Sax Great Jimmy Heath 'Walked With Giants'

'Because he played alto in the style of Charlie Parker, whose nickname was Bird, and because he's small in stature, Jimmy Heath (1926-2020) became known as "Little Bird". When he left Dizzy's band, he switched to tenor saxophone. "I wanted to get away from being called Little Bird," Heath says in this 2014 interview, "I liked the idea at first, but I wanted to be Jimmy Heath. So, I say, 'Well, I'll get the tenor and try this,' and you know, lo and behold, I still sounded like Bird on tenor".' -- Weekend Edition Saturday