Before leaving us January 19 at age 93, one of the last of the living beboppers, Jimmy Heath, left us one last will and testament, a warm album focused on relaxed and timeless ballads. For this last session, Heath teamed up with pianist Kenny Barron’s team of bassist David Wong and drummer Lewis Nash, throwing in guest guitarist Russell Malone and vibist Monte Croft for a lion’s share of the soft moods, as well as some ringer guests.
Wynton Marsalis agonizes gloriously with Heath’s fragile and breathy tones on a desultory“La Mesha” after Barron’s thin nighty of a solo intro. Gregory Porter’s rich bel canto vibrato fills the room during a relaxed yet passionate “Don’t Misunderstand Me” while Cecile McLorin Salvant is delicately blue with Malone on “Left Alone”. Heath produces his soprano sax into the mix for a sweet and lonely “Inside Your Heart” while you can almost feel his disease during the sighing tenor of “Don’t Explain” and “Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suite”. Croft’s vibes bring a gentle drapery to “Con Alma” and “Fashion Or Passion” with all of Heaths’ charts displaying the class and understated creativity that has and had marked his impressive in usually overlooked career and genius.