The Heath Brothers -

The Heath Brothers were an American avant-garde jazz duo from Philadelphia built around saxophonist Jimmy Heath and bassist Percy Heath. The brothers formed the nameplate after the Modern Jazz Quartet paused its long first run, placing Jimmy’s horn arrangements and Percy’s bass work inside a family-led studio identity.

Drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath joined the configuration for the 1975–76 quartet with pianist Stanley Cowell. The group recorded across the late 1970s and early 1980s with albums on Strata-East, Columbia, and Antilles, then resumed activity in later decades with further Heath-family sessions.

Members: Albert Heath (drums), Jimmy Heath (saxophone, flute), Percy Heath (bass), Stanley Cowell (keyboards), Tony Purrone (guitar), Mtume (percussion), Keith Copeland (drums), Akira Tana (drums), Jeb Patton (piano)

Background

Bassist Percy Heath and saxophonist Jimmy Heath formed the Heath Brothers as a brother-led unit after the Modern Jazz Quartet paused its long first run. The nameplate drew on a family history rooted in Philadelphia, where Jimmy, Percy, and Albert “Tootie” Heath grew up in a musical household. Their father, Percy Heath Sr., played clarinet on weekend jobs, and their mother, Arlethia Heath, sang in a Baptist church choir.

Percy Heath (b. April 30, 1923; Wilmington, North Carolina) was raised from age two in Philadelphia, where he started on violin before Army Air Force service. He studied bass at the Granoff School of Music, joined Jimmy in trumpeter Howard McGhee’s band in 1947, and later anchored the Modern Jazz Quartet through its long first run.

Jimmy Heath (b. October 25, 1926) started on alto saxophone and led a Philadelphia big band that included John Coltrane and Benny Golson. He played with Howard McGhee before he joined Dizzy Gillespie. Between 1959 and 1966, Jimmy cut six bandleader albums on Milestone, followed by 1972/73 titles on Cobblestone (The Gap Sealer) and Muse (Love and Understanding).

Albert “Tootie” Heath (b. May 31, 1935) started drums at age eleven, taught by Charles “Specs” Wright, a sideman of Jimmy Heath. Albert worked as house drummer at the Blue Note club in Philadelphia while still in his teens and made his first recording with John Coltrane in New York on his twenty-second birthday.

The Heath Brothers expanded in 1975 when Albert joined the group with pianist Stanley Cowell, a native of Toledo, Ohio, who studied classical piano and composition at Oberlin Conservatory. In 1971, Cowell co-founded Strata-East Records with trumpeter Charles Tolliver.

Marchin’ On!

The Heath Brothers released their debut album, Marchin’ On!, in 1976 on Strata-East.

The album pairs six Heath-family originals with Duke Ellington’s “Smada” and Stanley Cowell’s “Maimoun,” a piece from Illusion Suite. The lineup places reedist Jimmy Heath on flute, tenor saxophone, and soprano saxophone, with Cowell on acoustic piano and mbira. Bassist Percy Heath uses baby bass and bass violin, while percussionist Albert “Tootie” Heath adds drums, lead flute, and African double-reed instruments.

“Warm Valley” opens in an airy register, with flute and high bass-violin phrases carrying the first theme. “Tafadhali” stays in spare chamber-scaled space and brings mbira patterns to the front. “The Watergate Blues” tightens the set with bass-violin blues phrases and a firmer rhythmic gait. “Maimoun” brings the tenor line forward, then returns to the earlier spare register after the bass solo. “Smilin’ Billy Suite” opens on arco bass, piano figures, and a flute theme, then shifts into mbira-led blues patterns and a modal vamp. Its final section gives the tenor line longer phrases and harder accents.

A1. “Warm Valley” (2:34) – Ellington
A2. “Tafadhali” (3:21) – A. Heath
A3. “The Watergate Blues” (5:48) – P. Heath
A4. “Maimoun” (8:05) – Cowell

B1. “Smilin’ Billy Suite: Part I” (6:01) – J. Heath
B2. “Smilin’ Billy Suite: Part II” (4:24) – J. Heath
B3. “Smilin’ Billy Suite: Part III” (3:25) – J. Heath
B4. “Smilin’ Billy Suite: Part IV” (4:34) – J. Heath

The Heath Brothers recorded Marchin’ On! on October 22, 1975, at Talent Studios in Oslo with producer Jerry Venable and recording engineer Jan Eric Kongshaug. David Stone mixed the album at Sound Ideas in New York, and Dave Crawford mastered the album at Generation Sound in New York.

Passing Thru…

The Heath Bros. released their second album, Passing Thru…, in 1978 on Columbia.

