The Heath Brothers

In 1975 Jimmy, Percy, and Albert "Tootie" Heath united to launch the Heath Brothers. Before that moment Percy, the bassist, had concentrated his efforts on the Modern Jazz Quartet, yet once the ensemble entered a period of "retirement" that later proved brief, the three siblings were at liberty to combine. What started as a quartet anchored by pianist Stanley Cowell soon enlarged through the arrival of guitarist Tony Purrone and percussionist Mtume, Jimmy’s son; the resulting lineup cut material for Strata East that same year, then produced four albums for Columbia and two for Island. Tootie Heath departed early, yielding his chair to Akira Tana, only to return for the group’s last date in 1983. Although the Heath Brothers remained grounded in hard bop, scattered tracks revealed brief excursions toward jazzy R&B. Albert "Tootie" Heath died on April 3, 2024, at the age of 88.