From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936–May 3, 2001)
was an American
jazz drummer. He
played mainly free jazz
and hard bop.[1]
Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records,
beginning in 1958. He then freelanced extensively with hard bop and other post-bop players, including Donald Byrd, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson, Milt Jackson, Jackie McLean, Pat Metheny, Hank Mobley, Thelonious
Monk, Lee Morgan,
David
Murray, Art
Pepper, Sonny
Rollins, Mal
Waldron, and Cedar
Walton. He played on over 700 recordings, including recordings
of rock and funk. He appeared as a jazz drummer
in the 2001 movie Southlander.
In 1989, Higgins cofounded a cultural center, The World
Stage, in Los
Angeles to encourage and promote younger jazz musicians. It
provides workshops in performance and writing, as well as concerts
and recordings.
He was divorced from wife Mauricina Altier Higgins and had three
sons, William, Joseph, and David, as well as a stepson Jody. His
youngest son Benjamin resides in Los Angeles. He also had two
daughters, Rickie Wade and Heidi. He died of liver disease and
liver failure brought on by hepatitis.
Discography
As leader
- 1979: Soweto (Red Records)
- 1979: The Soldier (Timeless Records)
- 1980: Bridgework (Fantasy/Contemporary)
- 1984: Mr. Billy Higgins (Evidence)
- 1985: Essence (DMP)
- 1994: 3/4 For Peace (Red)
- 1995: Once More (Red)
- 1997: Billy Higgins Quintet (Evidence)
- 2001: The Best of Summer Nights at Moca (Exodus)
As a
sideman
- The Cal Tjader-Stan Getz Sextet (1958, Fantasy) (con Stan
Getz)
- Ornette
Coleman: Something Else!!!!
(1958)
- Joe Castro: Groove Funk
Soul! (1958)
- Ornette Coleman: The Shape of Jazz to
Come (1959)
- Ornette Coleman: Change of the Century
(1959)
- Sonny Clark:
Leapin' and Lopin' (1961)
- Dave Pike: It's Time
For Dave Pike (1961)
- Dexter
Gordon: Go (1962, Blue
Note)
- Steve Lacy with Don Cherry:
Evidence
(1962)
- Sandy Bull:
Fantasias for Guitar and Banjo (1963, Vanguard)
- Lee Morgan: The
Sidewinder (1963)
- Lee Morgan: Search for the New
Land (1964)
- Lee Morgan: The Rumproller (1965)
- Lee Morgan: The
Gigolo (1965)
- Lee Morgan: Cornbread (1965)
- Sandy Bull: Inventions (1965, Vanguard)
- Hank Mobley:
Dippin'
(1965)
- Sonny
Rollins: There Will Never Be
Another You (recorded 1965 released 1978)
- Hank Mobley: Hi
Voltage (1967)
- Bobby Hutcherson: Stick-Up (1969)
- Archie Shepp:
Attica Blues
(1972)
- Clifford
Jordan Quartet: Glass Bead Game (1973, 2 vols.;
reissued in 2006 as Glass Bead Games)
- Jimmy Raney:
The Influence (1975,
Xanadu)
- David
Murray Big Band: Live at Sweet Basil Volume
1 (1984, Black Saint)
- David Murray Big Band: Live at Sweet Basil Volume
2 (1984, Black Saint)
- John
Scofield: Works for
Me (2000, Verve)
- Charles Lloyd: Voice in the Night (1999)
- Charles Lloyd: Hyperion with Higgins (1999)
- Charles Lloyd: Water is Wide (2000)
- Charles Lloyd: Which Way is East (2004, released
posthumously)
References
External
links
Wikis
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