The Heath Brothers: Jimmy, Percy and Tootie. Photo © Ted Bloom.

Long considered one of the “royal families” of jazz, the Heaths—Percy, Jimmy and Albert (Tootie)—came of musical age on the cusp of the bop era, and went on to distinguished careers in the company of the legends of modern jazz, individually and together on stage with Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and more. And when oldest brother Percy was between gigs as the bassist for the Modern Jazz Quartet, and after the disbanding of the MJQ, the three performed and recorded as The Heath Brothers. With Percy’s passing in April 2005, saxophonist Jimmy and drummer Tootie established a new edition of the Heath Brothers, honoring Percy’s legacy and continuing the family tradition of soulful—and brotherly—jazz. Still touring regularly, the Heath Brothers will perform at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, April 22-25. The show will also celebrate owner Joe Segal's 84 birthday. Joining Jimmy and Tootie will be pianist Jeb Patton and bassist David Wong.

The Heath Brothers in St. Paul. Photo © Howard A. Gitelson

What was the family context for the development of these three exceptional musicians? Jimmy explains that “my father played clarinet in a marching band in Philly, but he was an auto mechanic for the family and played weekends…mom sang in church.” The idea that their sons would learn a musical instrument was a given. “In those days,” said Jimmy, “everyone was offered an instrument. Families offered their children a cultural experience with music… Our sister played piano, but she didn’t stick with that. She met boys and gave it up! Percy played violin. When I was asked, I said ‘saxophone’ and started playing the alto sax… I had heard it, I liked it. I had listened to all the records my family had-–Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter--and I decided I wanted to be like them. And then along came Charlie Parker and upset the apple cart.  He had a new style and affected everybody in the jazz world, some negatively and some—most—positively…Tootie, he started drums later, he tried trombone first and changed to drums.”   

Although playing together would become a later focus, while growing up there really were few opportunities for a “Heath Brothers” band, largely due to “our different ages,” said Jimmy. “When Percy and I were in school, he wasn’t really thinking about music. He was working with my father as an auto mechanic, and the three-year age difference meant we were never in the same school together.” 

Even as all three Heath brothers ended up on the same path as jazz musicians, their influence on each other was relatively small. Notes Jimmy, “Tootie always says I’m the one that influenced him, but me being the first [to become a professional musician], I wasn’t influenced by them. But by outsiders, we all were influenced, and being on different instruments, we had different influences. Percy would hear Jimmy Blanton and Oscar Pettiford and that made him want to be a bass player…… For me, besides Charlie Parker, my big influence was Dizzy Gillespie, more so than Parker. He lived longer and I was closer to him. I played in his band and he showed me things over the years til he passed away… I still play in the [Gillespie] Alumni Band. I was in his big band in 1949-50, along with Paul Gonsalves on tenor. John Coltrane and I played alto.” 

Jimmy Heath © Andera Canter

To Jimmy Heath, there was no question that the Heath Brothers band would continue after Percy’s death in 2005, shortly after filming was completed for the acclaimed documentary, Brotherly Jazz. Yet replacing his older brother was a challenge. “Percy played cello and bass, it’s hard to replace him. He was the elder brother. He was the one born in North Carolina—with the blues in his shoes. Me and Tootie were born in Philly, I did not have the North Carolina thing, that very soulful thing. Percy was semi rural. I’m a city boy.” 

But the band plays on. “When you are a musician like myself, music is my life,” says the 82-year-old saxophonist. “I am working as much as ever…. I do other things… I do master classes and go to a lot of colleges and play with their band and do classes. I also have a big band, with a CD out now, Turn Up the Heath--it had #1 airplay in January. Plus the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Band… But we [with Tootie] do as much as we can together, this is our base of operations…"

And what about the “bass” of their operations? “When we can get him—Peter Washington has played with us a few times,” says Jimmy. “We’ve used Joe Sanders [a former student of Christian McBride] sometimes…And now we have a young man who is Ron Carter’s student, David Wong, who is also with Roy Haynes."

Shortly before Percy’s death, Jimmy noted that “Among us, we’ve got more than 150 years of experience and more than 900 recordings. We’ve played with jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, J. J. Johnson, Miles and the Modern Jazz Quartet. That seems to make us the elders of surviving families of jazz.”  Jimmy and Tootie Heath continue that legacy while mentoring a new generation, performing throughout the country and beyond, bringing their soulful hard bop into venues such as Chicago's Jazz Showcase, April 22-25.

For tickets and information, visit www.jazzshowcase.com.  For a Jazz Police review of “Brotherly Jazz,” click here! 

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