The debut recording by
the Heath Brothers -- which at the time consisted of
Jimmy Heath on tenor, soprano and flute, bassist
Percy Heath, drummer
Al "Tootie" Heath and pianist
Stanley Cowell -- was one of their best, but also their most obscure release. Made for the soon-defunct Strata East label, this LP has
Jimmy Heath's four-part "Smilin' Billy Suite," an original apiece from
Cowell and the two other brothers (including
Percy's "Watergate Blues"), and
Duke Ellington's "Warm Valley." High-quality hard bop.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi