Eddie Higgins
Edward Haydn Higgins (February 21, 1932 - August 31, 2009) was a jazz pianist, composer and orchestrator.[1]
| Eddie Higgins | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Hayden Higgins |
| Born |
February 21, 1932 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died |
August 31, 2009 (aged 77) Fort Lauderdale, United States |
| Genres | Bebop, Traditional Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Jazz Pianist |
| Instruments |
Piano Vocals |
| Years active | 1958–2009[2] |
| Associated acts |
Joe Ascione Jay Leonhart |
Biography
Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Higgins initially studied privately with his mother. He started his professional career in Chicago, Illinois, while studying at the Northwestern University School of Music. An elegant and sophisticated pianist, his encyclopedic harmonic approach and wide range of his repertory made him one of the most distinctive jazz pianists to come out of Chicago, gaining the respect of local and visiting musicians for his notable mastery of the instrument. Higgins also had the unusual ability to sound equally persuasive in a broad span of music, whether he was playing traditional swing, exciting bebop or reflexive ballads, providing the tone and stylistic flavor of each styles, as both a soloist and as accompanist.
For more than two decades Higgins worked at some of Chicago's most prestigious jazz clubs, including the Brass Rail, Preview Lounge, Blue Note, Cloister Inn and Jazz Ltd. His longest and most memorable tenure was at the long gone London House, where he led his jazz trio from the late 1950s to the late 1960s, playing opposite the greatest jazz stars of this period, including Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Erroll Garner, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson and George Shearing, among others. Later, Higgins said the opportunities to play jazz music with Coleman Hawkins and Oscar Peterson were unforgettable moments. Eddie's time spent at the London House Restaurant was with two of the best sidemen that Chicago has produced, bassist Richard Evans and drummer Marshall Thompson. Thompson was a very articulate drummer and teacher as well as a recording performer. One particularly notable event that took place at the London House was Richard Evans introducing drummer Maurice White to jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis. After his stint with Ramsey, Maurice went on to form the renowned group Earth, Wind & Fire. At the time of this introduction, Maurice was a studio drummer at Chess Records. Eddie also worked for Chess records as a producer.
During his stay in Chicago, Higgins also recorded a significant number of albums under his auspices and many more as a sideman with a wide variety of musicians, ranging in style from tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins to Wayne Shorter; trumpeters Bobby Lewis to Freddie Hubbard, and trombonists Jack Teagarden to Al Grey. His versatility was captured on stage and records, backing up singers and leading his own projects as both pianist and orchestrator, working in every jazz circle from dixieland to modal styles.
In 1970, Higgins moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and began spending winters in Florida and summers on Cape Cod, where he played in local clubs. Since the early 1980s, he traveled widely on the jazz festival circuit and has performed frequently in Europe and Japan. His releases on the Japanese Venus label earned him number one in jazz sales on more than one album. Since then, Higgins played his music mainly in East Asia including Japan and South Korea and became sensationally famous. During his career in East Asia, Higgins formed a trio with Joe Ascione (Drums), Jay Leonhart (Bass), which is known as Eddie Higgins Trio
In 1988, Higgins and jazz singer and pianist Meredith d'Ambrosio were married and became a popular team at clubs and festivals, as well as recording for Sunnyside Records. In 2009, dates in Japan and Korea were on his calendar of upcoming concerts, which were suspended due to a long illness.
Higgins died in Fort Lauderdale at the age of 77.
Style
Eddie Higgins's delicate tone and conception were often compared to those of Bill Evans, one of the most influential and successful jazz pianists. He mostly played bop and mainstream jazz music throughout his career. Furthermore, Higgins was at playing melodies with swing-like feeling. His melodies had groove and swing-feeling without being too superfluous. Such swing-feeling of Eddie Higgins was also often compared to those of Oscar Peterson and Nat King Cole.
Accomplishment
In 2009, Eddie Higgins received Jazz Disc Award from the most respected jazz magazine in Japan, Swing Journal. With his album, Portrait of Love, Higgins won the Best Album of the Year. In the same year, Higgins received another award from Best Engineering Album of the Year.
Discography
Notable recordings as a leader
- 1958: Ed Higgins Trio (Replica Records)
Ed Higgins Trio was his debut album. He formed a trio and changed the songs of famous composers such as Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and Cole Porter into his own style. Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Harold Arlen | Composer |
| George Bassman | Composer |
| Duke Ellington | Composer |
| George Gershwin | Composer |
| Ira Gershwin | Composer |
| Dizzy Gillespie | Composer |
| Irving Gordon | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Cole Porter | Composer |
- 1960: Eddie Higgins (Collectables)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Jim Atlas | Bass |
| Richard Evans | Composer |
| Duke Ellington | Composer |
| Frank Foster | Guest Artist, Sax (Tenor) |
| Lorenz Hart | Composer |
| Oscar Peterson | Composer |
| Johnny Mercer | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Paul Serrano | Trumpet |
- 1965: Soulero (Atlantic)
Pianist Eddie Higgins' third album as a leader and the album features his regular Chicago-based trio of the era, a group with bassist Richard Evans and drummer Marshall Thompson.
