I love Jimmy Heath.. I think he's one of the all time greats, and his writing- just listened to his great album from 1975- "New Picture." I saw him play only once, with one of my all time favorite bassists, The Late Sam Jones. I worked as a repair tech at the Sam Ash store in Forest Hills, Queens, back in the late 70's -early 80's. Jimmy came in one day, and overheard someone say my name. He came over to me, and asked me if I fixed guitars there. I said I did, and he thanked me for being cool and helpful to his son. I told him of the single time I saw him play, and he said "That was a long time ago" I felt a little guilty for not going to more jazz gigs.. but- I'll never forget it. He was a very nice man. Rest In Peace, Mister Heath.
I'll always remember with great fondness the Evening when my Roommate invited over her Friends for Dinner in our cruddy, tiny UWS New York City Apt. We all sat crammed around a fold out Card Table drinking Wine out of Jelly Glasses with cartoon pictures of Tom & Jerry on them. Our first official Dinner Guests - none other than the fabulous Clark Terry and Jimmy Heath!
Clark Terry walks like a frail old man, blows like an immortal superman. He was well over 80 at this time. Ray Brown was a little younger but passed away not long after this.
Very nice set. Too bad they couldn't have hired a competent sound crew to record it. CT and Jimmy Heath have long been among my favorite players, and I've mixed CT several times for broadcast and recording, including an NPR New Years Eve set playing alternate sets with Johnny Hartmann . I also got to record Ray Brown in live performance. Beautiful bass sound. My last contact with CT was a year or two either side of this, in Chicago, when he was in rough physical shape, but still under his own power, and better than what is shown here. He asked for my help (getting into a hotel room to rest before the gig), and I did my best. He played beautifully.
