Tootie's Tempo

At 78 years old, Albert “Tootie” Heath is certainly a link to jazz history. This is due to both his lineage as the youngest of the three jazz-playing Heath brothers and his many accomplishments as a musician on his own. Here, pianist Ethan Iverson and bassist Ben Street join Heath, and the results are as satisfying as a visit with a favorite old uncle. The music is straight-down-the-middle bebop with a strong emphasis on ballads and relaxed midtempo gems. Ever the gentleman, Heath plays here with subtlety and elegance, setting his tempos and throwing in little rhythmic wrinkles rather than banging away on solos. Just listen to his playing on “The Intimacy of the Blues,” the title track, and “Cute” to see what we mean. The often-pensive material here ranges from a fun, un-flapper-like version of “The Charleston” to the lovely theme from the film Charade to an earthy take of the bossa nova classic “How Insensitive.” Then things do pick up for a robust version of “Fire Waltz.” It's highly recommended for fans of classic jazz.