Jimmy Heath   Jimmy Heath may be one of jazz history's most
underrated soloists. He's mostly been celebrated for his
sparkling compositions, such as "Gemini" and "Gingerbread Boy."
But his brazen, rock-solid Hard Bop improvisations reveal him as
an exuberant sound painter who favors splashes of brilliant
color. Heath builds his solos from a strong base of Swing, Bop,
and blues ideas and feelings. The experienced jazz listener may
recognize Charlie Parker in many of Heath's solo phrases;
however, his seamless articulation and rich, rounded tone make
him one of the music's strongest stylists. A master arranger,
Heath favors intricate group harmonies and large-ensemble
formats; he usually keeps his solos relatively short, never
attempting to exhaust a tune's harmonic potential, but rather
using improvisation to embellish and complement the melody.
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