Jimmy Heath, Curtis Fuller - The Thumper

Well worth the wait...!!

After all those years as a great session man jimmy heath finally gets his shot as leader and does he ever deliver. "The thumper" is a classic the first of 4 straight brilliant riverside albums(Thumper-Really big-quota-triple threat) that are simply among the finest jazz you will ever hear. If you have yet to grace your collection with some of these titles you are seriously missing out.

Heath brings a thick sextet sound to this riverside classic with brilliant taut arrangements and excellent writing. The album begins with a classic heath tune called minor vamp that swings big time. It is followed with the sassy "who needs it" and the super sweet "dont you know i care". The players here are stellar and tight. Jimmy's brother albert provides a big drum sound to hold the band together and brilliant performances abound by heath ts, nat adderly cornet and wynton kelly piano. Songs 4-6 are all heath numbers as well that are spirited and lyrical supported as always by excellent heath solos. In addition are the sweet nostalgic "for all we know and the breezy "i can make you love me".

This is definitely jimmy heath's signature album and is a must for any serious jazz collection. You must have it!





September 5, 2004

Classic "Thumper"

I don't know what is a bigger shame, the fact that "The Thumper," Jimmy Heath's debut as a leader, was not made until he was 33 (!), or the fact that so few people know about the merits of this album. Despite the fact that he had recorded in the early 50s which such jazz giants as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and J.J. Johnson, it took the success of fellow Philadelphians John Coltrane and Benny Golson for Heath to get his own recording contract. But enough venting, let's get to this stunning album. An all-star band of Nat Adderley, Curtis Fuller, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and brother Albert "Tootie" Heath join Jimmy on this 1959 session, that has a similar format to a Blue Mitchell-led session ("Blue Soul" -- see my review) recorded in the same month as "The Thumper" and also featuring Heath. "The Thumper" consists of nine short songs (the longest logging in at just over 5 1/2 minutes), including five Heath originals, one of which is the definitive version of his classic "For Minors Only." As on "Blue Soul," the other horn players sit out on the ballads, the standards "Don't You Know I Care" and "I Can Make You Love Me," to allow Heath to play with only the rhythm section. This album is a classic hard bop "thumper" that should not be missing from your collection. September 6, 2000

More reviews at Amazon.com ...