Passing pairs six Heath-family originals with tunes by Charlie Parker (“Billie’s Bounce”) and Kenny Dorham (“La Mesha”). The lineup retains the prior quartet — Cowell and the three Heath brothers — and welcomes guitarist Tony Purrone and percussionist Mtume. Trombonist Wayne Andre joins French horn players Joe De Angelis and Jim Buffington in the expanded horn section. Tuba player Howard Johnson completes the brass register.

Passing Thru… widens the group setting through open ensemble space, brass punctuation, and electric-keyboard shading. “A New Blue” and “Artherdoc Blues” place blues forms on side one. “Mellowdrama” condenses the arranged side of the album into a shorter single shape. “Yardbird Suite” gives the second side its compact repertory statement. “Changes” and “Prince Albert” close the program inside the album’s roomier Columbia studio design.

A1. “A New Blue” (7:57) – J. Heath
A2. “Light Of Love” (4:52) – A. Heath, J. Heath
A3. “In New York” (5:16) – P. Heath
A4. “Artherdoc Blues” (2:40) – J. Heath, P. Heath

B1. “Mellowdrama” (4:03) – J. Heath
B2. “Yardbird Suite” (4:03) – Parker
B3. “Changes” (8:23) – J. Heath
B4. “Prince Albert” (4:02) – Dorham

George Butler, Jimmy Heath, and Percy Heath produced Passing Thru… in May and June 1978 at A&R Studios in New York with associate producer and engineer Don Hahn. Janet Perr and Paula Scher designed the cover.

Passing Thru… reached No. 26 on Billboard Jazz LPs.

In Motion

The Heath Brothers released their third album, In Motion, in 1979 on Columbia under the credit Heath Bros. Plus Brass Choir Featuring Stanley Cowell.

In Motion combines four pieces by Jimmy Heath with Percy Heath (“Sassy Samba”) and Billy Strayhorn (“Blood Count”). The lineup retains Jimmy Heath, Stanley Cowell, Tony Purrone, and Percy Heath from Passing Thru. Vibist George Devens enters the frontline, while drummer Keith Copeland and percussionist Rubens Bassini take the rhythm roles previously held by Albert Heath and Mtume.

The brass choir includes trumpeters Jon Faddis, Marky Markowitz, James Sedlar, and Lewis Soloff, trombonist Wayne Andre, bass trombonist Paul Faulise, French horn players Joe De Angelis and Jim Buffington, and tuba player Howard Johnson.

“Feelin’ Dealin’” opens the set with a concise line inside the expanded chart format. “The Voice of the Saxophone” places the lead line against brass-choir writing. “Project ‘S’” and “Move to the Groove” carry the album’s electric shading across the middle of the program. “Passion Flower” and “A Time and a Place” close the set with broader arranged space.

A1. “Feelin’ Dealin’” (6:04) – J. Heath
A2. “The Voice Of The Saxophone” (4:20) – J. Heath
A3. “Project ‘S’” (6:42) – J. Heath

B1. “Move To The Groove” (6:45) – P. Heath
B2. “Passion Flower” (5:26) – Strayhorn
B3. “A Time And A Place” (7:21) – J. Heath

George Butler, Jimmy Heath, and Percy Heath produced In Motion in January and February 1979 at A&R Studios in New York with associate producer and mix engineer Don Hahn, engineer John Curcio, and assistant engineers Ollie Cotton and Don Koldon.

Paula Scher designed the cover with photography by Bill Weiner. In Motion reached No. 18 on Billboard Jazz LPs.

Live at The Public Theater

The Heath Bros. released the live album Live at The Public Theater in 1980 on Columbia.

The Heath Brothers recorded Live at the Public Theater during a 1979 performance at The Public Theater in New York. The concert lineup retains Jimmy Heath, Stanley Cowell, Tony Purrone, and Percy Heath from the prior studio album. Drummer Akira Tana enters the group, while Alex Acuña joins Rubens Bassini in the percussion section. Mtume returns as a guest vocalist on “For the Public,” with Tawatha in the same feature.

A1. “Introduction: A Sassy Samba” (10:50) – J. Heath
A2. “Warm Valley” (7:04) – Ellington
A3. “Cloak And Dagger” (7:26) – J. Heath

B1. “For The Public” (6:00) – J. Heath
B2. “Watergate Blues” (6:58) – P. Heath
B3. “We Need Peace And We Need Love” (8:29) – Taylor
B4. “Artherdoc Blues” (1:23) – J. Heath, P. Heath

The Heath Bros. performed Live at The Public Theater at The Public Theater in New York.

Columbia lifted “For The Public” as a 1980 single (b/w “Watergate Blues”). Live at The Public Theater reached No. 11 on Billboard Jazz LPs.

Expressions of Life

The Heath Bros. released their fourth studio album, Expressions of Life, in 1981 on Columbia.

