One of my favorite recordings from 2013 was the second album by the trio of veteran drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath and relative young guns Ethan Iverson and Ben Street (on piano and bass, respectively). Tootie’s Tempo (Sunnyside) turned the spotlight on the percussionist, one of the last great proponents of bop playing; but he’s a musician capable of so much more. The trio’s first recording was a terrific but loose live session from the New York club Smalls; the second release captured the group melding into a working ensemble, essaying a wide variety of standards drawn from the entirety of jazz history, with Heath given the latitude to explicitly impart his personality in every performance. The results were accessible, effortlessly swinging, and fun—no matter how hoary the chestnut, the drummer brought something modern and hip it.
Philadelphia Beat by Albert “Tootie” Heath / Ethan Iverson / Ben Street
