Lonely Bass", composed in memory of his late brother.


     The Master Class: Heath Brothers Performance


The 4th Master class in the fall series featured two of the incredible Heath Brothers, Percy and Jimmy. The third brother Albert was not attending that day. Coming from a musical family and known as one of the first families of jazz, the Philadelphia brothers are known for their impeccable compositions,

arrangements and love of bebop. Each brother became musically successful in their own right and played with many of the bebop pioneers such as the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band. The rhythm section became known as the famous Modern Jazz Quartet after Percy succeeded Ray Brown, launching a 43 year career. Jimmy also played with Gillespie, exchanging his alto sax for a tenor and is a talented composer-arranger. Throughout the master class, you can sense the love of music the brothers have to this day.

     Master Class: Percy Heath Backstage Interview


     Jimmy Heath: Why Ben Webster Learned the Lyrics - JazzTimes Before and After


     Brotherly Jazz: The Heath Brothers


     An Oral History with Albert "Tootie" Heath