Albert tootie heath biography of alberta

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Albert Heath has died. Like many jazz musicians of his time, he was better known by his nickname, Tootie. And Tootie Heath got around.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME")

NINA SIMONE: (Singing) My baby just cares for me.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

He played drums with basically all the greats of the '50s, '60s and beyond.

He's on early albums from Nina Simone and John Coltrane, and he made classic records with Herbie Hancock, Benny Golson, Wes Montgomery.

(SOUNDBITE OF WES MONTGOMERY'S "AIREGIN")

KELLY: His older brothers, Percy Heath - who played bass, and Jimmy Heath, who played saxophone - they were also jazz royalty. Occasionally they performed together as the Heath Brothers, and their music got around, too.

(SOUNDBITE OF HEATH BROTHERS' "SMILIN' BILLY SUITE (PART 2)")

SHAPIRO: Tootie Heath was born in 1935 and grew up in Philadelphia among a lot of other ma In Remembrance: Albert “Tootie” Heath | KNKX Public Radio GUZA