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Walter Donaldson | Composer |
| Richard Evans | Bass |
| Edward Heyman | Composer |
| Gus Kahn | Composer |
| Marshall Thompson | Drums |
| Victor Young | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
- 1978: Dream Dancing (Claremont)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| John Bany | Bass |
| George Bassman | Composer |
| Duke Ellington | Composer |
| George Gershwin | Composer |
| Ira Gershwin | Composer |
| DuBose Heyward | Composer |
| Marshall Thompson | Drums |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Cole Porter | Composer |
- 1978: My Time of Day (Spinnster)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| John Bany | Bass |
| Bix Beiderbecke | Composer |
| Duke Ellington | Composer |
| George Gershwin | Composer |
| Ira Gershwin | Composer |
| Gene Lees | Composer |
| Frank Loesser | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Oscar Peterson | Composer |
- 1982: Once In A While (Spinnster)
- 1986: By Request (Solo Art) with Milt Hinton, Bobby Rosengarden
Highlight songs of the album include "St. Louis Blues," "A Hundred Years from Today," "Little Rock Getaway," "Indiana," and "Sweet Georgia Brown."
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Leroy Anderson | Composer |
| Ben Bernie | Composer |
| Cynthia Daniels | Engineer |
| Carl Fischer | Composer |
| Bob Haggart | Composer |
| Edward Heyman | Composer |
| W.C. Handy | Composer |
| Joe Sullivan | Composer |
| Fats Waller | Composer |
| Herman Hupfeld | Composer |
| Maceo Pinkard | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Ned Washington | Composer |
- 1990: Those Quiet Days (Sunnyside) with Kevin Eubanks, Rufus Reid
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Clarence Gaskill | Composer |
| Thelonious Monk | Composer |
| Ogden Nash | Engineer |
| Kurt Weill | Composer |
| Michael Wilton | Composer |
| Denny Zeitlin | Composer |
| Jimmy McHugh | Composer |
| Antonio Carlos Jobim | Composer |
| Kevin Eubanks | Composer |
| Rufus Reid | Bass |
| Bed Powell | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| A.M. Brunner | Composer |
- 1994: Zoot's Hymns (Sunnyside) with John Doughten, Phil Flanigan, Danny Burger
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Harold Arlen | Composer |
| Danny Burger | Drums |
| John Doughten | Sax (Tenor) |
| Phil Flanigan | Bass |
| Johnny Mercer | Composer |
| Henry Nemo | Composer |
| Einar A. Swan | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Piano, Primary Artist |
| Ned Washington | Composer |
- 1995: In Chicago (Solo Art)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| John Bany | Bass (Acoustic) |
| Bix Beiderbecke | Composer |
| Duke Ellington | Composer |
| George Gershwin | Composer |
| Ira Gershwin | Composer |
| Dave Brubeck | Composer |
| Oscar Peterson | Composer |
| Billy Strayhorn | Composer |
| Frank Loesser | Composer |
| Marshall Thompson | Composer |
| DuBose Heyward | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Cole Porter | Composer |
- 1996: Portrait in Black and White (Sunnyside)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Johann Sebastian Bach | Composer |
| Chico Buarque | Composer |
| Betty Comden | Composer |
| Riley J. Connell | Engineer |
| Meredith d'Ambrosio | Cover Art |
| Adolph Green | Composer |
| J. Green | Composer |
| Antonio Carlos Jobim | Composer |
| James Martin | Drums |
| Don Wilner | Bass |
| DuBose Heyward | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Jule Styne | Composer |
| Joe Young | Composer |
| Sergey Rachmaninov | Composer |
| Cole Porter | Composer |
- 1997: Haunted Heart (Sunnyside) with Ray Drummond, Ben Riley
Notable songs from the album is My Funny Valentine, Someone to Watch Over Me, I Should Care, and Lush Life
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Sammy Cahn | Composer |
| Todd Barkan | Producer |
| Howard Dietz | Composer |
| Ray Drummond | Bass |
| Meredith d'Ambrosio | Cover Art |
| George Gershwin | Composer |
| Ira Gershwin | Composer |
| Troy Halderson | Engineer |
| Tetsuo Hara | Producer |
| Billy Strayhorn | Composer |
| Sigmund Romberg | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Earl Zindars | Composer |
| Oliver Nelson | Composer |
| Ben Riley | Drums |
| Lorenz Hart | Composer |
- 1998: Speaking Of Jobim (Sunnyside) with Jay Leonhart, Terry Clarke
- 1999: Time On My Hands (Arbors Records) solo
14 tracks, including "Can't Get out of This Mood," "You and the Night and the Music," "You Turned the Tables on Me," "A Sleepin' Bee," and "Nina Never Knew."
