Billy Higgins

Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.

Biography

Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. 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, Grant Green, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Don Cherry, Paul Horn, Milt Jackson, Jackie McLean, Pat Metheny, Hank Mobley, Thelonious Monk, Lee Morgan, David Murray, Art Pepper, Sonny Rollins, Mal Waldron, and Cedar Walton. He was one of the house drummers for Blue Note Records and played on dozens of Blue Note albums of the 1960s. He also collaborated with composer La Monte Young and guitarist Sandy Bull.

In his career, 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. The center provides workshops in performance and writing, as well as concerts and recordings. Higgins also taught in the jazz studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles.

He was divorced from wife Mauricina Altier Higgins and had three sons, William, Joseph, and David, as well as a stepson Jody. He also had two daughters, Rickie Wade and Heidi.

Billy Higgins died of kidney and liver failure on May 3, 2001 at a hospital in Inglewood, California.

Discography

As leader

* 1979: ''Soweto'' ( Red)
* 1979: '' The Soldier'' (Timeless, 981
* 1980: '' Once More'' (Red)
* 1984: '' Mr. Billy Higgins'' ( Evidence)
* 1980-86: '' Bridgework'' ( Contemporary)
* 1994: '' ¾ for Peace'' (Red)
* 1997: '' Billy Higgins Quintet'' (Evidence)
* 2001: ''The Best of Summer Nights at Moca'' (Exodus)

As a sideman

With Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt
* '' God Bless Jug and Sonny'' (Prestige, 1973 001
* '' Left Bank Encores'' (Prestige, 1973 001
With Chris Anderson
*''Blues One'' (DIW, 1991)
With Gary Bartz
* '' Libra'' (Milestone, 1968)
With Paul Bley
* '' Live at the Hilcrest Club 1958'' (Inner City, 1958 976
* '' Coleman Classics Volume 1'' (Improvising Artists, 1958 977
With Sandy Bull
* '' Fantasias for Guitar and Banjo'' (Vanguard, 1963)
* '' Inventions'' (Vanguard, 1965)
With Jaki Byard
* '' On the Spot!'' (Prestige, 1967)
With Donald Byrd
* '' Royal Flush'' (Blue Note, 1961)
* '' Free Form'' (Blue Note, 1962)
* '' Blackjack'' (Blue Note, 1967)
* '' Slow Drag'' (Blue Note, 1967)
With Joe Castro
* '' Groove Funk Soul'' (Atlantic, 1959)
With Don Cherry
* '' Brown Rice'' (EMI, 1975)
* '' Art Deco'' (A&M, 1988)
With Sonny Clark
* ''Leapin' and Lopin''' (Blue Note, 1961)
With George Coleman
* '' Amsterdam After Dark'' (Timeless, 1979)
With Ornette Coleman
* ''Something Else!!!!'' (Contemporary, 1958)
* '' The Shape of Jazz to Come'' (Atlantic, 1959)
* ''Change of the Century'' (Atlantic, 1959)
* '' The Art of the Improvisers'' (Atlantic, 1959)
* ''To Whom Who Keeps a Record'' (Warner, 1959–60)
* '' Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation'' (Atlantic, 1961)
* '' Twins'' (Atlantic, 1961)
* ''Science Fiction'' (Columbia, 1971)
* '' In All Languages'' (Caravan of Dreams, 1987)
With John Coltrane
* ''Like Sonny'' (Roulette, 1960)
With Junior Cook
*''Somethin's Cookin''' (Muse, 1981)
With Bill Cosby
* ''Hello, Friend: To Ennis With Love'' (Verve, 1997)
With Stanley Cowell
* '' Regeneration'' (Strata East, 1976)
With Ray Drummond
* ''The Essence'' (DMP, 1985)
With Teddy Edwards
*''Teddy Edwards at Falcon's Lair'' (MetroJazz, 1958)
*'' Sunset Eyes'' (Pacific Jazz, 1960)
* '' Teddy's Ready!'' (Contemporary, 1960)
* ''Nothin' But the Truth!'' (Prestige, 1966)
*'' Young at Heart'' (Storyville, 1979) with Howard McGhee
*'' Wise in Time'' (Storyville, 1979) with Howard McGhee
*''Mississippi Lad