The Antilles album uses a five-player studio lineup with Jimmy Heath, Stanley Cowell, Tony Purrone, Percy Heath, and Akira Tana. Percy Heath adds cello to his acoustic bass role. “Dreamin’” and “Use It (Don’t Abuse It)” expand the session with synthesist Edward Walsh and guitarist Edward “Tree” Moore. Drummer Howard King joins those two tracks, with vocals by Mtume and Tawatha.

“Dreamin’” sways on a soft soprano line and closes before the phrase pattern wears thin. “Use It (Don’t Abuse It)” bumps through a darker track bed, with clipped guitar figures and a clapped bass-synth pattern. “Tender Touch” works a light samba-leaning gait through the album’s smoother side.

A1. “Dreamin’” (3:40) – Mtume, J. Heath
A2. “Tender Touch” (6:00) – J. Heath
A3. “Ruby, My Dear” (2:32) – Monk
A4. “Then What” (5:00) – P. Heath

B1. “Use It (Don’t Abuse It)” (4:38) – J. Heath
B2. “No More Weary Blues” (3:03) – P. Heath
B3. “Equipoise” (3:10) – Cowell
B4. “Confirmation” (8:02) – Parker

The Heath Bros. recorded Expressions of Life in 1980 at Sigma Sound Studios and CBS Recording Studios in New York. Bert de Coteaux produced tracks A2–A4 and B2–B4, and Mtume produced tracks A1 and B1 with executive producer George Butler.

Columbia lifted “Dreamin’” as an April 1981 single (b/w “No More Weary Blues”), which reached No. 76 on Billboard R&B. The label lifted “Use It (Don’t Abuse It)” as a 1981 single (b/w “Ruby, My Dear”).

Expressions of Life reached No. 19 on Billboard Jazz LPs.

Brotherly Love

The Heath Brothers released their fifth studio album, Brotherly Love, in 1982 on Antilles.

Brotherly Love retains the Expressions of Life core of Jimmy Heath, Stanley Cowell, Tony Purrone, Percy Heath, and Akira Tana. Rubens Bassini returns on percussion. Cowell adds Fender Rhodes and Oberheim synthesizer to his keyboard setup.

“A Sound For Sore Ears,” “No End,” “Life In The City,” “Homes,” and “Rejoice” give the album its original-material core, but the usable review record gives little concrete track behavior beyond the album’s warm, sustained group feel. “Autumn In New York” places the one standard inside the same measured long-form setting.

A1. “A Sound For Sore Ears” (7:06) – J. Heath
A2. “Autumn In New York” (5:47) – Duke
A3. “No End” (6:40) – J. Heath, Dorham

B1. “Life In The City” (7:35) – J. Heath
B2. “Homes” (6:20) – J. Heath
B3. “Rejoice” (4:34) – P. Heath

The Heath Brothers recorded Brotherly Love on December 29 and 30, 1981, at Generation Sound Studios in New York.

Jimmy Heath and Percy Heath produced the album with recording and mix engineer Tony May and assistant engineer Robert Eaton. M&Co designed the cover.

Brotherly Love reached No. 16 on Billboard Jazz LPs.

Brothers and Others

The Heath Brothers released their sixth studio album, Brothers and Others, in 1984 on Antilles.

The album brings Albert “Tootie” Heath back into the group with Jimmy Heath, Stanley Cowell, and Percy Heath. Cowell plays piano, electric piano, and kalimba, while Albert adds tambourine to his drum role. Trombonist Slide Hampton and violinist Joe Kennedy Jr. expand the lineup.

“Keep Love Alive” rides a propulsive bass figure under blended upper lines. “Prelude To A Kiss” lingers around a warm bowed-string solo. “Nice People” gives the trombone a gruff, sliding workout. “Islandized” skips on a gently jumping gait, with plucked low-end figures and kalimba patterning inside the rhythm. “Hi-Fly” closes the album with the group’s straightest swing drive

A1. “Keep Love Alive” (5:27) – J. Heath
A2. “Sleeves” (6:25) – J. Heath
A3. “Islandized” (4:20) – J. Heath
A4. “Longravity” (4:06) – J. Heath

B1. “Nice People” (5:12) – J. Heath
B2. “Prelude To A Kiss” (6:19) – Ellington, Mills
B3. “Hi-Fly” (7:36) – Weston

The Heath Brothers recorded Brothers and Others on May 16 and 17, 1983, in New Jersey. The cover enframes the MoMA version of Los Tres Músicos (Three Musicians, aka Musicians in Masks), a 1921 cubist painting by Pablo Picasso.

Discography:

Marchin’ On! (1976)
Passing Thru (1978)
In Motion (1979)
Live at the Public Theatre (1980)
Expressions of Life (1981)
Brotherly Love (1982)
Brothers & Others (1984)
As We Were Saying (1997)
Jazz Family (1998)
The Move to the Groove Session [archival] (2000 • Pat Metheny & The Heath Brothers)
Endurance (2009)