Billy Hart

Billy Hart (born November 29, 1940) is an American jazz drummer and educator.

Biography
Hart was born in Washington, D.C., where early on in his career he performed 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 (1966–68).  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 (1969–73), and played with McCoy Tyner (1973–74), Stan Getz (1974–77), and Quest (1980s), in addition to extensive freelance playing (including recording with Miles Davis on 1972's On the Corner).

Since the early 1990s, Hart has been associated with Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and is also 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. The drummer often contributes to the Stokes Forest Music Camp and the Dworp Summer Jazz Clinic in Belgium.

He has led a group with Mark Turner, Ethan Iverson, and Ben Street, is featured in a trio led by pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, another led by guitarist Assaf Kehati, and has performed in a band known as the Cookers, with Eddie Henderson, David Weiss, Craig Handy, George Cables and Cecil McBee, all who have toured extensively and recorded two CDs.

Hart resides in Montclair, New Jersey.

Discography

As leader 
 1977: Enchance (Horizon)
 1985: Oshumare (Gramavision)
 1987: Rah (Gramavision)
 1993: Amethyst (Arabesque)
 1997: Oceans of Time (Arabesque)
 2006: Billy Hart Quartet (HighNote)
 2006: Route F (Enja)
 2009: Live at the Cafe Damberd (Enja)
 2011: Sixty-Eight (SteepleChase)
 2012: All Our Reasons (ECM)
 2014: One Is the Other (ECM)

Collaborations 

 1978: With Walter Bishop, Jr., George Mraz – The Trio (Progressive, issued 1982)
 1979: Clark Terry / Johnny Hartman / Oscar Peterson / Victor Sproles / Billy Hart / Chris Woods – Ain't Misbehavin'  (Pablo)
 1983: Stanley Cowell / Billy Harper / Reggie Workman / Billy Hart – Such Great Friends (Strata-East, issued in 1991)
 1987: Tal Farlow / John Abercrombie / Larry Carlton / Larry Coryell / John Scofield / John Patitucci & Billy Hart – All Strings Attached (Verve)
 1989: with Klaus Ignatzek, Ron McClure – Take It Easy (Nuovo)
 1992: Tom Knific, Trent Kynaston, Steve Zegree – Firebird
 1993: Santi Debriano / Billy Hart / Arthur Blythe – 3–Ology (Konnex)
 1994: David Liebman / Cecil McBee / Billy Hart – The Seasons (Soul Note)
 1994: Jerry Bergonzi / Mike Stern / Andy LaVerne / George Mraz / Billy Hart – Vertical Reality (Musidisc)
 1999: Doug Raney / Joey DeFrancesco / Billy Hart – The Backbeat (SteepleChase)
 2005: Mark O'Leary / Tomasz Stanko / Billy Hart – Levitation (Leo)
 2007: David Liebman / Richie Beirach / Ron McClure / Billy Hart – Redemption (hatOLOGY)
 2012: Karlheinz Miklin / Heiri Känzig / Billy Hart – Cymbal Symbols (TCB Music)
 2014: Bobby Hutcherson / Billy Hart / David Sanborn / Joey DeFrancesco – Enjoy the View (Blue Note)
 2015: John Raymond / Dan Tepfer / Joe Martin / Billy Hart – Foreign Territory (Fresh Sound)

With Quest
 II (Storyville, 1987)
 Midpoint – Quest III Live at the Montmartre Copenhagen Denmark (Storyville, 1987)
 N.Y. Nites – Standards (PAN Music, 1988)
 Natural Selection (Pathfinder/Core, 1988)
 Of One Mind (CMP, 1990)
 Re-Dial (Live in Hamburg) (Outnote, 2007)
 Circular Dreaming (Enja, 2011)

