Billy Hart
Hart performing in 1978
Background information
Born	(1940-11-29) 29 November 1940 (age 71) Washington, D.C. United States
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion
Occupations	Musician, Educator
Instruments	Drums
Years active	Early 1960s - present
Associated acts	Herbie Hancock,
Website	Official Site

William "Billy" Hart (born November 29, 1940 in Washington, D.C.) is a jazz drummer and educator who has performed with some of the most important jazz musicians in history.

Biography [link]

Billy Hart at Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, Half Moon Bay CA (Photo: Brian McMillen)

Early on Hart performed in Washington, D.C. with soul artists such as Otis Redding and Sam and Dave, and then later with Buck Hill and Shirley Horn, and was a sideman with the Montgomery Brothers (1961), Jimmy Smith (1964–1966), and Wes Montgomery (1966–1968). Following Montgomery’s death in 1968, Hart moved to New York, where he recorded with McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, and Joe Zawinul, and played with Eddie Harris, Pharoah Sanders, and Marian McPartland.

Hart was a member of Herbie Hancock's sextet (1969–1973), and played with McCoy Tyner (1973–1974), Stan Getz (1974–1977), and Quest (1980s), in addition to extensive freelance playing (including recording with Miles Davis on 1972's On the Corner).

At age 70, Billy Hart works steadily and teaches widely.^{[citation needed]} Since the early 1990s Hart spends considerable time at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and is adjunct faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music and Western Michigan University. He also conducts private lessons through The New School and New York University. Hart often contributes to the Stokes Forest Music Camp and the Dworp Summer Jazz Clinic in Belgium.

He leads a group with Mark Turner, Ethan Iverson, and Ben Street. He also is featured in a trio led by pianist Jean-Michel Pilc and one led by guitarist Assaf Kehati.

Hart resides in Montclair, New Jersey.^[1]

Discography [link]

As leader [link]

• 1977: Enchance (Horizon Records, with Michael Carvin, Eddie Henderson, Dave Holland, Oliver Lake, Hannibal Marvin Peterson, Don Pullen, Dewey Redman, Buster Williams)
• 1978: The Trio (Progressive Records, with Walter Bishop, Jr., George Mraz)
• 1985: Oshumare with Manolo Badrena, Steve Coleman, Kevin Eubanks, Bill Frisell, Mark Gray, Dave Holland, Kenny Kirkland, Didier Lockwood, Branford Marsalis
• 1987: Rah with Kevin Eubanks, Bill Frisell, Eddie Gómez, Mark Grey, Eddie Henderson, Kenny Kirkland, Dave Liebman, Ralph Moore, Caris Visentin
• 1989: Take It Easy with Klaus Ignatzek, Ron McClure
• 1992: Firebird with Tom Knific, Trent Kynaston, Steve Zegree
• 1993: Amethyst (Arabesque Records, with Marc Copland, Santi Debriano, Mark Feldman, David Fiuczynski, Dave Kikoski, John Stubblefield
• 1997: Oceans of Time (Arabesque, with Santi Debriano, Mark Feldman, David Fiuczynski, Dave Kikoski, Chris Potter, John Stubblefield)
• 2006: Quartet (HighNote Records, with Ethan Iverson, Ben Street, Mark Turner)
• 2006: Route F (Enja Records)
• 2009: Live at the Cafe Damberd (Enja)
• 2012: All Our Reasons (ECM)

As sideman [link]

This section requires expansion.

With Hamiet Bluiett

• Resolution (Black Saint, 1978)
• Dangerously Suite (Soul Note, 1981)

With Catalyst

• Perception (Muse, 1973)
• Unity (Muse, 1974)

With Miles Davis

• On the Corner (Columbia, 1972)
• Big Fun (Columbia, 1974) (material from On the Corner sessions)
• Tutu (1986)

With Sonny Fortune

• Awakening (Horizon, 1975)
• It Ain't What It Was (Konnex, 1992)

With Chico Freeman

• Spirit Sensitive (India Navigation, 1979)
• Peaceful Heart, Gentle Spirit (Contemporary, 1980)
• Tradition In Transition (Elektra Musician, 1982)
• The Search (India Navigation, 1983)
• Chico Freeman featuring Bobby McFerrin Tangents (Elektra Musician, 1984)

With Stan Getz

• Mac Coy Tyner Quintet / Stan Getz Quartet – Jazz Jamboree 74 Vol. 2 (Muza, 1975)
• Various – Standard School Broadcast "Music Makers": Woodwinds & Reeds (Chevron, 1975)
• Stan Getz featuring Joao Gilberto – The Best Of Two Worlds (Columbia, 1976)
• Stan Getz Quartet feat. Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – Live At Montmartre (SteepleChase, 1977)
• Stan Getz, Philippe Sarde – Mort d'un pourri (Bande originale du film) (Melba, 1977)
• Another World (Columbia, 1978)
• The Stan Getz Quartet – Pure Getz (Concord Jazz, 1982)
• The Master (Columbia, 1982)
• Blue Skies (Concord Jazz, 1982, issued in 1995)

