0 albums as leader and 23 as sideman (1961–2021), each listed chronologically.
1962 · Takin' Off and 1 more
The funky feel of 'Watermelon Man' on Herbie Hancock's 1962 debut Takin' Off came from drummer Billy Higgins, who landed his stroke right between straight eighths and swung triplets. The tune would soon travel far.
— Statement stmt-herbie-hancock-on-billy-higgins
1964 · The Sidewinder
Billy Higgins anchored Blue Note's hard-bop peak on Herbie Hancock's Takin' Off (1962) and Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder (1964). He's also credited on the 2021 release Deciphering the Message, built from vintage Blue Note tape — two decades after his death in 2001.
1968 · Caramba and 2 more
Cedar Walton's longtime drummer Billy Higgins is a name in the small print of countless records. But in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, he built a place called The World Stage, gathering and encouraging young musicians. He was never only a player.
— Statement stmt-cedar-walton-on-billy-higgins-2
1964 · Search for the New Land
Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder (1964) was meant as routine hard bop, but the title track became a surprise hit — a chart single that ended up in a TV ad — and it shored up a struggling Blue Note. Afterward the label kept pressing its players for 'another Sidewinder.'
1975 · Eastern Rebellion
The 1961 album Mosaic is filed under Art Blakey's name, but the title tune was written by the pianist, Cedar Walton. The record everyone remembers as the bandleader's takes its name from the small print.
1986 · Lament
In 1969, Buster Williams played bass under a full orchestra on Herbie Hancock's The Prisoner. In 2005, the same bassist turned up on Native Lands, an album led by the drummer of a rock band — a jazz veteran quietly crossing into rock territory.
Herbie Hancock
Cedar Walton
Lee Morgan
