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Jazz Currents
Western Michigan University's Keith Hall talks about jazz greats and talks with current practitioners of the art.0000017c-60f7-de77-ad7e-f3f73a350002

Jazz Currents: Happy Birthday Billy Hart

WMUK | By Martin Klemm
Published November 18, 2015 at 4:27 PM EST

Drummer, composer and bandleader Billy Hart was born in Washington D. C. and is celebrating his 75th birthday in November.  When many people would be slowing down, Billy Hart continues his commitment to sharing his knowledge and experience with everyone he meets.

In high school, Billy befriended the revered saxophonist Buck Hill who introduced him to jazz and gave him two Charlie Parker recordings that set Hart on his path.  Buck Hill also introduced Hart to local pianist and vocalist Shirley Horn, with whom Billy would learn and perform extensively.   The training with Hill and Horn became a foundational part of Billy's musical concept.  Hart went on to work with B3 organist Jimmy Smith, guitarist Wes Montgomery, keyboardistHerbie Hancock, saxophonist Stan Getz, Miles Davis and many others.   In the 1980's, Hart began recording with his own band that consisted of a group of younger musicians who would all become very influential in their own way.  The 1990's brought recordings and tours with Charles Lloyd, Tom Harrell, and the Saxophone Summit, as well as another incarnation of the Billy Hart Band and three more recordings.  In 2003, the Billy Hart Quartet would take shape and the group has been touring and recording on the ECM record label.

Billy Hart is still touring and recording with a multitude of artists and continues to push the envelope on the drums.  Happy 75th Billy Hart!

Track Listing

1.   Oleo (Sonny Rollins) from Buck Hill's This is Buck Hill

2.   I'm Old Fashioned (Jerome Kern/Johnny Mercer) from Shirley Horn's A Lazy Afternoon

3.   The Champ (Jimmy Smith) from Jimmy Smith's Live at the Village Gate

4.   Ostinato (Herbie Hancock) from Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi

5.   Layla-Joy (Billy Hart) from Billy Hart's Enchance

6.   Lorca (Billy Hart) from Billy Hart's Oshumare

7.   Snow Leopard (Richie Beirach) from Quest's Quest III - Live At The Montmartre-Midpoint

8.   Oceans of Time (Billy Hart) from Billy Hart's Oceans of Time

9.   Confirmation (Charlie Parker) from Billy Hart's Quartet

10.  Tolli's Dance (Ben Street) from Billy Hart's All Our Reasons  
Tags
Local Music Keith HallJazz Currents
Martin Klemm
As Chief Engineer for WMUK, Martin Klemm is kept busy by tending to a variety of issues - from computers to tower lights - he will never run out of things to fix. Before coming to WMUK in 2003, Martin worked in Los Angeles making records with some outstanding producers, but preferred to be close to his family here in west Michigan. He enjoys keeping a busy schedule balancing WMUK, loving on his friends' doggos, and remodeling his home in the Edison neighborhood (which never seems to end)
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