Billy Higgins

  • Celebrate these birthdays & anniversaries

    The temperatures are rising in New York and we're ready for a summer full of hot music. This week, we're wishing happy birthday to Eli "Lucky" Thompson, who would have turned 91 on this Tuesday, June 16, and Billy Drummond, who turns 55 on Thursday, June 19. We're also celebrating some anniversaries of a few recording sessions we love that feature compositions from our catalog: Grant Stewart's "More Urban Tones" (June 15, 1995), Hank Mobley's "Dippin'" (June 18, 1955), Benny Golson's "Gone With Golson" (June 20, 1959), and Nat Adderley's "Good Company" (June 20 & 21, 1994). There's no better way to celebrate than releasing some new lead sheets, transcriptions, and arrangements!

    Check out these new additions to jazzleadsheets.com:

    ELI "LUCKY" THOMPSON: To A Mornin' Sunrise
    master this sensitive ballad with lucky's own melody transcription

    GRANT STEWART: Manhattan Bridge
    a moody post-bop ballad

    CURTIS FULLER: Bit Of Heaven
    a bit of your own jazz heaven -- try the Fuller-Golson two horn arrangement for yourself

    RAY BRYANT:  Staccato Swing
    a minor medium up swing with parts for tenor, trombone, & piano

    ROB BARGAD: Rob's New Song
    distinctive soulful flair & powerful changes

    ROB BARGAD: War Zone
    a driving uptempo swing

    HANK MOBLEY: The Break Through
    NEW for drums - Billy Higgins drum transcription


    Psst! Did you know you can see all of our transcribed solos in one place? Check out this tour of the Transcribed Solos page!

    Enjoy the music,
    Don Sickler and the jazzleadsheets.com team

  • Winter is here, and so are these new composers!

    It's another update jam-packed with old favorites and new composers alike! Starting out with the familiar faces:

    HANK MOBLEY’S STRAIGHT AHEAD
    This title comes from Hank Mobley’s “The Turnaround” album, which was unusual in that in combined two dates that are separated by two years. Quintet parts available. The drummer was the fantastic Billy Higgins and we’re offering a transcription of his drumming on the track.

    THELMA’S HEART by BILLY PIERCE
    A great quartet piece with a seemingly simple melody, but the key-defying harmony makes the composition irresistibly complex.

    And our NEW composers:

    New composer ALBERT AMMONS and CHANGES IN BOOGIE WOOGIE
    This is a special treat for pianists. This transcription for solo piano comes from a recording made on January 6, 1939—the very first session for Blue Note Records! Our transcription includes not only all the notes, but the articulation and phrasing as well, so you can try to play it just like Albert himself.

    THE LOVE WE HAD YESTERDAY by PAMELA BASKIN-WATSON, a composer new to jazzleadsheets.com. This beautiful composition was first recorded instrumentally by Bobby Watson, Pamela’s husband, in 1986, on his album “Love Remains.” Betty Carter recorded it in 1992, and our version, by vocalist Rachel Bronstein, was recorded this year. An accompaniment-only track is also available.

    Check out our video of Rachel singing in our office studio!


    And finally, new composer SHEILA JORDAN's THE CROSSING. If you’re feeling inclined towards folk this week, try out this legendary vocalist’s signature song. The folk-inspired piece is usually performed as a duet with voice and bass and is played very freely, allowing the vocalist to explore his/her voice without limitation. The lyric is inspirational advice from Sheila about reaching a higher plane of mindfulness through loving music.

  • New at jazzleadsheets.com May 11, 2013

    Noting some anniversaries …

    I found it very interesting that on the same day, May 9, in two different years (1954 and 1966), Elmo Hope was in a studio, recording.
    Maybe So was recorded May 9, 1954.
    Roll On was recorded May 9, 1966 (Elmo’s last recording session).

    On May 12, 1964, organist Don Patterson recorded Up In Betty’s Room. This is the perfect time to introduce him to jazzleadsheets.com.

    Plus, the Drum Corner welcomes two new drummers, "Papa" Jo Jones and Billy Higgins.
    The first transcription of the legendary "Papa" Jo Jones is from the Jo Jones Trio recording of Ray Bryant’s Philadelphia Bound. The lead sheets for this blues are available, too.

    And, you can examine under your musical microscope the artistry of one of the truly great drummers: Billy Higgins. See what he plays behind the melody as well as his exchanges with Dexter Gordon on Dexter’s Benji’s Bounce (8s then 4s then 2s). The lead sheets are already posted.

    Jazzleadsheets.com is preparing for a website upgrade: we want an easy-to-use search engine and a smooth checkout experience on a faster server. Maybe video clips. If you have suggestions, let us know by emailing me at don@secondfloormusic.com.

    Thanks,
    Don Sickler
    www.jazzleadsheets.com and www.SecondFloorMusic.com
    phone 212-741-1175
    email don@secondfloormusic.com

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