Because of the high volume of comments Rifftides received following our piece on the death of pianist Eddie Higgins, the staff thought there might be widespread interest in a memorial concert. We bring you the announcement as it arrived by e-mail from Florida. This will give you time to make plans to fly in from, say, Tokyo or St. Thomas.
There will be a Jam Session tribute
to Eddie Higgins
on Sunday, December 6
from 4pm to 6pm
in the ArtServe auditorium at 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd.
(Ft. Lauderdale Library branch)
Haydn (Eddie) Higgins 1932 to 2009Pot Luck finger food, please. Soft drinks provided. BYOB.
Free admission.Contributions to the Haydn (Eddie) Higgins Memorial Music Scholarship Fund
will be gratefully appreciated.
For information about the jam session and scholarship, call 954-524-0805.
I think Haydn would like the BYOB part.
The nonagenarian pianist presented de Barros with every biographer’s hope, unrestricted access to his subject’s personal papers and nearly unrestricted access to her private thoughts. He made the most of it, turning exhaustive research and hundreds of hours of interviews into a true story with the sweep of a novel. From the early discovery of McPartland’s musical gift through her wartime service, her ecstatic and stormy marriage to Jimmy McPartland, her growth as a pianist, her deep affair with Joe Morello, and the radio show that made her a national figure, she has had a fascinating life. It makes a splendid read.
Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band had three fewer musicians than most big jazz outfits. Its size permitted precision, flexibility and subtlety, yet the band had the power of sprung steel. In this concert from a half century ago, the CJB is as fresh as yesterday. Arrangements by Mulligan, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Johnny Mandel set standards to which big band writers still aspire. Bassist Buddy Clark and drummer Mel Lewis inspired Mulligan, Brookmeyer, Conte Candoli, Gene Quill and Zoot Sims to some of the best soloing of their careers. This beautifully produced issue of the complete concert is a basic repertoire item.
…or Ireland.
Eddie Higgins was a giant.
I wish I could attend this event! It will be another fine tribute to a GREAT musician and wonderful human being. Eddie Higgins made a huge positive impact on my life. I learn so much from him and had so many great gigs with him. We shared lots of laughs together and I’ll always remember his great jokes and his brilliant delivery. He was a mentor to me in so many ways. I feel very fortunate to have known him so well, worked so many gigs with him, recorded a few CDs with him, and traveled around the world together. I loved him and I’m proud to know that he loved me too! I think about Eddie every day and I really miss him.Have a great event on December 6. I’ll be there in spirit!
Paul Keller-string bassist
Eddie Higgins left quite an impression on me as a young man, along with a musical education, one that influences my musical palate to this day. I was a budding jazz enthusiast 20 years his junior, introduced to Eddie by his wife Miko Higgins. When Miko realized I enjoyed jazz she suggested I go hear her husband play, so I did.
Eddie loved engaging his patrons; part of what endeared Eddie to so many of his fans. After introductions, Eddie asks, may I play something for you? I had just heard “On Green Dolphin Street” for the first time and suggested it, not realizing I was playing right into his love for Bill Evans, and Eddie played it beautifully. Miko followed up by inviting me for lunch to their home in Fort Lauderdale a few weeks later. That afternoon, Eddie introduced me to the Bossa Nova, playing his beloved Jobim records as well as his beautiful Yamaha grand piano as I sat on the bench beside him.
In addition to that afternoon, two of my favorite memories with Eddie Higgins are 1) Sitting-in with him on percussion at the wedding reception of Richard & Natsuko Montgomery. He didn’t know I had been practicing with my newly acquired Jobim LP’s for months. It took him by complete surprise that I played at all, and after the first song, he said, lets play another one! I was thrilled to say the least. Eddie always gracious and generous, and I thank him for the kindness he always showed me. 2) A weekday evening at Bubba’s on Sunrise Boulevard (if you ever saw the house band there at Bubba’s, the Eddie Higgins Trio featuring Ira Sullivan, you heard some outstanding jazz sets). I took my seat during the first set; the club was noisy that evening with dinner plates being collected and other background noise. During the break, Eddie sat with me looking a little down, just another day at the office. I said enthusiastically, Eddie, you must have played that set just for me! Eddie responses with, I don’t even know what I played? So I name the songs in the order he played them, upon which his signature smile lit up his face, someone was listening he realized. And that always made Eddie happy.
Thanks for the musical education brother and save me a seat in the front row…