Billy Higgins: A Tribute To The Legendary Jazz Drummer

In a rare interview, reporter Heidi Chang speaks with drummer, composer and bandleader Billy Higgins, while he was waiting for a liver transplant at his home in Los Angeles.

Higgins recalls what it was like to be part of the thriving jazz scene in the 1950's. Back then, he worked alongside Teddy Edwards, Dexter Gordon and Harold Land in L.A. Other jazz greats such as Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Lee Morgan and Sonny Rollins, also sought him out.

Higgins' friends share their insight, including Harold Land, poet Kamau Daa'ood and Cedar Walton, who says Higgin's warmth and enthusiasm earned him the nickname "Smilin' Billy." It was always a joy to watch and hear Higgins play.  He inspired countless musicians and audiences worldwide.  Higgins also co-founded a cultural center in Los Angeles called the World Stage, where he nurtured young musicians like Herb Graham Jr. of the B Sharp Jazz Quartet, who describes how Higgins gave him advice about music and life.

Shortly after this interview was conducted in 1996, Higgins received a liver transplant.  He died in 2001, leaving behind a rich legacy of music and jazz history. Higgins was 64.

This piece features Billy Higgins on recordings by the Teddy Edwards Quartet, Harold Land, Ornette Coleman, the Cedar Walton Trio, and his own band.  It was orginally broadcast on NPR's Weekend Edition.