Billy Higgins

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

He 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.

In the 1980s he opened a cultural centre, 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; and had three sons: William; Joseph; and David, and stepson; Jody

Discography

As a sideman:

• Something Else by Ornette Coleman (1958)
• The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman (1959)
• The Sidewinder by Lee Morgan (1963)
• Search For The New Land by Lee Morgan (1964)
• The Rumproller by Lee Morgan (1965)
• Dippin' by Hank Mobley (1965)
• The Gigolo by Lee Morgan (1965)
• Cornbread by Lee Morgan (1965)
• Hi Voltage by Hank Mobley (1967)
• The Influence by Jimmy Raney (1975; Xanadu Records)
• Works for Me by John Scofield (2000; Verve Records)

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Last updated on Monday January 21, 2008 at 13:41:17 PST (GMT -0800)
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