As sideman 
With Franco Ambrosetti
Heartbop (Enja, 1981)
With Pepper Adams
Reflectory (Muse, 1978)
Urban Dreams (Palo Alto, 1981)
The Adams Effect (Uptown, 1985 [1988])
With Kenny Barron
Lucifer (Muse, 1975)
Innocence (Wolf, 1978)
Spirit Song (Verve, 1999)
With Walter Bishop Jr. 
Valley Land (Muse, 1974 [1976])
Cubicle (Muse, 1978)
With Paul Bley
 My Standard (SteepleChase, 1985)
 The Nearness of You (SteepleChase, 1989)
With Hamiet Bluiett
 Resolution (Black Saint, 1978)
 Dangerously Suite (Soul Note, 1981)
With Joanne Brackeen
 Snooze (Choice, 1975)
Invitation (Freedom, 1976 [1978])
Tring-a-Ling (Choice, 1977)
Is It Really True (Konnex, 1991)
With Nick Brignola
Poinciana (Reservoir, 1997)
With George Cables
Quiet Fire (SteepleChase, 1994)
Dark Side, Light Side (SteepleChase, 1996)
With Catalyst
 Perception (Muse, 1973)
 Unity (Muse, 1974)
With Arnett Cobb
Arnett Cobb Is Back (Progressive, 1978)
With Johnny Coles
New Morning (Criss Cross Jazz, 1982)
With Larry Coryell
Comin' Home (Muse, 1984)
Equipoise (Muse, 1985)
With Stanley Cowell
 Setup (SteepleChase, 1994)
With Buck Clarke
The Buck Clarke Sound (Argo, 1963)
With Albert Dailey
That Old Feeling (SteepleChase, 1978)
With Miles Davis
 On the Corner (Columbia, 1972)
 Big Fun (Columbia, 1974) (material from On the Corner sessions)
 Tutu (Warner Bros., 1986)
With Richard Davis
 Harvest (Muse, 1977 [1979])
With Joey DeFrancesco
Where Were You? (Columbia, 1990)
With Dave Douglas
 Moving Portrait (DIW, 1998)
With Ray Drummond
Vignettes (Arabesque, 1996)
1-2-3-4 (Arabesque, 1997 [1999])
With Charles Earland
 The Dynamite Brothers (O.S.T.) (Prestige, 1973)
With Yelena Eckemoff
 A Touch of Radiance featuring Mark Turner, Joe Locke & George Mraz (L & H, 2014)
 Lions featuring Arild Andersen (L & H, 2015)
 Leaving Everything Behind featuring Mark Feldman & Ben Street (L & H, 2016)
With Teddy Edwards
Out of This World (SteepleChase, 1980)
With Sonny Fortune
 Awakening (Horizon, 1975)
 It Ain't What It Was (Konnex, 1992)
 Four in One (Blue Note, 1994)
A Better Understanding (Blue Note, 1995)
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 Hal Galper
Wild Bird (Mainstream, 1972)
Reach Out! (SteepleChase, 1976)
With Carlos Garnett
Black Love (Muse, 1974)
With Stan Getz
 Jazz Jamboree 74, Vol. 2 (Muza, 1975)
 Various – Standard School Broadcast "Music Makers": Woodwinds & Reeds (Chevron, 1975)
 The Best of Two Worlds (Columbia, 1975) with João Gilberto
 The Master (Columbia, 1975 [1982])
 Getz/Gilberto '76 (Resonance, 1976 [2016]) with João Gilberto
 Live at Montmartre (SteepleChase, 1977)
 Another World (Columbia, 1977)
 Mort d'un Pourri (Melba, 1977) – Soundtrack
 Pure Getz (Concord Jazz, 1982)
 Blue Skies (Concord Jazz, 1982 [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 Billy Harper
 Soran-Bushi, B.H. (Denon, 1978)
With Eddie Harris
 Pourquoi l'Amérique (O.S.T.) (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 Buck Hill
This Is Buck Hill (SteepleChase, 1978)
Scope (SteepleChase, 1979)
Easy to Love (SteepleChase, 1981 [1982])
Impressions (SteepleChase, 1981 [1983])
With Shirley Horn
A Lazy Afternoon (SteepleChase, 1978)
With The Jazztet
 Nostalgia (Baystate, 1983)
With Duke Jordan
 Thinking of You (SteepleChase, 1979 [1982])
 Change a Pace (SteepleChase, 1979 [1980])
