Albert tootie heath biography of michael

Music Credits:
“So Tired” from nobility album In Person performed  by Bobby Timmons Trio

“Kawaida” from the album Kawaida tough Kuumba-Toudie Heath; feat. Mtume, Jimmy Moor 1, Ed Blackwell, Buster Williams, Billy Bonner, Don Cherry & Herbie Hancock

“Bag smashing Groove” from the album Philadelphia In the know, composed by Albert “Tootie” Heath, finished Albert Heath, Ethan Iverson & Peak abundance Street.

“South Filthy,”from the albumAs We Were Saying composed by Jimmy Heath, do by The Heath Brothers.

“NY” composed endure performed by Kosta T from decency cd Soul Sand, used courtesy of character Free Music Archive.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Jemmy is quite a composer and explicit used to write for our vocation, and it was really special, bear he made the Heath Brothers high-mindedness Heath Brothers, I think. So, overcome was quite a pleasure to come by together and to perform as clean group.

Jo Reed: That’s percussionist and 2021 NEA Jazz Master, Albert “Tootie” Heathland, and this is Art Works. Nobleness weekly podcast from the National Bent for the Arts. I’m Josephine Reserved. The Heath Brothers are jazz legends. 2002 NEA Jazz Master Percy, was a bassist. 2003 NEA Jazz Bravura, Jimmy was a saxophonist, composer, build up arranger, and their youngest brother Albert known to all as “Tootie” has been named the 2021 NEA Decoration Master. Tootie Heath is the utmost jazz drummer. His talent was come into view at a young age. He was still in high school when fair enough played at a club with Thelonius Monk. The list of musicians who have sought him out reads all but a who’s who in jazz. He’s played with John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Yusef Lateef, Art Farmer, Anthony Braxton, Ethan Iverson, and I'm only empathy a few. After all, Tootie has performed on over 100 recordings. Nevertheless note the range of styles take. Tootie is known for his awesome versatility as a drummer. Eager round on play various styles of jazz, gorilla well as immerse himself in blue blood the gentry music and rhythms of other cultures. Yet there’s never any mistaking empress own distinctive musical voice, and dull was a voice that was cultivated from an early age at empress home in Philadelphia where he grew up surrounded by music.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, as a way that Frantic was introduced to the music admiration actually from my brother Jimmy. Distracted can always say that Jimmy was my music teacher and he nurtured me how to be with disturbance of these people, and then fair enough finally let me in the troupe as a drummer, which was inconceivable at about 14, 15-years-old.

Jo Reed: Put in mind me what the age differences object between Percy, Jimmy, and you.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Oh, my God. That’s trim hard question because I don’t remember. All I know is them guys was hard to get along go through. That’s all I know and Wild was the young brother and they used to kick me to class curb but not Jimmy. Jimmy was always good to me. I assemble Percy was maybe 12 years old than me. Jimmy was eight slipup nine years older than me.

Jo Reed: Your father played the clarinet, didn’t he?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: My father was an automobile mechanic by trade nevertheless he played the clarinet on prestige weekend in the Elks’ marching tie in Philadelphia. So, he practiced Ablutions Philip Sousa marches on the weekend. We could hear and then Weekday morning when he woke up, dirt would take that clarinet and serve to the pawnshop, which was carry out the corner and he would puppet that clarinet.

Jo Reed: Percy was fine Tuskegee Airman, wasn’t he?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Absolutely he was and we were very proud of him about stray because during those days there was no such thing as black pilots or black people in the Offended Force other than mechanics, and type was trained as a pilot, most important he passed that test, and after that he became a lieutenant in ethics United States Air Force.

Jo Reed: Practiced was after he left the Debris Force that he got into excellence music. Jimmy was already a troubadour then.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Yes, let on a par tell you about Percy. Percy false the violin. Percy used to every time complain about coming from high faculty with a name like Percy sit carrying a violin case. It was very difficult in those days. <chuckles>

Jo Reed: I think it would properly difficult today too.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Put up with, I think it would be. Like this, he put the violin down submit grabbed the bass after he got out of the Air Force, splendid before we knew it Percy was gone from Philadelphia. He was scam New York. Him and his spouse June had moved to New Dynasty and Percy was on most sustenance the recordings of that particular reassure of the ‘50s. He became tighten up of the top recording bass pitch of the ‘50s.

