Billy Higgins

Billy Higgins stands as one of jazz’s most celebrated and versatile drummers, with a career spanning over 500 recordings across nearly every major style—from Bop and Hard Bop to Free Jazz and Contemporary Jazz. His extraordinary sensitivity, swinging pulse, and collaborative spirit made him the first-call drummer for generations of jazz masters. Three Defining Chapters:

1. West Coast Pioneer (Late 1950s–Early 1960s) Based in Los Angeles, Higgins helped birth the Free Jazz movement alongside Ornette Coleman, appearing on landmark albums like The Shape Of Jazz To Come and Change Of The Century. He simultaneously thrived in Cool Jazz settings with Cal Tjader and Stan Getz.
2. Blue Note Era (Mid-1960s–Early 1970s) After relocating East, Higgins became a Blue Note Records mainstay, anchoring Hard Bop sessions with Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and Dexter Gordon while exploring the funkier terrain of Soul-Jazz.
3. Post Bop Master (1970s–2000s) Higgins defined the rhythmic language of modern acoustic jazz through long-term partnerships—most notably with Cedar Walton’s Eastern Rebellion quartet and the Pat Metheny/Charlie Haden trio on Rejoicing. His warm, responsive drumming remained in demand until his passing in 2001.