 Time on My Hands (SteeplChase, 1985 [1988])
 As Time Goes By (SteepleChase, 1985 [1989])
With Jimmy Knepper
Just Friends (Hep, 1978) with Joe Temperley
1st Place (BlackHawk, 1982 [1986])
I Dream Too Much (Soul Note, 1984)
With Lee Konitz
Yes, Yes, Nonet (SteepleChase, 1979)
Live at Laren (Soul Note, 1979 [1984])
It's You (SteepleChase, 1996)
with Harold Land
 A New Shade of Blue (Mainstream, 1971)
With Andy LaVerne
Another World (SteepleChase, 1977) 
With Azar Lawrence
 Bridge into the New Age (Prestige, 1974)
With Charles Lloyd
 The Call (ECM, 1993)
 All My Relations (ECM, 1994)
 Canto (ECM, 1996)
 Lift Every Voice (ECM, 2002)
With Joe Lovano
 Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note, 1994)
With Pat Martino
 Exit (Muse, 1976)
With Bennie Maupin
 The Jewel in the Lotus (ECM, 1974)
With Cecil McBee
 Mutima (Strata-East, 1974)
 Flying Out (India Navigation, 1982)
With Mingus Dynasty
 Live at Montreux (Atlantic, 1980)
 Live at the Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt/Paris, Vol. 1 (Soul Note 1988)
 Live at the Theatre Boulogne-Billancourt/Paris, Vol. 2 (Soul Note 1988)
With Wes Montgomery
 Live at Jorgies Jazz Club (VGM, 1961, issued later)
 Live at Jorgies Jazz Club and More (VGM, 1961, 1968, issued later)
With Ralph Moore
623 C Street (Criss Cross, 1987)
With Frank Morgan
City Nights: Live at the Jazz Standard (HighNote, 2003 [2004])
Raising the Standard (HighNote, 2002 [2005])
A Night in the Life (HighNote, 2003 [2007])
Reflections (HighNote, 2006)
With James Mtume
 Mtume Umoja Ensemble – Alkebu-Lan – Land of the Blacks (Live at The East) (Strata-East, 1972)
 Rebirth Cycle (Third Street, 1974, issued in 1977)
With Tisziji Munoz
 Heart Trance Revelation (Anami, 2014)
With James Newton
 James Newton (Gramavision, 1983)
 Luella (Gramavision, 1984)
 The African Flower – The Music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn (Blue Note, 1985)
 David Murray/James Newton Quintet (DIW, 1991) – with David Murray
With Judy Niemack
 Long As You're Living (Freelance, 1989)
 Night and the Music (Freelance, 1994)
With Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
 Trio 1 (SteepleChase, 1977)
 Trio 2 (SteepleChase, 1977)
Dancing on the Tables (SteepleChase, 1979)
 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 Doug Raney 
Introducing Doug Raney (SteepleChase, 1977)
Cuttin' Loose (SteepleChase, 1978)
Stolen Moments (SteepleChase, 1979) with Jimmy Raney 
Listen (SteepleChase, 1980)
Guitar Guitar Guitar (SteepleChase, 1985)
Something's Up (SteepleChase, 1988)With Pharoah Sanders Karma (Impulse!, 1969)
 Izipho Zam (My Gifts) (Strata-East, 1969 [1973])
 Black Unity (Impulse!, 1972)With Iñaki Sandoval Miracielos (Bebyne, 2011)With Jarmo Savolainen First Sight (Timeless, 1992)
 True Image (A-Records, 1995)With Zbigniew Seifert Man of the Light (MPS, 1977)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 (O.S.T.) (Verve, 1965)With Idrees Sulieman Groovin' (SteepleChase, 1985)With Charles Sullivan Genesis (Strata-East, 1974)
 Re-Entry (Whynot, 1976)With Horace Tapscott Thoughts of Dar es Salaam (Arabesque, 1997)With Buddy Terry Pure Dynamite (Mainstream, 1972)With McCoy Tyner Asante (Blue Note, 1970, [1974])
