International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Bill Heid

Bill (*1948) is a natural and virtuosic musician who was inspired to play jazz and blues by listening to the radio, he played in both piano and organ groups. Originally influenced by Jimmy Smith and Don Patterson, Heid heard the chitlin' circuit greats at the Hurricane Bar, including Smith and Patterson, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, and Lonnie Smith. Down the street at the Crawford Grill were the jazz bands led by Freddie Hubbard, Max Roach, Gene Harris, Bobby Timmons, and Wynton Kelly.

Spending time in Chicago and later in New York, he met and hung out with his mentor, Larry Young. He was also privy to playing with the best organ drummers like Joe Dukes and Billy James. And he heard the local contingent of jazz greats like Ahmad Jamal, Art Blakey, Erroll Garner, George Benson, Eddie Jefferson, Mary Lou Williams, and Stanley Turrentine.

In 1963, he began a journey of hitchhiking through the USA, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and China, and to the Thailand/Cambodia border. Some of his journeys led him to the so-called chicken houses and organ rooms of major cities, where he interned with Jimmy Witherspoon, Jimmy Ponder, Sonny Stitt, Grant Green, David "Fathead" Newman, Ira Sullivan, and Mickey Roker, and was a pianist with Don Patterson.

A move to Chicago brought him closer to the urban blues as he worked or recorded with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and especially Son Seals, Koko Taylor, Fenton Robinson, and Roy Buchanan. He also played in the bands of contemporary jazz guitarist Henry Johnson. Moving to Detroit, he spent two decades there playing in his own groups; helping to revive the career of a local legend of blues guitar and vocals, Johnnie Bassett, as the music director of his Blues Insurgents; and backing the veteran singer Alberta Adams. During and since his time in Detroit, Heid could be found making music soundtracks for adult films in Los Angeles, then touring worldwide for the U.S. State Department as a jazz ambassador, particularly on tours of Japan and Vietnam. In August 2003, Heid played more of the Pacific Rim in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Upon moving back to the Eastern United States, he could be heard on organ and piano engagements at various venues in the Washington, D.C., area. Of his mindset, Heid was quoted as saying "I can't live a day without playing 1-4-5s," incorporating those standard blues changes with cool McCoy Tyner minor riffs, vicious funk songs in Japanese, and what he calls Talifunk. "I approach this thing like total war and have been lucky to have avoided a day job." His hip vernacular, unique vocal language, and risqué sense of humor, melded with his passion for baseball, have made him an entertainer.

by Michael G. Nastos @ allmusic.com

Heid/Bassett Blues Insurgents Eastlawn Records 440031-0004 released 1993 recorded October 1992 reissued 2015 on CD Eastlawn Records ELD-015	Bill Heid, piano, organ, vocals Johnnie Bassett, guitar, vocals Russ Miller, alto sax Johnny Evans, tenor sax John Paxton, trombone James O'Donnell, trumpet Kurt Krahnke, bass R.J. Spangler, drums, congas Martin Gross, drums George Heid, percussion Jerome Spearman, percussion
Bop Rascal Savant SCD 2009 recorded May 1996 in Detroit, MI/USA	Bill Heid, Hammond organ Perry Hughes, guitar Randy Gelespie, drums George Heid, tambourine
Wet Streets Savant SCD 2018 recorded November 1997 in Detroit, MI/USA	Bill Heid, Hammond organ Scott "E-Dog" Petersen, tenor sax, soprano sax Russ Miller, tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax, flute Randy Gelespie, drums
Dark Secrets Savant SCD 2033	Bill Heid, organ Scott 'E Dog' Petersen, soprano sax, tenor sax Joe Magnarelli, trumpet, flugelhorn Randy Gelispie, drums George Heid, percussion George Jones, congas
Words Of Caution Severn Records CD-0017	Lou Pride, vocals Willie Henderson, conductor Jeff Antoniuk, tenor sax Jerry Queene, tenor sax Bruce Swaim, tenor sax Scott Young, tenor sax Scott Silbert, baritone sax John Jensen, trombone Kenny Rittenhouse, trumpet Tommy Williams, trumpet Harold Flood, guitar Jon Moeller, guitar Bill Heid, Hammond organ Benjie Porecki, Hammond organ, piano Steve Gomes, bass Robb Stupka, drums Steve Cyphers, percussion
Deluxe Edition Alligator Records ALCD 5610 compilation	Koko Taylor, vocals Jerry DiMuzio, alto sax Gene Barge, tenor sax Mark Colby, tenor sax Henri Ford, tenor sax Abb Locke, tenor sax, baritone sax Willie Henderson, baritone sax Steve Berry, trombone Edwin Williams, trombone Larry Bowen, trumpet Elmer Brown, trumpet Buddy Guy, guitar, vocals Criss Johnson, guitar B.B. King, guitar, vocals Eddie King, guitar Sammy Lawhorn, guitar Calvin Louden, guitar Johnny B. Moore, guitar Michael Robinson, guitar Mighty Joe Young, guitar Jeremiah Africa, organ, piano Jim Dortch, organ Dolpha Fowler jr., organ Bill Heid, organ, piano Eddie Lusk, organ, piano Pinetop Perkins, piano Ken Saydak, piano Carey Bell, harmonica Mervyn "Harmonica" Hinds, harmonica Cornelius Boyson, bass Johnny B. Gayden, bass Kenny Hampton, bass Jerry Murphy, bass Ray Allison, drums Vince Chappelle, drums Kriss T. Johnson jr., drums Clyde "Youngblood" Tyler jr., drums Brady Williams, drums
Da Girl Savant SCD 2041 recorded September 2000	Bill Heid, Hammond B-3 organ Scott 'E Dog' Petersen , tenor sax Joe Magnarelli, trumpet, flugelhorn Randy Gilespie, drums George Jones, congas George Heid, percussion
Organ Trio Jazzuni 002 recorded in Toluca Lake, CA and Los Angeles, CA/USA	Rick Zunigar, guitar Joe Bagg, Hammond organ Bill Heid, Hammond organ Wayne Peet, Hammond organ Mark Feber, drums Don Littleton, drums David Tull, drums
Radio Blues Severn Records CD 0044 recorded in Severn, MD/USA	Steve Guyger, vocals, harmonica Jon Moeller, guitar Bill Heid, piano, organ Steve Gomes, bass Robb Stupka, drums
Asian Persuasion Doodlin' Records DR-009 recorded in Pittsburgh, PA/USA	Bill Heid, Hammond B-3 organ, vocals Peter Bernstein, guitar Mike Petrosino, drums George Jones, congas
Wylie Ave Doodlin' Records DR-011 recorded spring 2008 in Pittsburgh, PA/USA	Bill Heid, Hammond B-3 organ, vocals Peter Bernstein, guitar Mike Petrosino, drums George Jones, congas
Dealin' Wid It Savant Records SCD 2204	Bill Heid, Hammond organ, vocals Perry Hughes, guitar Randy Gelispie, drums Kevin "Bujo" Jones, percussion

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