Percy Heath American jazz musician and bassist Date of Birth: 30.04.1923 Country: USA

Biography of Percy Heath

Percy Heath, an American jazz musician and bassist, gained wide recognition during his performances with the Modern Jazz Quartet. He was born on April 30, 1923, in Wilmington, North Carolina, but grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Coming from a musical family, Percy's father played the clarinet, his mother sang in the local church choir, and his brothers Jimmy and Albert also became renowned jazz musicians. It was with them that Percy later formed his own jazz band. Percy began playing the violin at the age of eight. In 1944, Heath joined the army and was fortunate enough to be a part of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots. However, he did not participate in combat. After his military service in 1946, Percy returned home and seriously considered a musical career. He developed a passion for playing the double bass. Initially, the double bass was considered suitable only for jazz, but in the early 1940s, musicians like John Kirby, Pops Foster, and Walter Page started using it in new musical styles. Percy Heath bought an old bass and enrolled at the Granoff School of Music in Philadelphia. After completing his studies, Heath performed with various renowned artists in local clubs for several years before deciding to move to New York, where he joined Dizzy Gillespie's ensemble. In 1952, Heath joined former students of Dizzy, including Milt Jackson, John Lewis, and Kenny Clarke, who went on to form the Modern Jazz Quartet. For the next 22 years, the Modern Jazz Quartet introduced innovative ideas to the world of contemporary jazz. Many immediately recognized Percy Heath's impeccable playing and his unique style of interpretation. He felt the music with his entire body and transmitted it through his hands, which produced perfect melodies. The Modern Jazz Quartet's most famous works include "Blues In A Minor" and "Bags' Groove." In 1974, the quartet disbanded. Percy Heath worked with Sarah Vaughan for a while until he and his brothers founded the Heath Brothers jazz band in 1975. In this ensemble, Percy began playing the cello, which, honestly speaking, he played just as brilliantly as his fiery double bass performance. In the early 1980s, the Modern Jazz Quartet reunited for a tour in Japan. After a long hiatus, the quartet played even better than before. Only in 1997 did the story of one of the best quartets in jazz history come to an end. This time, it was final. Some time later, Percy revived the Heath Brothers with his brothers. Together, they recorded two magnificent albums: "As We Were Saying" in 1997 and "Jazz Family" in 1998.

Percy Heath passed away from bone cancer on April 28, 2005, just two days before his 82nd birthday. Sadly, Percy outlived his wife June, three children, two brothers, and former colleagues from the Modern Jazz Quartet.