Saxophonist Jimmy Heath Dies at 93
Kevin Whitlock
Monday, January 20, 2020
The saxophonist worked with such luminaries as Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Chet Baker and Art Pepper among many others
American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer Jimmy Heath has died of natural causes at the age of 93, it was confirmed by his family today.
Heath, who was born in Philadelphia in October 1926, came from a highly musical family – he was the brother of renowned bassist Percy and drummer Albert ‘Tootie’ (he played alongside them in an outfit known as The Heath Brothers in the 1970s).
Starting out on alto, he was heavily influenced by Charlie Parker’s playing. He later switched to tenor, but such was Parker’s influence that Heath, who was just five feet three inches tall, earned the nickname ‘Little Bird’, although his own style was perhaps more playful and sparing than ‘big’ Bird’s.
In 1946 he formed his first big band, which was a fixture on the Philly jazz scene until 1949, and featured a young John Coltrane and, occasionally, Max Roach; the band never released any recordings however, and in 1949 Heath split the group to join Dizzy Gillespie’s band, the trumpeter becoming something of a mentor. Much of his 1950s career was blighted by heroin addiction and jail terms, but he managed to keep recording and by 1959 he’s managed to kick his habit for good, and he – albeit briefly – joined Miles Davis’ group, replacing Trane. Throughout a long career, he worked with many of the greats including Gil Evans, Chet Baker, Art Pepper, Milt Jackson, JJ Johnson and Art Farmer.
The terms of his probation prevented him touring extensively, so he focussed his energy on arranging (notably for Ray Charles) and writing. Among his best-known compositions are ‘For Minors Only’, ‘Picture of Heath’, ‘Bruh' Slim’, and ‘CTA’. He wrote almost all of Pepper and Baker’s famous Playboys album (1961) while he was still in prison.
His other great contribution to the music was as a communicator and educator. In 1964 he became a founding faculty member at Jazzmobile, an organisation that presented concerts and classes to young people in Harlem. Decades later he helped forge Queens College’s jazz studies programme in New York.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mona, as well as his son James (of Mtume fame) and a large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren.