BIOGRAPHY

BillyHart TheCookers

Billy Hart, born William Hart on November 29, 1940 in Washington, D.C., is an American R&B / jazz drummer and educator who has performed with such artists as Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Buck Hill, Shirley Horn, Montgomery Brothers (1961), Jimmy Smith (1964–1966), Wes Montgomery (1966–1968), McCoy Tyner (1973–1974), Stan Getz (1974–1977), Quest (1980s), Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Eddie Harris, Pharoah Sanders, Marian McPartland. Hart was also a member of Herbie Hancock's sextet (1969–1973), did a lot of freelance playing, and played on Miles Davis' on 1972 album, On The Corner.

Since the early 1990s Hart has spent 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.

In 2007 drummer Adam Nussbaum invited Billy Hart, along with Eddie Locke, Joe Morello, Charli Persip, Ben Riley and Steve Smith, to participate in a unique DVD project entitled The Art of Playing with Brushes.

Now in his 70s, Billy Hart leads a group with Mark Turner, Ethan Iverson, and Ben Street, as well as featured artist in a trio led by pianist Jean-Michel Pilc and a trio led by guitarist Assaf Kehati.

Hart lives in Montclair, New Jersey.