 Sama Layuca (Milestone, 1974)With Warren VachéHorn of Plenty (Muse, 1993)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 (Buddah, 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)
 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)
 Harold Vick – Don't Look Back (Strata-East, 1974)
 Bob Moses – Bittersuite in the Ozone (Mozown, 1975)
 Joseph Bonner - Triangle (Whynot, 1975)
 Michel Sardaby – Gail (Disques Debs, 1975)
 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)
 Joanne Brackeen – Tring-a-Ling (Choice, 1978)
 Robert Watson – Estimated Time of Arrival (Roulette, 1978)
 Walter Bishop, Jr. – Cubicle (Muse, 1978)
 Mack Goldsbury – Anthropo-Logic (Muse, 1979)
 Glen Hall – The Book of the Heart (Sonora, 1979)
 Jim McNeely – The Plot Thickens (Gatemouth, 1979)
 John McNeil Quintet – Faun (SteepleChase, 1979)
 John McNeil & Tom Harrell – Look to the Sky (SteepleChase, 1979)
 Cam Newton – The Motive Behind the Smile (Inner City, 1979)
 Jimmy Rowles – Paws That Refresh (Choice, 1979)
 John Scofield – Who's Who? (Arista, 1979)
 Louis Smith Quintet – Prancin'  (SteepleChase, 1979)
 Pierre Dørge Quartet – Ballad Round the Left Corner (SteepleChase, 1980)
 Mickey Tucker – The Crawl (Muse, 1980)
 Dave Schnitter – Glowing (Muse, 1981)
 Joachim Kühn – Nightline New York (Sandra Music Productions, 1981)
 Mingus Dynasty – Live at Montreux (Atlantic, 1981)
 Pepper Adams – Urban Dreams (Palo Alto, 1981)
 Terumasa Hino – Double Rainbow (CBS/Sony, 1981)
 Arnie Lawrence – Renewal (Palo Alto, 1982)
 Art Farmer Quartet – A Work of Art (Concord Jazz, 1982)
 Jay Hoggard – Mystic Winds, Tropic Breezes (India Navigation, 1982)
 Kip Hanranhan – Conjure – Music for the Texts of Ishmael Reed (American Clavé, 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)
 Duke Jordan Trio – Time on My Hands (Steeplechase, 1988)
 John Handy – Excursion in Blue (Quartet, 1988)
 Tom Harrell – Stories (Contemporary, 1988, reissued as Visions, 1991)
 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)
 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)
 Jean-Michel Pilc – True Story (Disques Dreyfus 2010)
 Tied & Tickled Trio – La Place Demon (Morr, 2011)
 Brian Landrus – Traverse (Blueland, 2011)
 Odean Pope – Odean's Three (In+Out, 2012)
 Marcos Varela – San Ygnacio'' (Origin, 2016)

References

External links 

 Official webpage of Billy Hart
 Official webpage of The Cookers
 DTM Interview
 [ Billy Hart] at Allmusic
 Discography at Discogs
 Billy Hart Enchancing. ON THE COVER: BILLY HART by Jim Motavalli, NYCJR. February 2019 - Issue 202. Retrieved 2 February 2019.

Category:American jazz drummers
Category:1940 births
Category:Living people
Category:Musicians from New Jersey
Category:Musicians from Washington, D.C.
Category:New England Conservatory faculty
Category:Arabesque Records artists
Category:People from Montclair, New Jersey
Category:20th-century American drummers
Category:American male drummers
Category:20th-century American male musicians
Category:Male jazz musicians
Category:Mingus Dynasty (band) members
Category:Catalyst (band) members
Category:The Jazztet members
Category:The Leaders members
Category:Quest (band) members
Category:Enja Records artists
Category:ECM Records artists
Category:SteepleChase Records artists
Category:HighNote Records artists