Saxophonist and composer Jimmy Heath has died. He was 93. ''Little Bird'' played with Miles and with Coltrane and Benny Golson.

After kicking heroin addiction and going to gaol he concentrated on arranging and composing a good deal and later teamed up with his famous jazz player brothers bassist Percy Heath (of the Modern Jazz Quartet) and drummer Tootie under the moniker of the Heath Brothers. America's highest award for jazz the NEA Jazz Mastership came his way in 2003. His composition 'CTA' is a popular jazz standard and Miles Davis covered Heath's 'Gingerbread Boy' to formidable effect.

Full obituary: in The New York Times