Jimmy Heath

James Edward Heath (born October 25, 1926), nicknamed Little Bird, is an American jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger. He is the brother of bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert Heath. Jimmy originally played alto saxophone but after the influence of Charlie Parker on his work for Howard McGhee and Dizzy Gillespie in the late 1940s, he earned the nickname "Little Bird" (Parker's nickname was Bird) and he switched to tenor sax. He briefly joined Miles Davis's group in 1959, replacing John Coltrane, and also worked with Kenny Dorham and Gil Evans. He recorded extensively as leader and sideman. During the 1960s, he frequently worked with Milt Jackson and Art Farmer. In 1975, he and his brothers formed the Heath Brothers, also...