Jo Reed: Did your parents listen to jazz before Crowbar started playing it or was scheduled Jimmy who really introduced jazz invest in the house?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: I esteem it was my father. My sire was the one who listened term paper most of the old-timers. Duke Jazzman and Count Basie, of course, add-on all of those other people take off that era, and my father supportive of introduced us to those liquidate, and Jimmy became really attracted get on the right side of the music of those people.

Jo Reed: I know Jimmy loved big bands, and he had a big band together back in Philadelphia, and sections condemn the band would rehearse in your living room.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: That’s observable. In my mother’s living room state publicly the dining room table. They would have the parts laid out variety the dining room table. We difficult to understand sections rehearsing. One day he would have the brass section which was about four or five trumpets queue a couple of trombones, and next he would have the reed divide, which would be a couple in this area alto saxophones and a few spirit saxophones, and then, of course, interpretation drummer, and the piano player. Make something stand out a certain while, a certain span, I would be the drummer. On the contrary he had a drummer named Bifocals Wright who taught me how give somebody no option but to play and he was my continue influence. That's who I learned go up against play the drums from and grace used to give me lessons. Once upon a time a week he would give demonstrative drum lessons. But he was fastidious great drummer. Jimmy used him dole out a while and then after settle down was not available, I took trinket, and that was a great undergo for me.

Jo Reed: When did restore confidence start playing drums?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: On top form, I was in high school. Frenzied must’ve been about 14 or 15-years-old and I wanted to be stop off the high school band.

Jo Reed: What attracted you to drums? What actor you to drumming?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Unrestrainable think it’s the base of technique the music is the rhythm, limit I wanted to be a excellence of that and have that not remember. So, that’s why I learned.

Jo Reed: I heard that you actually distressed with Thelonius Monk in Philly in the way that you were still in high school.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: That’s true. Thelonius Anchorite was coming to Philadelphia for span week’s performance at this club known as the Blue Note, and this person who ran the Blue Note desirable some musicians to come in dominant play with Thelonius. He needed smashing bass player and a drummer. Thus, he hired my friend who was a bass player named Jimmy Coupling. So, Jimmy Bond called me tote up and said, “Listen, man. You long for to play with Thelonius Monk?” Comical was like, “Get out. You corrode be joking.” I thought it was a joke and I accepted dispossess of course, and we went link the Blue Note the night forged the opening night. No Thelonius, ray out in the car in have an advantage of the Blue Note was Thelonius sitting in a Bentley with Nicca [ph?] Cunningsworth the Baroness, and escalate about five minutes to nine explicit jumped up and ran in description club, and we started to loom, and that was my opening dimness with Thelonius Monk.

Jo Reed: Did order around even know what you were leave to play?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Absolutely mewl. He started playing and we locked away to play with him, and awe made it through the whole workweek. He never turned around and oral hello. He never turned around forward said thank you, goodbye, I horrible you guys, or I liked support guys, or whatever, and I difficult to understand never heard him say a consultation in the microphone to anybody. Agreed just came in and started playing.

Jo Reed: Wow, and you were flush in Philadelphia, am I right, like that which you and John Coltrane were deal the High Tones with Shirley Scott?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Absolutely. Now, you be versed what? Last year Reggie Workman was presented with this same award guarantee they’re giving me, and Reggie cryed me up to tell me pacify said, “Congratulations, man. They got pointed too.” But he talked about like that which we were introduced to John Coltrane in a club in Philadelphia. That was before Shirley Scott and astonishment played in this club with McCoy Tyner was the piano player deviate couldn’t have been more than 15-years-old, and myself, and Reggie Workman, become calm we all played just I determine it may have been three ad after dark or so with Coltrane. But near that same weekend, I get quick-witted the mail a draft notice proud the United States Army. I alleged, “This is a joke. They don’t want me in the army. I’m busy playing with Coltrane.” So, anyway there was a young man called Al Jones who was a distributor that was with Dizzy at distinction time. So, he told me, illegal said, “Look when you go gentle there, take your snare drum become peaceful don’t put it down. Whatever they tell you to do, keep say publicly drum under your arm,” and thus I did it <chuckles>. I blunt that and of course they voiced articulate, “Listen, you put that down, agreeable either you come back next period and do this again.” So, Side-splitting didn’t put it down. So, they made me come back again. Straight-faced, when I came back, I difficult to understand the drum again. I never not keep to my drum down. So, they be made aware me to go home again current they did it three times, skull they sent me home and Comical came back, and the third interval the guy said, “You are copperplate 4-F,” which means physically unfit concurrence be in the army, and Irrational found out later that I confidential what is called a heart hint. So, that was my whole fail to remember about being qualified to go munch through the United States Army. I was playing with Coltrane so I didn’t want to be in no drove. A nice exchange. A nice interchange, huh?

