Cymbal Press is thrilled to learn that the Jazz Journalists Association has named Oceans of Time – The Musical Autobiography by Billy Hart (with Ethan Iverson) as a finalist for best biographical book of the year in the biography/autobiography category! This exceptional honor follows Oceans of Time being named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2025!
In 2021, the Jazz Journalists Association recognized another one of Cymbal Press’ books, Life in E Flat – The Autobiography of Phil Woods, as Book of the Year.
As in prior years, nominees have been selected in advance by the seven-member JJA book committee, which meets monthly to evaluate books bearing copyrights of the year in question. As in other poll categories, winners will be determined by voting of the JJA’s more than 250 professional members. JJA Awards winners will be announced in early April. – Jazz Journalists Association
About the book
Few drummers have traversed more stylistic terrain or logged more miles behind the world’s greatest jazz musicians than Billy Hart. Now, in Oceans of Time: The Musical Autobiography of Billy Hart, the NEA Jazz Master opens up about his extraordinary life in music, in collaboration with pianist, critic, and longtime bandmate Ethan Iverson.
Spanning his early years in D.C.’s fertile postwar jazz scene, historic gigs with Shirley Horn, Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and McCoy Tyner, plus his more recent work as a bandleader and educator, Oceans of Time offers musicians and aficionados rare insight into the inner life of a drummer who has shaped the sound of modern jazz.
Rich with storytelling, the book reveals Hart’s reflections on race, rhythm, mentorship, and meaning—alongside deep discussions of “the D.C. beat,” the elusive quality of swing, and what it means to live a musical life. Appendices include tributes from fellow drummers, discographical highlights, and a look at Hart’s signature drum setup.
Oceans of Time: The Musical Autobiography of Billy Hart is available worldwide in softcover, hardcover, and Kindle editions.
About Cymbal Press
Cymbal Press is a media publisher dedicated to bringing the tales, techniques, and talent of significant artists to a global audience. Our process is nimble and generous to creators. Our books are authored by legendary musicians, including NEA Jazz Masters, Phil Woods, Billy Hart, and Dave Liebman, in addition to some of the world’s finest music writers. We are an imprint of Constructing Modern Knowledge Press, a leading publisher of books by creative educators for parents, teachers, and policy makers committed to educational progress.
Drummer Billy Hart, who turns 85 this year, is a jazz legend of multifarious experience: He played with soul-jazz titan Jimmy Smith, with crooner Shirley Horn, and with a funk-obsessed Miles Davis, among dozens of others. Reading Oceans of Time – a slender book co-authored and organized by Ethan Iverson, pianist in the long-running Billy Hart Quartet – feels like pulling up a chair as Hart holds court, spilling stories (and just a little tea). His tone is warmly approachable, even mildly self-deprecating, but he’s clear about what he’s learned and why it matters. – Nate Chinen, editorial director, WRTI (NPR)