Monk Higgins
Encyclopedia
Milton Bland better known as Monk Higgins, was an American
musician
and saxophonist who was born in Menifee, Arkansas
.
Higgins biggest hits
were the instrumental
tracks "Who Dun It" (which reached #30 on the US
R&B chart
in 1966), and "Gotta Be Funky" (#22 on the US R&B chart). Higgins worked with a variety of musicians including Gene Harris
, Bobby Bland
, The Chi-Lites
, Junior Wells
, Freddy Robinson, Muddy Waters
, Cash McCall
, Etta James
, Blue Mitchell
and The Three Sounds
. His track "One Man Band (Plays All Alone)" was featured on the breakbeat
compilation album
, Ultimate Breaks and Beats
. Higgins served as a record producer
on several of Blood, Sweat, and Tears' album
s. Late in his career Monk, together with his band "the Specialties", was the featured performer at television actress Marla Gibb's Los Angeles
, California
supper club, known as Marla's Memory Lane Club.
Higgins died from respiratory disease
in July 1986, in Los Angeles, at the age of 49.
With Blue Mitchell
With The Three Sounds
With Gene Harris
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and saxophonist who was born in Menifee, Arkansas
Menifee, Arkansas
Menifee is a town in Conway County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 311 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Menifee is located at ....
.
Higgins biggest hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
were the instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
tracks "Who Dun It" (which reached #30 on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
in 1966), and "Gotta Be Funky" (#22 on the US R&B chart). Higgins worked with a variety of musicians including Gene Harris
Gene Harris
Gene Harris was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style that is known as soul jazz....
, Bobby Bland
Bobby Bland
Robert Calvin Bland better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland, is an American singer of blues and soul. He is an original member of the Beale Streeters, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues"...
, The Chi-Lites
The Chi-Lites
The Chi-Lites are a Chicago-based smooth soul vocal quartet from the early 1970s, one of the few from the period not to come from Memphis or Philadelphia...
, Junior Wells
Junior Wells
Junior Wells , born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., was an American Chicago blues vocalist, harmonica player, and recording artist...
, Freddy Robinson, Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
, Cash McCall
Cash McCall (musician)
Cash McCall is an American electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his 1966 R&B hit, "When You Wake Up". McCall's long career has seen him evolve in musical styles from gospel to soul to the blues...
, Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
, Blue Mitchell
Blue Mitchell
Richard Allen Mitchell was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman for Riverside, Blue Note and then Mainstream Records.-Biography:...
and The Three Sounds
The Three Sounds
The Three Sounds were an American jazz trio that formed in 1956 and disbanded in 1973. The trio played and recorded with Lester Young, Lou Donaldson, Nat Adderley, Johnny Griffin, Anita O'Day, Bucky Pizzarelli, Stanley Turrentine and Sonny Stitt among others.The band formed in Benton Harbor,...
. His track "One Man Band (Plays All Alone)" was featured on the breakbeat
Breakbeat
In 1992, a new style called "jungalistic hardcore" emerged, and for many ravers it was too funky to dance to. Josh Lawford of Ravescene prophesied that the breakbeat was "the death-knell of rave" because the ever changing drumbeat patterns of breakbeat music didn't allow for the same zoned out,...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Ultimate Breaks and Beats
Ultimate Breaks and Beats
Ultimate Breaks and Beats was a series of 25 compilation albums released from 1986 to 1991 by Street Beat Records...
. Higgins served as a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
on several of Blood, Sweat, and Tears' album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. Late in his career Monk, together with his band "the Specialties", was the featured performer at television actress Marla Gibb's Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
supper club, known as Marla's Memory Lane Club.
Higgins died from respiratory disease
Respiratory disease
Respiratory disease is a medical term that encompasses pathological conditions affecting the organs and tissues that make gas exchange possible in higher organisms, and includes conditions of the upper respiratory tract, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleura and pleural cavity, and the...
in July 1986, in Los Angeles, at the age of 49.
Partial discography
- Extra Soul Perception Solid StateSolid stateSolid state may refer to:In science:* Solid-state chemistry* Solid-state physics* Solid-state laser* Solid matterIn electronics:* Solid state , circuits built of solid materials* Solid-state fan...
(1969) - Heavyweight United ArtistsUnited ArtistsUnited Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
(1972) - Little Mama United Artists (1972)
- Dance to the Disco Sax Buddha (1974)
- Live in MacArthur Park Buddha (1975)
With Blue Mitchell
Blue Mitchell
Richard Allen Mitchell was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and funk trumpeter, known for many albums recorded as leader and sideman for Riverside, Blue Note and then Mainstream Records.-Biography:...
- Collision in BlackCollision in BlackCollision in Black is an album by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell which features compositions and arrangements by Monk Higgins recorded in 1968 and released on the Blue Note label in 1969.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4 stars....
(1968) - Bantu VillageBantu VillageBantu Village is an album by American trumpeter Blue Mitchell which features arrangements by Monk Higgins recorded and released on the Blue Note label in 1969.-Reception:The Allmusic review awarded the album 4 stars....
(1969)
With The Three Sounds
The Three Sounds
The Three Sounds were an American jazz trio that formed in 1956 and disbanded in 1973. The trio played and recorded with Lester Young, Lou Donaldson, Nat Adderley, Johnny Griffin, Anita O'Day, Bucky Pizzarelli, Stanley Turrentine and Sonny Stitt among others.The band formed in Benton Harbor,...
- Elegant SoulElegant SoulElegant Soul is an album by jazz group The Three Sounds featuring performances with an orchestra arranged by Monk Higgins recorded in 1968 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1968) - Soul SymphonySoul SymphonySoul Symphony is the final album by jazz group The Three Sounds featuring performances with an orchestra arranged and conducted by Monk Higgins recorded in 1969 and released on the Blue Note label.-Reception:...
(1969)
With Gene Harris
Gene Harris
Gene Harris was an American jazz pianist known for his warm sound and blues and gospel infused style that is known as soul jazz....
- The 3 SoundsThe 3 Sounds (Gene Harris album)The 3 Sounds is an album by American pianist Gene Harris recorded in 1971 and released on the Blue Note label. Although it is titled after Harris' group The Three Sounds the album is usually recognised as a solo effort as none of the other original members of the group participated in the...
(1971)