sheldonm Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 (edited) I was talking to a friend that knows the Heath brothers quite well and he told me that Percy Heath is doing rather poorly, health wise. I didn't post this to alarm or to make assumtions but more of an fyi. He is due to turn 82 this Saturday and I hope we have him around for some time! Mark Edited April 28, 2005 by sheldonm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spontooneous Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 About six weeks back, Jimmy Heath was in KC. He said Percy was starting chemotherapy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 82 is old, period, but here's hoping for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted April 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 About six weeks back, Jimmy Heath was in KC. He said Percy was starting chemotherapy. My friend was going in the hospital as Jimmy was coming out and he said Percy was taking quite abit of pain medication; here's hoping for the best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted April 26, 2005 Report Share Posted April 26, 2005 Now here's an obituary I do not want to read for some time ... all the best to him! Always loved his bluesy feeling and elegant swing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Fitzgerald Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 A great man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted April 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 That's looks like the instrument that Ray Brown gave him; beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted April 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Now here's an obituary I do not want to read for some time ... all the best to him! Always loved his bluesy feeling and elegant swing. I'm with you there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 I went on a Jazz Cruise a few years back and wheeled Percy's bass for him the length of the ship for a venue change. It was just him and I and I'll never forget that feeling of walking him and his bass. What a humble person he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMusicalMarine Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 The Modern Jazz Quartet was my gateway into jazz. Just the fact that some of you have interacted with Percy blows my mind. I sure hope he gets well soon and for years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted April 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 The Modern Jazz Quartet was my gateway into jazz. Just the fact that some of you have interacted with Percy blows my mind. I sure hope he gets well soon and for years to come. I met Percy a couple times; very nice guy to talk with and very engaging on stage. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebop Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 There might be others but Percy is the only living jazz musician I can think of who recorded with both Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman not to mention the hundreds of others he's worked and recorded with. Let's keep him in our thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 I'll be thinking good thoughts for Percy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 There might be others but Percy is the only living jazz musician I can think of who recorded with both Charlie Parker and Ornette Coleman... Paul Bley, if private recordings count. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajf67 Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Ditto on all the above. I hope he gets well soon. He'll be in my thoughts as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Wasn't Percy a fighter pilot back in WWII? Astonishing to think that. Here's wishing Percy all the very best, a great man indeed.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPF Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 Wasn't Percy a fighter pilot back in WWII? Astonishing to think that. Here's wishing Percy all the very best, a great man indeed.. Yes, he was one of the famed "Tuskegee Airmen." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted April 27, 2005 Report Share Posted April 27, 2005 I hope the best for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz Kat Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 He lives on Long Island, very close to me. He's been at a couple of festivals around here. His cohort, Connie Kay, would also be celebrating his birthday this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz Kat Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 I love his tone. With bassits like Charlie Mingus, and Paul Chambers, you can hear the strings vibrate, and what not, for lack of a better term. With Percy, its so clear, all you hear is the notes. Very clean and controlled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maren Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 2003 interview with Percy, Jimmy and Tootie! http://www.iaje.org/article.asp?ArticleID=125 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 (edited) Wow. I hope he will be okay. Last spring I was walking in Manhattan and I spotted him walking along Broadway. I yelled "hey Percy" and gave a thumbs up he looked and smiled. No one else had a clue who he was. I guess that's good and bad. Edited April 28, 2005 by Hardbopjazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 (edited) Wasn't Percy a fighter pilot back in WWII? Astonishing to think that. Here's wishing Percy all the very best, a great man indeed.. When I saw the Heath Brothers, Jimmy said Percy was a Tuskegee Airmen in WWII. Jimmy said, "how many missions did you fly, 42?" Percy said, "I don't remember." Jimmy said "stop being modest". Edited April 28, 2005 by Hardbopjazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted April 28, 2005 Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 He lives on Long Island, very close to me. He's been at a couple of festivals around here. His cohort, Connie Kay, would also be celebrating his birthday this week. What part on Long Island? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldonm Posted April 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2005 Wasn't Percy a fighter pilot back in WWII? Astonishing to think that. Here's wishing Percy all the very best, a great man indeed.. When I saw the Heath Brothers, Jimmy said Percy was a Tuskegee Airmen in WWII. Jimmy said, "how many missions did you fly, 42?" Percy said, "I don't remember." Jimmy said "stop being modest". ....all I know it that it takes a person with big balls to have flown those missions! m- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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