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Vincent Youmans | Composer |
| Frank Signorelli | Composer |
| Ted Sharpiro | Composer |
| Arthur Schwartz | Composer |
| Meredith d'Ambrosio | Cover Art |
| Richard Rodgers | Composer |
| Miguel Prado | Composer |
| Mitchell Parish | Composer |
| Sidney Mitchell | Composer |
| Ray Noble | Composer |
| Jimmy McHugh | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Earl Zindars | Composer |
| Oliver Nelson | Composer |
| Ben Riley | Drums |
| Lorenz Hart | Composer |
- 2001: Bewitched (Venus)
Through this album, Higgins started his musical career in Japan, and gained fame as the album became popular. Higgins hired Jay Leonhart as a bassist and Joe Ascione as a drummer. This trio played together until Higgins died in 2009.
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Joe Ascione | Drums |
| Jay Leonhart | Bass |
| Todd Barkan | Producer |
| Alan Bergman | Composer |
| Marilyn Bergman | Composer |
| Earl Brent | Composer |
| Lou Carter | Composer |
| Jacques Demy | Composer |
| Matt Dennis | Composer |
| Herb Ellis | Composer |
| John Freigo | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Haven Gillespie | Composer |
| Sammy Fain | Composer |
| Wayne King | Composer |
| Victor Young | Composer |
- 2002: Don't Smoke In Bed (Venus)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| John Pizzarelli | Guitarist (Electric) |
| Jay Leonhart | Bass |
| Todd Barkan | Producer |
| Lew Brown | Composer |
| Duke Ellington | Composer |
| Johnny Mercer | Composer |
| Bernice Petkere | Composer |
| Willard Robinson | Composer |
| Billy Strayhorn | Composer |
| Richard Rodgers | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
- 2002: Again (Japanese Import)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Tom Adair | Composer |
| Ray Drummond | Bass |
| Todd Barkan | Producer |
| Lew Brown | Composer |
| Johnny Burke | Composer |
| Dorcas Cochran | Composer |
| Matt Dennis | Composer |
| Lorenz Hart | Composer |
| Gus Kahn | Composer |
| Richard Rodgers | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Victor Young | Composer |
| Frank Signorelli | Composer |
| Lionel Newman | Composer |
| Ned Washington | Composer |
- 2003: You Don't Know What Love Is (Tokuma Records)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Harold Arlen | Composer |
| Hoagy Carmichael | Bass |
| Lou Carter | Producer |
| Betty Comden | Composer |
| Eddie DeLange | Composer |
| Dorcas Cochran | Composer |
| Herb Ellis | Composer |
| Johnny Frigo | Composer |
| Haven Gillespie | Composer |
| Lorenz Hart | Composer |
| Eddie Higgins | Primary Artist |
| Victor Young | Composer |
| Jule Styne | Composer |
| Richard Rogers | Composer |
| Ned Washington | Composer |
- 2005: If Dreams Come True (Tokuma Records)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Joe Ascione | Drums |
| Jay Leonhart | Bass |
| Todd Barkan | Producer |
| A. Dominguez | Composer |
| W.C. Handy | Composer |
- 2006: Amor (Venus)
Credits
| Artist | Credits |
|---|---|
| Jay Leonhart | Bass |
| Joe Ascione | Drum |
| A. Dominguez | Composer |
| C. Fischer | Composer |
| Cole Porter | Composer |
| L. Oliveira | Composer |
As sideman
With Lee Morgan
- Expoobident (1960)
With Sonny Stitt
- Sonny's Last Recordings (Kingdom Jazz, 1981)
- Sonny, Sweets & Jaws (Baystate)
With Wayne Shorter
- Wayning Moments (Vee Jay, 1962)
Others
- Meredith D'Ambrosio: Love Is Not A Game (Sunnyside, 1990); Shadowland (Sunnyside, 1992); Because Of Spring (Sunnyside, 1994)
- Chuck Hedges Just For Fun (Arbors Records)
- George Masso: The Wonderful World of George Gershwin (Nagel-Heyer, 1992)
- Sandy Mosse: Relaxin´ With Sandy Mosse (Argo/Fresh Sound, 1956)
- Cy Touff: Touff Assignement (Argo/Fresh Sound, 1958)
References
External links
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