With Dick Griffin

• Now Is The Time (Trident, 1979)
• The Eighth Wonder & More (Konnex, 1994)

With Herbie Hancock

• Mwandishi (Warner Bros., 1971)
• Crossings (Warner Bros., 1972)
• Sextant (Columbia, 1973)
• V.S.O.P. (Columbia, 1977)

With Eddie Harris

• Pourquoi L'Amérique (soundtrack) (AZ, 1968)
• Silver Cycles (Atlantic, 1968)
• High Voltage (Atlantic, 1969)
• Free Speech (Atlantic, 1969)

With Eddie Henderson

• Realization (Capricorn, 1973)
• Inside Out (Capricorn, 1974)
• Sunburst (Blue Note, 1975)
• Heritage (Blue Note, 1976)

With Lee Konitz

• Lee Konitz Nonet – Yes, Yes, Nonet (SteepleChase, 1979)
• Lee Konitz Nonet – Live At Laren (Soul Note, 1979, issued in 1984)

With Joe Lovano

• Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note, 1994)

With Bennie Maupin

• The Jewel in the Lotus (ECM, 1974)

With Cecil McBee

• Mutima (Strata-East, 1974)
• Flying Out (India Navigation, 1982)

With Wes Montgomery

• Wes Montgomery Live At Jorgies Jazz Club (VGM, 1961, issued later)
• Wes Montgomery Live At Jorgies Jazz Club And More (VGM, 1961, 1968, issued later)

With James Mtume

• Mtume Umoja Ensemble – Alkebu-Lan - Land Of The Blacks (Live At The East) (Strata-East, 1972)
• Mtume – Rebirth Cycle (Third Street, 1974, issued in 1977)

With James Newton

• James Newton (Gramavision, 1983)
• Luella (Gramavision, 1984)
• The African Flower - The Music Of Duke Ellington And Billy Strayhorn (Blue Note, 1985)

With Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

• Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Trio Trio 1 (SteepleChase, 1978)
• Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Quartet Dancing On The Tables (SteepleChase, 1979)

With Hannibal Marvin Peterson

• Hannibal Marvin Peterson, The Sunrise Orchestra Children Of The Fire (Sunrise, 1974)
• Naima (Eastworld, 1978)

With Pharoah Sanders

• Karma (Impulse!, 1969)
• Izipho Zam (Strata-East, 1969, issued in 1973)
• Black Unity (Impulse!, 1972)
• Live At The East (Impulse!, 1972)

With Wayne Shorter

• Odyssey of Iska (Blue Note, 1971)

With Jimmy Smith

• Christmas Cookin' (Verve, 1964)
• The Amazing Jimmy Smith Trio Live At The Village Gate (Metro, 1965)
• Live In Concert - The Incredible Jimmy Smith (Metro, 1965)
• La Métamorphose des cloportes (Bande originale du film) (Verve, 1965)

With Charles Sullivan

• Genesis (Strata-East, 1974)
• Re-Entry (Whynot, 1976)

With McCoy Tyner

• Asante (Blue Note, 1970, issued in 1974)
• Sama Layuca (Milestone, 1974)

With Tom Varner

• Tom Varner Quartet (Soul Note, 1980)
• Motion/Stillness (Soul Note, 1983)

With Buster Williams

• Pinnacle (Muse, 1975)
• Crystal Reflections (Muse, 1976)
• Heartbeat (Muse, 1979)
• Dreams Come True (Buddha, 1980)

With Joe Zawinul

• Zawinul (Atlantic, 1971)