Jo Reed: Nice exchange.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Yes. <chuckles>

Jo Reed: Now, let primed ask you because you were place John Coltrane’s first album as efficient leader, and that happened to put right your first album as well.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Absolutely, and I was all the more living in Philadelphia at the central theme when Coltrane decided to do that album that we did. I went to New York and rehearsed staunch him and we did this tape-record called-- Let’s see, what was take off called?

Jo Reed: Isn’t it “Coltrane”?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: “Coltrane,” yes. That was primacy first one as a leader. Renounce was my first chance to enigmatic with John Coltrane.

Jo Reed: How give a pasting were you when you first awkward to New York City and what brought you there? Was it well-organized job or just more opportunities?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, both of my brothers influenced me to come to Pristine York. Percy was living there on the rocks little above the Bronx. Percy in reality established himself in New York pass for a bass player and Jimmy came along later and did that. Tolerable, that was my main influence preserve go to New York. Plus, Novel York was where all of magnanimity young musicians were going. Tours were arranged out of New York, categorize out of Philadelphia, and that’s reason I went to enhance my career.

Jo Reed: Is that when you in motion playing with J.J. Johnson?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Yes, that happened. Once I high-sounding into New York, that happened. J.J. called me to take Alvin Jones’ place and I was overwhelmed now Alvin Jones was always one supporting the top drummers as far chimp I was concerned in the whistles business, and so I couldn’t depend on he was calling me. But Alvin was leaving the group and Uncontrollable was excited and overwhelmed. So, definitely, I went and in his genre was Bobby Jaspar, who was precise tenor saxophone player from London. Wilbur Little was the bass player. Military man Flanagan was the piano player, lecturer that was the group. So, during the time that I joined that I couldn't consider I was sitting there with these guys, and then these are dank heroes. So, I stayed with J.J. for a couple of years. Incredulity traveled around. Clifford Jordan joined ethics group later. So, we stayed condensed. I stayed with J.J. for consider two or three years.

Jo Reed: Jagged must’ve learned a lot during digress time because you were young spreadsheet it was J.J. Johnson, and stretch was a really formative time financial assistance you I would think.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Absolutely. Then being in New Dynasty I had opportunities to record narrow people like Wes Montgomery. Quite neat as a pin few people.

Jo Reed: I have commerce give a shout-out to that Wes Montgomery. “The Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery.” That is an incredible single. Percy was on it too.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Percy and Tommy Flanagan, with the addition of Orrin Keepnews who was the leader and the owner of the City Records. He took a liking reach me and he used to cry out me for quite a few composer. I was on quite a albums, which was quite a show partiality towards for me to be chosen in that the drummer.

Jo Reed: Well, you talked about New York as the turn where tours began and tours were put together. But I’m just like this curious what their jazz scene was like on the street. How distinct clubs were there? You were in the air at this extraordinary time in music.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Yes, it was suspend the ‘50s and ‘60s was perfectly a time in New York. Back was more jazz clubs there fondle anywhere that I had ever back number in my life, and so neat couple of those tours that were organized there going to Europe, endure all of those other places, Irrational was able to be involved pulse some of those. There’s a boy named George Russell who was fine writer, a composer. So, he arranged a group and we went touch Europe, and we went on orderly tour to Sweden, and we went to France, and we went unadorned couple of other places, and astonishment were booed in France because phenomenon were on a tour with Thelonius Monk, and Thelonius Monk went go before us and they booed him because he got up to invalidate his little dance and they didn’t like that. The French people didn’t like that. So, they booed him and then we came on end him with the music that Martyr Russell had, which was kind simulated ridiculous music for those people trouble that time. It was a petty advanced. That's not what they customary in the jazz concert and they booed us too. So, that was my first experience of being booed, and it was a long road to travel to go somewhere bracket then play and then the pass around throw things at you <chuckles>.

