TOOTIE'S TEMPO with Tootie Heath, Ethan Iverson & Ben Street at The Falcon

Albert "Tootie" Heath is the youngest of three powerful jazz brothers from Philadelphia. Along with bassist Percy and saxophonist Jimmy, the Philadelphia raised drummer became a first call player, his playing featured on a wide range of projects, from the tradition of Lester Young and Ben Webster to the abstractions of Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell.While still a teenager he was backing up visiting New York artists like Lester Young and Thelonious Monk. Heath remains at his core a classic bebop drummer. Today he is one of the few left who learned bop from the streets, not the schools.
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Albert "Tootie" Heath is the youngest of three powerful jazz brothers from Philadelphia. Along with bassist Percy and saxophonist Jimmy, the Philadelphia raised drummer became a first call player, his playing featured on a wide range of projects, from the tradition of Lester Young and Ben Webster to the abstractions of Anthony Braxton and Roscoe Mitchell.While still a teenager he was backing up visiting New York artists like Lester Young and Thelonious Monk. Heath remains at his core a classic bebop drummer. Today he is one of the few left who learned bop from the streets, not the schools.

Iverson and Street are two musicians steeped in tradition because of their study of and participation with members of the jazz pantheon. Iverson is best known as pianist and contributing composer with the Bad Plus. He has also led a number of his own ensembles and has been an important member of ensembles with Billy Hart and Tim Berne. Ben Street has become one of the most in demand bassists in jazz and has been a member of ensembles led by Daniló Perez, Sam Rivers and Kurt Rosenwinkel.

The trio of Heath, Iverson and Street has been together for nearly five years. Iverson led a number of “standards” gigs at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City in 2009. On Billy Hart’s recommendation, Iverson asked Heath to sub one night and the drummer accepted. There were two performances at Smalls, one of which was recorded for the Small’s Jazz Club record label. The group has convened for a recent residency at the famed Village Vanguard in New York City, adding more new repertoire to their book.

Albert “Tootie” Heath has had an extraordinary and innovative career. His innate abilities in manipulating tempo and texture have influenced generations of musicians, including his trio mates, Iverson and Street, who delight in the challenge of playing with him. It is moving to hear Tootie play; his manipulation of texture, tone, and tempo is nothing short of incredible.

Featuring Albert "Tootie" Heath/drums , Ethan Iverson/piano, Ben Street/bass.

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