With others

• Buck Clarke – The Buck Clarke Sound (Argo, 1963)
• The Paul Jeffrey Quintet – Electrifying Sounds Of The Paul Jeffrey Quintet (Savoy, 1968)
• Melvin Jackson – Funky Skull (Limelight, 1969)
• Marian McPartland – Ambiance (Halcyon, 1970)
• Harold Land – A New Shade Of Blue (Mainstream, 1971)
• Harold Land – Damisi CD reissue (Mainstream, 1992) (material from – A New Shade Of Blue sessions)
• Buddy Terry – Pure Dynamite (Mainstream, 1972)
• Norman Connors – Dance Of Magic (Cobblestone, 1972)
• Pete Yellin – Dance Of Allegra (Mainstream, 1972)
• Marc Levin Ensemble – Songs Dances And Prayers (Sweet Dragon, 1973)
• Azar Lawrence – Bridge Into The New Age (Prestige, 1974)
• Carlos Garnett – Black Love (Muse, 1974)
• Charles Earland – The Dynamite Brothers (Prestige, 1974)
• Harold Vick – Don't Look Back (Strata-East, 1974)
• Bob Moses – Bittersuite In The Ozone (Mozown, 1975)
• Michel Sardaby – Gail (Disques Debs, 1975)
• Billy Harper – Soran-Bushi, B.H. (Denon, 1977, issued in 1981)
• Black Renaissance – Black Renaissance (Baystate, 1977)
• Dave McKenna / The Wilbur Little Quartet – Oil & Vinegar (Honeydew, 1977)
• Eddie Jefferson – The Main Man (Inner City, 1977)
• John Spider Martin – Absolutely (Improv, 1977)
• John Stowell – Golden Delicious (Inner City, 1977)
• Zbigniew Seifert – Man Of The Light (MPS, 1977)
• Joanne Brackeen – Tring-A-Ling (Choice, 1978)
• Kenny Barron – Innocence (Wolf, 1978)
• Robert Watson – Estimated Time Of Arrival (Roulette, 1978)
• Walter Bishop, Jr. – Cubicle (Muse, 1978)
• Cam Newton – The Motive Behind The Smile (Inner City, 1979)
• Glen Hall – The Book Of The Heart (Sonora, 1979)
• Jim McNeely – The Plot Thickens (Gatemouth, 1979)
• Jimmy Raney & Doug Raney – Stolen Moments (SteepleChase, 1979)
• Joe Temperley & Jimmy Knepper – Just Friends (Hep, 1979)
• John McNeil Quintet – Faun (SteepleChase, 1979)
• John McNeil & Tom Harrell – Look To The Sky (SteepleChase, 1979)
• John Scofield – Who's Who? (Arista, 1979)
• Louis Smith Quintet – Prancin' (SteepleChase, 1979)
• Mack Goldsbury – Anthropo-Logic (Muse, 1979)
• Richard Davis – Harvest (Muse, 1979)
• Mickey Tucker – The Crawl (Muse, 1980)
• Pierre Dørge Quartet – Ballad Round The Left Corner (SteepleChase, 1980)
• Dave Schnitter – Glowing (Muse, 1981)
• Doug Raney Quartet – Listen (SteepleChase, 1981)
• Joachim Kühn – Nightline New York (Sandra Music Productions, 1981)
• Mingus Dynasty – Live At Montreux (Atlantic, 1981)
• Pepper Adams – Urban Dreams (Palo Alto Jazz, 1981)
• Terumasa Hino – Double Rainbow (CBS/Sony, 1981)
• Arnie Lawrence – Renewal (Palo Alto Jazz, 1982)
• Art Farmer Quartet – A Work Of Art (Concord Jazz, 1982)
• Jay Hoggard – Mystic Winds, Tropic Breezes (India Navigation, 1982)
• Stanley Cowell / Billy Harper / Reggie Workman / Billy Hart – Such Great Friends (Strata-East, 1983, issued in 1991)
• Conjure – Music For The Texts Of Ishmael Reed (American Clavé, 1984)
• Jimmy Knepper Sextet – I Dream Too Much (Soul Note, 1984)
• Larry Coryell – Comin' Home (Muse, 1984)
• Big Nick Nicholas – Big Nick (India Navigation, 1985)
• Didier Lockwood – Out Of The Blue (Gramavision, 1985)
• Johnny Dyani Quartet – Angolian Cry (SteepleChase, 1985)
• Shirley Horn Trio – Violets For Your Furs (SteepleChase, 1986, issued in 1991)
• Khan Jamal – Thinking Of You (Storyville, 1987)
• Quest – II (Storyville, 1987)
• Duke Jordan Trio – Time On My Hands (Steeplechase, 1988)
• John Handy – Excursion In Blue (Quartet, 1988)
• Quest – N.Y. Nites - Standards (PAN Music, 1988)
• Tom Harrell – Stories (Contemporary, 1988)
• Gary Bartz Quartet – Monsoon (SteepleChase, 1988)
• Paul Bley Trio – The Nearness Of You (SteepleChase, 1989)
• Lars Møller Quartet – Pyramid (Stunt, 1990)
• Shirley Horn – You Won't Forget Me (Verve, 1991)
• Tom Harrell – Visions (Contemporary, 1991) (material from – Stories sessions)
• Charles Lloyd – The Call (ECM, 1993)
• Jerry Bergonzi, Mike Stern, Andy LaVerne, George Mraz, Billy Hart – Vertical Reality (Musidisc, 1994)
• Grover Washington, Jr. – All My Tomorrows (Columbia, 1994)
• Shirley Horn – The Main Ingredient (Verve, 1995)
• Cæcilie Norby – Cæcilie Norby (Blue Note, 1995)
• Chris Potter – Moving In (Concord, 1996)
• Jon Jang Sextet – Two Flowers On A Stem (Soul Note, 1996)
• Tied & Tickled Trio – La Place Demon (Morr Music 2011)
• Jean-Michel Pilc – True Story (Dreyfus 2010)

References [link]

External links [link]

• Interview with Ethan Iverson
• Billy Hart at Allmusic
• Discography at Discogs