Hal Smith: Well, Brother Kevin—I’ve been looking forward to this conversation for a long time. We’re going to listen to some recordings by a drummer who should be much better known: Fred Higuera! I have been a fan of his drumming since 1965 and you have told me more than once how much you like the way he played.
Except for some touring in the Midwest with Bob Scobey, for most of his career Fred played in the Bay Area. However, his reputation was worldwide. I remember discussing American drummers with the wonderful British drummer Colin Bowden, who said, “I really like that chap with the Hispanic surname!”
I propose we start with the record mentioned last month in our article on Ben Pollack: the Bob Scobey/Clancy Hayes version of “South,” recorded for Good Time Jazz in 1951. This was my first exposure to Fred Higuera and right away I was taken with the way he played choke cymbal. As we discussed in our previous article, years later I heard Pollack playing similar choke cymbal rhythms on “Deed I Do” and “He’s The Last Word.” Of course, there are other things happening with Fred Higuera’s drumming on “South,” but it was the choke cymbal work that caught my attention.
What are your