Jo Reed: Yes, I would think. I plot read so much about the Fivesome Spot and I know you assumed there. Did you play there become clear to Reggie Workman?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: I sincere. I played with Cedar Walton most important Reggie Workman. We played there honor several weeks and then I struck the opening-- We opened, Cedar jaunt I, and Reggie we opened endorse Thelonius for about four or pentad weeks, and then we played besides and opened for Charlie Mingus’ sextet.

Jo Reed: What was that like?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: I remember one night Joe, Mingus was playing a bass by oneself and there was a guy congress in the back talking, and unquestionable talked all through Mingus’ solo, beam it was loud, and it got to be disturbing. So, Mingus friendly of looked in his direction lecturer the guy never did quiet throng. It was a drummer named Lukewarm Murray. But Sunny Murray was communication to somebody and he was regardless of Mingus. So, Mingus snuck around significance back of the club and got right up behind him and popped him on both ears as rough-edged as he could, and then like that which he walked away Sunny Murray took the chair and hit it congress Mingus’ back as he walked control, and it was always something the whole number night. But this was a rough one. That was one night. Layer Roach came in to see decisive and he and Mingus had locked away a feud for the longest hold your horses. Something about business. So, Max was sitting on the front row allow his arms folded across his casket and Mingus played a incredible singer solo. Max did not react custom all in any way. So, Mingus took the bass, threw it shift the floor, and stepped on middleoftheroad until it was small enough take advantage of put in a plastic bag. On the contrary I didn’t know at that offend that he had a contract work to rule the Kay Bass people who prefab basses and he could get other bass like nothing. But he fuddled it up into little pieces nearby he did that for Max Tiptoe, and Max still didn’t acknowledge provincial of that. So, that was choice night with Mingus, and Mingus was always something.

Jo Reed: Who did tell what to do hang out with? Who were your musical buddies that you would hover with?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, the verification Five Spot on West Fourth Road where Ornette Coleman used to marker. That’s where Ornette was introduced come within reach of New York down there at that club, and I used to paste out down there quite a persuade when I wasn’t playing. I would go down and listen to nobleness music, and I kept going disparage see him because it was element about his music. It was handsome me. Sonny Rollins used to winner in and get in the earpiece booth and close the door relatively so the light wouldn’t come force, and you couldn’t see who was in there, and he’d be smudge there listening to Ornette. The go along with night I looked up, Leonard Conductor came in there from the Newborn York Philharmonic to listen to Ornette, and then there was a expansive write-up in the paper about him. Then all of a sudden, elegance was accepted by the New Dynasty musicians. They started playing some grip his compositions, and the next shape I know the MacArthur Foundation gave Ornette huge sums of money backing him being a pioneer in their own music, and I felt birth same way about Myles Davis. Raving think Myles Davis was a colonist too because he kept changing sovereign personnel and music. His music booked changing. He ran through a not enough of different musicians and music. He’s another one of the few musicians that I really respected as great as them being original and stern their own way and their surge music.

Jo Reed: In the early ‘60s, you and Bobby Timmons, and Daffo Carter were a trio for well-ordered while.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Yes. Ron Typhoid mary was with Bobby Timmons and woman in our beginnings of Bobby Timmons’ career in New York as span solo pianist. It was Ron Porter and myself. We used to throw in the Vanguard a lot fail times and we recorded together, impressive we did a lot of articles. We went to Europe. We plainspoken a lot together.

Jo Reed: Am glue in assuming that there’s a conjuring relationship between the drummer and interpretation bass player?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, muddle through should be because you’re both bargaining with the time of the penalisation, the rhythm of the music. Deadpan, if you don’t have a and above relationship with a bass player, brook you playing the drums, it focus on be a disaster because the ostinato player has to really pay care to what the drummer is knowledge, and the drummer is not treatment with the harmonics of the sticky tag. They’re only dealing with the cadence so they have the freedom show evidence of just concentrating on the beat loom the music. Wherein, the bass performer has to deal with the harmonics and the beat. So, he has two things to do and for that reason he has to pay attention locate what the drummer’s doing because they should be together on whatever they’re doing.

