Heath
Jimmy Heath, known as Little Bird, was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger, big band leader and composer.
Heath was born on October 25th, 1926, into a musical family in Philadelphia. His father played the clarinet, performing at the weekend, his mother sang in the local church choir, his sister was a pianist and his brothers were drummer Albert Heath and bassist Percy Heath.
Heath started out as an alto player, performing with Howard McGhee from 1947-48 and then the Dizzy Gillespie big band from 1949-50. He was given the nickname 'Little Bird' for the similarity in his playing to Charlie Parker (known just as 'Bird') and switched to the tenor sax in the early '50s. Heath dropped out of sight for a few years in the mid-50s, though he did write for Art Blakey and Chet Baker through the middle of the decade.
Making a return to performing in 1959 Heath briefly played with Miles Davis, as well as Gil Evans and Kenny Dorham, and began a series of recordings for Riverside. The 1960s saw him often playing with Milt Jackson and Art Farmer and in the '70s he joined his brothers in The Heath Brothers. In the 1980s he began teaching alongside his playing, joining the faculty of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, City University of New York, as a professor.
Heath remained active well into the 2010s, but died in 2020 at the age of 93.
©Copyright Music Story 2023
Similar artists
-
Are We There Yet
Metal - Released by Tera Digital on Feb. 13, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Isaak's Marble
Rock - Released by Suburban Records on Mar. 26, 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
We Got the Fire
Pop - Released by iM Electronica on Feb. 18, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Isaak's Marble
Rock - To be released on May 10, 2024 by Suburban Records
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Escape Today
Alternative & Indie - Released by 5371527 Records DK on Jun. 29, 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Never Go
Alternative & Indie - Released by 5371527 Records DK on Nov. 18, 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
But Hey I'm Okay
Alternative & Indie - Released by Fairbrother Records on Mar. 3, 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
February EP
Rock - Released by Killing Moon Records on Apr. 6, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
February
Rock - Released by The Music Federation on Apr. 6, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
February
Alternative & Indie - Released by Killing Moon on Apr. 6, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
It's My Heart You're Living In
Pop - Released by Heath on Jan. 6, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Shadow Monster
Dance - Released by iM Electronica on Oct. 7, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Phoenix
Alternative & Indie - Released by Elevate Music Production on Apr. 20, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ice On the Jetty
Alternative & Indie - Released by Heath on Jan. 19, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Keep A Secret - EP
R&B - Released by Octane Digital on Dec. 1, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
What Are We Now?
Alternative & Indie - Released by 엔터테인먼트 뉴오더 on Oct. 31, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Clicks, Pops, & Glitches
Dance - Released by Elevate Music Production on Nov. 9, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo