Albert " Tootie" Heath (May 31, 1935 – April 3, 2024) was an American jazz hard bop drummer, the brother of tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath and the double-bassist Percy Heath.
Life and career
Born in
Philadelphia, United States on May 31 1935,
he first recorded in 1957 with
John Coltrane.
From 1958 to 1974, he worked with, among others, J. J. Johnson,
Wes Montgomery,
Art Farmer and
Benny Golson's
Jazztet,
Cedar Walton,
Bobby Timmons,
Kenny Drew,
Sonny Rollins,
Dexter Gordon,
Johnny Griffin,
Herbie Hancock,
Friedrich Gulda,
Nina Simone, and
Yusef Lateef.
In 1975, he, Jimmy and Percy formed the
Heath Brothers.
He remained with the group until 1978, then left to freelance.
He recorded extensively throughout his career.
Among his many workshop and classroom teaching assignments, Heath was a regular instructor at the Stanford Jazz Workshop.
Heath was later the producer and leader of The Whole Drum Truth, a jazz drum ensemble featuring Ben Riley, Ed Thigpen, Jackie Williams, Billy Hart, Charlie Persip, Leroy Williams and Louis Hayes.
Albert Heath died of leukemia in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on April 3, 2024, at the age of 88.
Discography
As leader
As sideman
With Kenny Barron
With Walter Benton
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Out of This World (Jazzland, 1960)
With Anthony Braxton
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In the Tradition (SteepleChase, 1974)
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In the Tradition Volume 2 (SteepleChase, 1974 1977)
With George Cables
-
Skylark (SteepleChase, 1995)
With the Kenny Clarke/Francy Boland Big Band
With John Coltrane
With Ted Curson
With Kenny Dorham
With Kenny Drew
-
Dark Beauty (Steeplechase, 1974)
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If You Could See Me Now (Steeplechase, 1974)
With Art Farmer
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Big City Sounds (Argo Records, 1960) – with Benny Golson
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Art (Argo, 1960)
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The Jazztet and John Lewis (Argo, 1961) – with Benny Golson
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The Jazztet at Birdhouse (Argo, 1961) – with Benny Golson
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(Scepter, 1966)
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Voices All (Eastworld, 1982) – with Benny Golson
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Moment to Moment (Soul Note, 1983) – with Benny Golson
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Central Avenue Reunion (Contemporary, 1989)
With Benny Golson
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Take a Number from 1 to 10 (Argo, 1961)
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The Roland Kirk Quartet Meets the Benny Golson Orchestra (Mercury, 1964)
With Dexter Gordon
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Both Sides of Midnight (Black Lion, 1967 1981)
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Body and Soul (Black Lion, 1967 1981)
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Take the "A" Train (Black Lion, 1967 1988)
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The Tower of Power! (Prestige, 1969)
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More Power! (Prestige, 1969)
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The Apartment (SteepleChase, 1975)
With Bennie Green and Gene Ammons
With Johnny Griffin
With Herbie Hancock
-
The Prisoner (Blue Note, 1969)
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Fat Albert Rotunda (Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, 1969)
With Jimmy Heath
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The Thumper (Riverside, 1959)
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Really Big! (Riverside, 1960)
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The Quota (Riverside, 1961)
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Triple Threat (Riverside, 1962)
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Swamp Seed (Riverside, 1963)
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On the Trail (Riverside, 1964)
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The Gap Sealer (Cobblestone, 1973)
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You've Changed (SteepleChase, 1991)
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You or Me (SteepleChase, 1995)
With Milt Jackson
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Milt Jackson Quintet Live at the Village Gate (Riverside, 1963)
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Much in Common with Ray Brown (Verve Records, 1964)
With J. J. Johnson
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J. J. in Person! (Columbia Records, 1958)
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Really Livin' (Columbia, 1959)
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J.J. Inc. (Columbia, 1961)
With Clifford Jordan
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Spellbound (Riverside, 1960)
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Starting Time (Jazzland, 1961)
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(Atlantic, 1965)
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In the World (Strata-East, 1969 1972)
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Half Note (SteepleChase, 1974 1985)
With Yusef Lateef
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Yusef Lateef's Detroit (Atlantic, 1969)
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Suite 16 (Atlantic, 1970)
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The Gentle Giant (Atlantic, 1971)
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Hush 'N' Thunder (Atlantic, 1972)
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Part of the Search (Atlantic, 1973)
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10 Years Hence (Atlantic, 1974)
With Johnny Lytle
With Roberto Magris
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(JMood, 2012)
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One Night in with Hope and More Vol. 1 (JMood, 2012)
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One Night in with Hope and More Vol. 2 (JMood, 2013)
With Guido Manusardi
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Trio de Jazz (Electrecord – EDE 0476, 1968)
With Warne Marsh
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Back Home (Criss Cross, 1986)
With Ronnie Mathews
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Doin' the Thang! (Prestige, 1963)
With Charles McPherson
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Bebop Revisited! (Prestige, 1964)
With Blue Mitchell
With Roscoe Mitchell
With Wes Montgomery
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The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (Riverside, 1960)
With Tete Montoliu
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Piano for Nuria (SABA, 1968)
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Catalonian Fire (SteepleChase, 1974)
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Tete! (SteepleChase, 1975)
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Tête à Tete (SteepleChase, 1976)
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Tootie's Tempo (SteepleChase, 1976 1979)
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Catalonian Nights Vol. 1 (Steeplechase, 1980 1981)
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Catalonian Nights Vol. 2 (Steeplechase, 1980 1985)
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Catalonian Nights Vol. 3 (Steeplechase, 1980 1989)
With Don Patterson
With Cecil Payne
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Zodiac (Strata-East, 1968 1973)
With Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
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Double Bass (SteepleChase, 1976) with Sam Jones
With Sonny Red
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Breezing (Jazzland, 1960)
With George Russell
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George Russell Sextet at Beethoven Hall (MPS, 1965)
With Michel Sardaby
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Night Blossom (DIW, 1990)
With Bud Shank
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That Old Feeling (Contemporary, 1986)
With Nina Simone
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Little Girl Blue (Bethlehem, 1958)
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Nina Simone and Her Friends (Bethlehem, 1959)
With Les Spann
With Billy Taylor
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Billy Taylor with Four Flutes (Riverside, 1959)
With Bobby Timmons
With Mal Waldron
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Impressions (New Jazz, 1959)
With Cedar Walton
With The Young Lions
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The Young Lions (Vee-Jay, 1960)
With Bill Harris
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Encompass Quartet (Daddy Jazz, 1997)
Awards and nominations
In October 2020, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) announced Heath as one of four recipients of the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships, celebrated in an online concert and show on 22 April 2021. Awarded in recognition of lifetime achievement, the honor is bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to the art form. The other 2021 recipients were Terri Lyne Carrington,
Phil Schaap, and
Henry Threadgill.
External links
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"Albert 'Tootie' Heath" biography and management, Soul Patch Music.
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Brotherly Jazz. The Heath Brothers DVD Documentary.
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Tootie Heath's MySpace page
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Ben Ratliff, "Music in Review; Heath Brothers", The New York Times, April 4, 2003.
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"Interview with Albert 'Tootie' Heath", DTM.
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"Albert 'Tootie' Heath, Drummer Extraordinaire, Turns The Tables", interview on All Things Considered, NPR, March 14, 2015.
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Albert Heath at Tower Records.