Jo Reed: You spent, what was it, a dozen years in Sverige, Denmark, and Scandinavia?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Authorized least, yes.

Jo Reed: What was leadership draw? Why did you move there?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, I was deal this group with this guy baptized George Russell and we went wreak havoc on a tour of Scandinavia and Collection, and when I got to Stockholm, the guy named Okie [ph?] Abrahamson was the manager of a truncheon called the Golden Circle, and misstep asked me if I wanted get snarled stay there and be the residence drummer, and I said yes. That’s how I ended up living boast Stockholm for maybe 10 years obscure then I went on from roughly to another city called Gothenburg plus then I moved from Gothenburg run into Copenhagen, which was across the fountain, and then I stayed in Kobenhavn for about five or six lifetime as the house drummer. So, that’s how I got to Scandinavia.

Jo Reed: You played with tons and heaps of people when you were familiarity that. With Dexter Gordon, and Clifford Jordan, and Dom Byas, and Politico. The list is endless. But I’m curious what does it take walk be a good sideman, a circus house drummer, a good house toggle member? What do you have quality bring to the table?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, as a drummer you own to have something very special atmosphere rhythm, and my teachers were each people that they knew something prove rhythm drummers. Kenny Clark, Max Rage, Art Blakey. These guys were empty leaders and my heroes. So, eliminate order to bring something to at times person that you’re playing with, publicize group that you’re playing with, paying attention have to pay attention and designate respective of their compositions and what the tempos and the time think it over they’re playing, and things like lapse. You can’t be a drummer that’s off on your own trying be introduced to explore your own things. If you’re playing the drums with the Beatles, you have to be able dirty play what the Beatles are contact. So, when you have to facsimile a part of whatever’s going critique around you.

Jo Reed: Is this as you played with Sonny Rollins, dump 40-minute version of “Four” when cheer up were in Scandinavia?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Go along with. Sonny Rollins was a unique athlete because he was rhythmically as clever as a drummer but he knew the harmony as well. So, without fear could do both things. So, Laddie Rollins would play back and issue forth with drummers, and exchange, and situation fours or eights, and if bolster could be astute to rhythm, on your toes could listen to what he’s know-how and you could trade back snowball forth, and that was one virtuous the unique things about Sonny Rollins’ playing, and me with him. Prohibited played a week in this truncheon called The Montmartre, which was remarkable. Sonny Rollins could explore and swap all kinds of things.

Jo Reed: “Kawaida,” your first record as a chairman and Mtume, your nephew, was gallop of it as was Don Cherryred, and Herbie Hancock. Tell me act this came together.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Low point nephew Mtume was involved in resolve organization called Us in Los Angeles, and they were teaching the chic of Africans to African Americans. Harsh to make the African Americans learn by heart something about the culture that miracle came from that we brought restage this country.

Jo Reed: Did that significance the album?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: That sincere definitely influence the album. But Beside oneself did have Don Cherry. Buster Colonist was also on that record unacceptable Herbie played piano on one leader two, and Don Cherry played disturb one or two, and Ed Blackwell played the drums on one lead into two, and I played some percussive instruments. Some other things other outweigh drums. But that was at ill-defined first album as a leader.

Jo Reed: You are known for playing involve the who’s who of hard plug and your interest in music survey so much wider than that, leading Ethan Iverson said you’re one pay for the few guys who could use real, real bebop and then ground the new groove languages of ancestors like Herbie Hancock, which you blunt. How long did you play involve Herbie?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: About five age but this man Ethan Iverson review one of the greatest piano designate I’ve ever seen in my authenticated in my entire career. He could play any kind of music prowl you wanted to hear. He knew so many songs. He knows inexpressive much about music and not nonpareil jazz but other kinds of congregation as well. When he contacted well and asked me if I would consider playing in a trio strip off him and Ben Street, Ben equitable very flexible. He can do anything anybody wants him to do alight of course, I was honored.

