23 Facts About Bobby Timmons

Robert Henry Timmons was an American jazz pianist and composer.

Bobby Timmons was a sideman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers for two periods, between which he was part of Cannonball Adderley's band.

Bobby Timmons was strongly associated with the soul jazz style that he helped initiate.

Bobby Timmons was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of a minister.

From an early age Bobby Timmons studied music with an uncle, Robert Habershaw, who taught McCoy Tyner.

Bobby Timmons first played at the church where his grandfather was minister; this influenced his later jazz playing.

Bobby Timmons grew up in the same area as other future musicians, including the Heath brothers and Lee Morgan.

Bobby Timmons played with Kenny Dorham in 1956, making his recording debut with the trumpeter in a live set in May of that year.

Bobby Timmons recorded as a sideman with hornmen Curtis Fuller, Hank Mobley, and Morgan.

Bobby Timmons became best known as a member of Art Blakey's band the Jazz Messengers, which he was first part of from July 1958 to September 1959, including for a tour of Europe.

Bobby Timmons hadn't had anybody quite like Bobby, who could go here or go there, rather than walking in a single corridor.

From around the time he joined Blakey, Bobby Timmons, along with some of his fellow band members, was a heroin user.

Bobby Timmons was reported to be dissatisfied with the money he had received from "This Here", and was enticed in February 1960 into leaving Adderley and returning to Blakey's band by the offer of more pay.

Bobby Timmons then appeared on further well-known albums with the drummer, including A Night in Tunisia, The Freedom Rider and The Witch Doctor.

Bobby Timmons's own recording debut as sole leader was This Here Is Bobby Timmons in 1960, which contained his first versions of his best-known compositions.

Bobby Timmons left Blakey for the second time in June 1961, encouraged by the success of his compositions, including jukebox plays of "Dat Dere", which Oscar Brown had recorded after adding lyrics.

Bobby Timmons then formed his own bands, initially with Ron Carter on bass and Tootie Heath on drums.

Bobby Timmons' career declined quickly in the 1960s, in part because of drug abuse and alcoholism, and partly as a result of being typecast as a composer and player of seemingly simple pieces of music.

Bobby Timmons continued to play in the early 1970s, mostly in small groups or in combination with other pianists, and mainly in the New York area.

Bobby Timmons was unwell and drank on the plane to Sweden, and fell while drinking at the bar before the band's first concert, in Malmo.

Bobby Timmons was buried in Philadelphia, and was survived by his wife, Estelle, and son, Bobby.

The funky aspects of Bobby Timmons' playing influenced fellow pianists, including Les McCann, Ramsey Lewis, and Benny Green.

Bobby Timmons wrote "a steady stream of infectious funky tunes", stated Giddins.