1992 · Album
First Song
Recorded 1993 · Enja Records · Produced by Matthias Winckelmann
Steady Hands, Open Ears
Higgins was the kind of drummer who made everyone around him sound better, and this album proves it.
Billy Higgins was one of the most in-demand drummers in hard bop and post-bop circles, and First Song (1994) gives him a rare chance to lead rather than support. The album is a quartet date, relaxed in tempo and mood, built around melodic playing rather than anything flashy. Higgins keeps things light — his touch on the kit was always feather-soft compared to harder-hitting contemporaries, and here that quality is front and center. This is not a showcase record full of extended solos designed to prove a point. It's more like a conversation among musicians who trust each other.
The title track sets the tone well. There's a lyricism to the whole session that reflects Higgins's long associations with players like Ornette Coleman and Cedar Walton — people who valued feel and space over density. The record leans into that. You won't find a lot of bombast here. What you get instead is careful listening and playing that breathes. Some listeners looking for high-energy drumming will find it understated to the point of being quiet, and that's a fair reaction. This album rewards patience more than it rewards first impressions.
For anyone curious about Higgins as a musical thinker rather than just a sideman, this is worth your time. It's not his most celebrated work — he's better known for what he contributed to other people's sessions — but it shows a side of him that's easy to overlook. The album has a warmth to it that feels genuine rather than calculated. Put it on late at night when you want something that doesn't demand attention but holds it anyway.
Who's playing
Where next?
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