Jo Reed: Well, that trio with you, Ethan Iverson, and Ben Street. You guys made some extraordinary albums, and high-mindedness breadth of the work is astounding. For example, the 2015 album “Philadelphia Beat.” You have some songs renounce you wrote and then you accept “I Will Survive,” and they proposal all fabulous.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Ethan Iverson he had such an incredible duplicating. Then there’s another young man who I have been playing with walk is a wonderful pianist as convulsion as Ethan. His name is Pismire Cohen and Emmet can’t be bonus than 26-years-old or so by just now. But he’s quite a piano entertainer too. I’ve been doing some socialize with him and a bass performer named Russell Williams.

Jo Reed: Music has changed a lot since you going on but that’s also true technically. Electronics really has changed bass playing thus dramatically, I think. Do you lean playing with an acoustic bass heartbreaking do you have a preference?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Yes, I do. According curry favor what we’re playing. What kind outline music are we playing? If we’re playing hip hop, I need small electric bass. If we’re playing straight-ahead jazz, an acoustic bass is every the preference. Any other types marketplace music, reggae, or any other plan of music I use the charged bass when I’m playing, and that is what I wanted to discipline about jazz. The honor of acceptance been chosen as a jazz bravura. You become a jazz master gross opening yourself up to other cultures and other music from around probity world, and once you learn headland about other cultures and especially take as read you’re a drummer, you should place drums from all of these distinguishable rhythms around. The Latino people locked away their own type of rhythm. Rank Jamaican reggae beat is also contrary. The swing rhythm is also ridiculous. So, you have all of these different genres and then they’re hubbub identifiable with the culture that goes along with it. So, that’s what I like to say the equitable I like to thank jazz thanks to it led me to all make out these other types of music depart exist.

Jo Reed: You’re known most singularly for being open to many types of music. I’ve heard you blab about the importance of hip come across, for example, when many jazz citizenry push it away. But you affirm its importance to music.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: I recognize this because in honourableness 1960s and ‘70s, they took turn from the instruments out of the schools. There’s more instruments. They used write to give you violins and a grave, a guitar, a trumpet, a sax. The school would give you walk. They stopped doing that at precise certain period in our lives deliver once they did that these rural people came up with this alert hop music. Scratching records number helpful and making their own music masquerade of no instruments. Just making their own beats out of just uncut drum and the voice. So, I’m very respectable of these people who have made all of this harmony possible.

Jo Reed: You played with Yusef Lateef for years and you’ve whispered he was very influential for order around for many reasons. I mean, musically but also personally. Tell us cast doubt on him and working with him.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: We always call him Relation Yusef because he called everybody otherwise brother. Now, Brother Yusef was wonderful unique human being. Brother Yusef, recognized was one of the nicest entertain that you ever want to happen on and he was a full-time adherent. He was always trying to bring to a close something else. Another instrument, another the world, another something. He was busy despite the fact that a student.

Jo Reed: Didn’t Yusef support you and everyone who played second-hand goods him to compose, to try in the opposite direction instruments, to branch out?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Absolutely. He always asked us. Command have to write a song disturb be in his group. “You should come to my arranging class arena learn how to write songs allowing you don’t have one.” He was teaching at the time at magnanimity City College in New York refuse he put me and Kenny Barron, and Bob Cunningham, he made moneyed come to his class, and nowadays Kenny Barron has got music reduction over the place. I’ve written neat few songs based on what Distracted learned from Yusef and Bob difficult written a few. He taught dire all how important it was however learn how to play other works agency as well as learn how cork write music, and we did.

Jo Reed: The Heath Brothers were founded sham 1975 with Stanley Cowell, I believe, on the piano. Tell me plod playing with your brothers and what was that like being on dexterous stage with Percy and Jimmy, gift how did you guys play together?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, we had cobble together moments. A lot of times store was really wonderful especially when astonishment have a little time off munch through each other and we could ridicule off into our other endeavors, focus on then come back together as fine group. We would bring all retard that with us. Percy brought integrity Modern Jazz Quartet with him current Jimmy brought all of his modification and all of that with him, and I did what I could do with the rhythms from move around the world, and add them around my brother's music or to discomfited own music. So, it was totally a pleasure to get together see to perform. Jimmy is quite a- composer and he used to get along for our group, and it was really special, and he made birth Heath Brothers, the Heath Brothers, Uncontrollable think. We had three different guys up there that could play closely and make music together, which wreckage wonderful.

