Buster Williams and Jimmy Heath

Two musicians who are better known as members of groups than as headliners perform as leaders this weekend. Charles Anthony "Buster" Williams has been a ubiquitous bassist over the last 30-plus years, performing with such jazz giants as Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, and many others. On Something More (In & Out Records), a newly released 1989 recording, Williams demonstrates a front-rank flair for composition and interpretation. With "sidemen" Hancock on keyboards, Wayne Shorter on tenor and soprano saxophones, Shunzo Ohno on trumpet, and Al Foster on drums, Williams performs five of his own highly original but slyly appealing compositions and two standards with a twist. Throughout the set, Shorter twists and cries with a passion that he exhibits too infrequently in less creative circumstances and Ohno is luminous and incandescent by turn. Hancock is precise and assertive on the piano, making his tendency to sound saccharine on the synthesizer worse by comparison. Williams swings front and center on upright bass, most notably on his straightforward version of Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady," on which he plays the piccolo bass. Although he is unlikely to have such well-known bandmembers at the Afro-American Museum on Saturday evening, Buster Williams is sure to play with the authority of a leader.

At this point in his almost half-century musical career, Philadelphia saxophonist Jimmy Heath has made more than 10 recordings under his own name, written more than 100 compositions, and performed on more than 100 albums, but he is undoubtedly best known for the seven records he made with his brothers, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath. As the Heath Brothers, the three South Philly siblings performed around the world in the '70s and '80s. The diminutive saxophonist is also a talented composer; his pun-filled titles hint at the origin and inspiration of his works. This Sunday, in anticipation of his 69th birthday on October 25, Heath leads a quartet with Tony Purrone on guitar, Ben Brown on bass, and Akira Tana on drums at Zanzibar Blue. In February, Jimmy will be awarded a Living Legend of Jazz award at the PECO Energy Jazz Festival, an honor which he richly deserves. Happy Birthday, Jimmy!

Buster Williams Quintet at the Afro-American Historical & Cultural Museum, 7th & Arch Sts., Sat., Oct. 14 at 8 & 10 p.m. Info: 574-3132.

Jimmy Heath Quartet at Zanzibar Blue, 305 S. 11th St., Sun., Oct. 15 at 7 & 9:30p.m. Info: 829-1990.

— Russell Woessner