Jimmy Heath has long been recognized as both a fluid, innovative  instrumentalist and a dynamic composer and arranger. Jimmy is the middle brother of the legendary Heath Brothers (Percy Heath, a Jazz Master as well; Tootie Heath is a drummer). Starting on alto saxophone (and acquiring the nickname "Little Bird" due to the influence Charlie Parker had on him), Jimmy switched to tenor sax in the 1950s. But as a tenor or an alto player, Jimmy Heath excelled and he has shared the stage with the legends of jazz. There are far too many to list here. But here are a few facts: In 1948 Jimmy performed in the First International Jazz Festival in Paris with Howard McGhee sharing the stage with Coleman Hawkins and Erroll Garner; one of Jimmy’s earliest big bands in Philadelphia included John Coltrane and Benny Golson. Jimmy played in Dizzy Gillespie’s big band for a few years. After which he teamed up with Miles Davis and then Milt Jackson and Art Farmer. During his career, Jimmy Heath has performed on more than 100 record albums including seven with The Heath Brothers and twelve as a bandleader. Jimmy has also written more more 100 original works, including  seven suites and two string quartets. Jimmy helped to create the jazz program at Queens College where he taught for 20 years. Little wonder that this week, New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave Jimmy Heath a 2011 Mayor's Award for Arts and Culture. Other honorees this year include Stephen Sondheim, Maya Lin and Mikhail Baryshnikov). Of course, the NEA has NYC beat; we named Jimmy Heath an NEA jazz master back in 2003. 

Jimmy Heath has long been recognized as both a fluid, innovative  instrumentalist and a dynamic composer and arranger. Jimmy is the middle brother of the legendary Heath Brothers (Percy Heath, a Jazz Master as well; Tootie Heath is a drummer). Starting on alto saxophone (and acquiring the nickname "Little Bird" due to the influence Charlie Parker had on him), Jimmy switched to tenor sax in the 1950s. But as a tenor or an alto player, Jimmy Heath excelled and he has shared the stage with the legends of jazz. There are far too many to list here. But here are a few facts: In 1948 Jimmy performed in the First International Jazz Festival in Paris with Howard McGhee sharing the stage with Coleman Hawkins and Erroll Garner; one of Jimmy’s earliest big bands in Philadelphia included John Coltrane and Benny Golson. Jimmy played in Dizzy Gillespie’s big band for a few years. After which he teamed up with Miles Davis and then Milt Jackson and Art Farmer. During his career, Jimmy Heath has performed on more than 100 record albums including seven with The Heath Brothers and twelve as a bandleader. Jimmy has also written more more 100 original works, including  seven suites and two string quartets. Jimmy helped to create the jazz program at Queens College where he taught for 20 years. Little wonder that this week, New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave Jimmy Heath a 2011 Mayor's Award for Arts and Culture. Other honorees this year include Stephen Sondheim, Maya Lin and Mikhail Baryshnikov). Of course, the NEA has NYC beat; we named Jimmy Heath an NEA jazz master back in 2003.