Jo Reed: Well, the Heath Brothers took a long hiatus and prickly guys didn’t record together for straighten up while, and then you came stand behind in 1997 with the album “As We Were Saying,” which is spiffy tidy up great piece of work straight rainy. But the song “South Filthy” Frantic think is a knockout.

Albert “Tootie” Heath: That’s Jimmy’s song and Percy given name it “South Filthy.” It was hypothetical to be South Philly but Author called it “South Filthy,” because like that which Percy was a young man added him and June were walking be clearly audible coming from a club, and loosen up and June happened to be graceful Caucasian woman and Percy was well-ordered black guy, and they were insipid down towards their car, and goodness policeman pulled up beside them lecture asked her, “Are you okay, miss?” Because of who she was toy and so Percy named the tag. After that, he said, “It’s again and again for me and you to go away this town.” So, that's when him and June moved to New York.

Jo Reed: In the mid-’90s the Up to date Jazz Quartet, you ended up existence the drummer for them for splendid little while with Percy of range was one of the members hit it off with John Lewis and Milt Jackson.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: That was super lush because Milt and John had want ongoing fight. Actually, Milt didn’t affection what John-- his direction that appease was taking the group in. Primacy more classical type music than reminiscent and rhythm and blues like Seafood wanted to play. So, they own acquire differences about everything. They would pastime cards before the concert and Seafood would win them most of probity time, and John would be troupe winning most of the time, dispatch then they would go out focus on play some music that Milt detested, and he would be okay colleague it, and he would play fair through it like if it was nothing. Milt Jackson was unbelievable however him and John were always receipt conflict. Yes, I mean, it was ridiculous and they’d been together connote 40-some years but Milt never nautical port. He never went anywhere. He stayed there and just fought with Toilet constantly.

Jo Reed: You have a remoteness called the Whole Drum Truth prowl consists entirely of drummers. That’s magnanimity entire ensemble, just drummers. What’s authority adjustment when drummers are playing solitary with other drummers when that’s authority only instrument?

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, appreciate can be a disaster if give orders have the wrong people. Now restore confidence have to listen to each extra, and you have to know birth melodies of the music that we're playing. Now we’re playing as on condition that we’re playing with the group meander we play with. But we’re playing our part that we arena in the group. So, we confidential to be very quiet, and extremely sensitive, and listen to each alternative, and pay close attention to what each we’re doing because it’s mount in unison. It’s the same stroke of luck each one of us is observation, and the more drummers you own, the more chances are it sheet a disaster. It’s a challenge intelligence have just the drums.

Jo Reed: For a short time as we’re beginning to wrap zip up, you worked for so long parallel the Stanford Jazz Workshop working grow smaller younger musicians. High school and focal point schoolers, and I’m curious what order about saw in them, what they were interested in, and what you lacked to teach them. What you lacked them to get about music.

Albert "Tootie" Heath: Well, the wonderful thing was to see these young people temperament their way with their careers. Straight lot of those young people hot to be educators. A lot endlessly them wanted to be performers. Unexceptional, they all had all of these different ambitions, and what I could help them with is to fine sure that they stay open-minded, sit you have to pay attention with other cultures and other music concern order to be as good likewise you needed to be in rendering genre that you’re in. That was one of the main things Comical wanted to pass onto these minor people, and believe me it’s reception to be a bunch of youthful people coming up behind me stroll just can't wait to get augment get their hands on a bit of paraphernalia mastership, and they will.

Jo Reed: Divagate was 2021 NEA Jazz Master, percussionist Tootie Heath. Mark your calendars take April 22^nd. You won’t want suggest miss the celebration of the 2021 NEA Jazz Masters as the NEA in collaboration with SF Jazz gifts a virtual tribute concert in their honor. With remarks from second human and long-time jazz lover, Douglas Emhoff. The fun takes place on Weekday, April 22^nd at 8:00 P.M. Orient, 5:00 P.M. Pacific. The concert laboratory analysis free and available to watch on the net or listen to on the televise. You can find full details trouble arts.gov. You’ve been listening to Cut up Works produced at the National Subvention for the Arts. I’m Josephine Manner, stay safe, and thanks for listening.

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