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Albert Tootie Heath

Albert Tootie Heath is an NEA Jazz Master

The younger brother of Percy and Jimmy Heath, Albert "Tootie" Heath has long been a top hard bop-based drummer with an open mind toward more commercial styles of jazz. After moving to New York (1957), he debuted on record with John Coltrane.

Albert Heath was with J.J. Johnson's group (1958-1960) and the Jazztet (1960-1961), worked with the trios of Cedar Walton and Bobby Timmons in 1961, and recorded many records as a sideman for Riverside during that era. He lived in Europe in 1965- 1968 (working frequently with Kenny Drew, Dexter Gordon, and backing touring Americans), and, after returning to the U.S., he played regularly with Herbie Hancock's sextet (1968-1969) and Yusef Lateef (1970-1974). After an additional year in Europe, he joined the Heath Brothers band (1975-1978) and then settled in Los Angeles, where Tootie Heath continued freelancing, recording with the Riverside Reunion Band.


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10
Album Review

Clifford Jordan: These Are My Roots: Clifford Jordan Plays Leadbelly

Read "These Are My Roots: Clifford Jordan Plays Leadbelly" reviewed by Chris May


These Are My Roots: Clifford Jordan Plays Leadbelly is an oft overlooked item in the canon of tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, whose chef d'oeuvre was undoubtedly Glass Bead Games (Strata-East, 1974), one of the most exalted jazz albums of its era. But These Are My Roots, which was originally released on Atlantic in 1965 and has in 2021 been reissued on vinyl by British audiophile label Pure Pleasure, is of more than passing interest. The hard bop ...

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Album Review

Greg Skaff: Polaris

Read "Polaris" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


The pandemic year of 2020 brought with it very little in terms of artistic endeavors, thanks to lockdowns and stay home orders. Yet even under extreme conditions, guitarist Greg Skaff managed to commit to tape some genuinely sublime music that is sure to be remembered as one of 2021'a most memorable releases. Of course, Skaff has been at the forefront of modern jazz guitar since his first big break in the '80s working with the legendary Stanley Turrentine.

3
Album Review

Dexter Gordon: Tokyo 1975

Read "Tokyo 1975" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Though in many regards a standard, none-too-frenetic quartet setting, Dexter Gordon Quartet Tokyo 1975 is still as grand a starting point for Elemental Music's inaugural launch of previously unreleased jazz performances as can be. Gordon found himself exuberantly liberated from the antiquated (and sadly all too present) prejudices of America during his fourteen-year expatriation to Europe from 1962 to '76. Working and living primarily in Paris and Copenhagen, Gordon gigged and recorded with visiting friends and fellow expats ...

5
Album Review

Dexter Gordon Quartet: Tokyo 1975

Read "Tokyo 1975" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Elemental Music is a record label that can be uttered in the same breath with Omnivore Records and Resonance Records. These labels can be credited with significant additions to the universal jazz catalog. Near recent examples of unreleased performances put out by Elemental Music include: Art Pepper Live At Fat Tuesday's (2015) and Red Garland's Swingin' On The Korner: Live At Keystone Korner (2015), as well as Jimmy Giuffre: New York Concerts (2014). Elemental Music has since found ...

Album Review

Albert "Tootie" Heath, Ethan Iverson, Ben Street: Philadelphia Beat

Read "Philadelphia Beat" reviewed by Stefano Merighi


Ottant'anni di fragranza sono quelli di Albert “Tootie" Heath, a giudicare dalla qualità del gioco imbastito in trio con il piano di Ethan Iverson ed il contrabbasso di Ben Street, un gioco giunto alla sua terza e più riuscita mano, votato alle regole non scritte della scuola jazzistica di Philadelphia. Un magistero, quello di Heath, plasmato sulla leggerezza, sul gusto della sottrazione, affermato in decenni di frequentazioni al vertice della storia del jazz (da Art Farmer a Yusef Lateef, da ...

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Interview

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Class Personified

Read "Albert "Tootie" Heath: Class Personified" reviewed by R.J. DeLuke


Albert “Tootie" Heath is among the drummers who lived--and thrived--during what many call the golden age of jazz, the '40s, '50, early '60s. He's enjoyed the fruits of a varied and historic career, but never stayed put. Just kept working. He admires the musicians of today and the direction of jazz. The jny: Philadelphia native extols hip-hop for its status in today's music world. On the way to age 80 at the end of May, he is still growing and ...

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Performance / Tour

Today's Top Artists Gather On-stage for Giants of Jazz at SOPAC on October 1

Today's Top Artists Gather On-stage for Giants of Jazz at SOPAC on October 1

Source: AMT Public Relations

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2011 at 9:00PM SOUTH ORANGE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (1 SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ, 07079) About Giants of Jazz The New York Times called it the “premier (jazz) festival in the state." Zan Stewart, jazz critic for the Star Ledger states it ..."is easily one of the top jazz show of the year...anywhere." In 1998, the cream of the jazz world came to take part in Giants of Jazz, an amazing standing-room-only performance. Now in its thirteenth ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Polaris

SMK Jazz
2021

buy

These Are My Roots:...

Pure Pleasure
2021

buy

Tokyo 1975

Elemental Music
2018

buy

Philadelphia Beat

Sunnyside Records
2015

buy

Tootie's Tempo

Sunnyside Records
2013

buy

Live at Smalls

Smalls Records
2010

buy

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