Happy Birthday Billy Hart

November 29, 1940

 

Billy Hart Quartet (2013)

Drummer William “Billy” Hart was born on November 29, 1940 in Washington, D.C.

The self-taught drummer was in the bands of Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, and McCoy Tyner, and appeared on Miles’ funk-fusion classic On the Corner.

Over the course of his five-decade career drummer Bill Hart’s sonic adventures read like a Who’s Who’s in American music:

Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Buck Hill, Shirley Horn, the Montgomery Brothers, Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Eddie Harris, Pharoah Sanders, and Marian McPartland.

Having been a part of the Herbie Hancock sextet, as a freelancer he appeared in Miles Davis’ legendary “On the Corner” sessions.

Now he divides his time between playing and being an educator.

Personnel:

Billy Hart, drums
Ethan Iverson, piano
Mark Turner, sax
Ben Street, bass