Chris Higginbottom

Born in London in 1977, Higginbottom began piano studies at seven. The following year he entered the Waltham Abbey choir, eventually serving as head chorister. By eleven his focus had moved to jazz drumming. The Essex Youth Jazz Orchestra discovered him, and he also performed with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. After completing studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London, he received his diploma in 2000. Around the same time he formed a quartet with saxophonist Sammy Mayne that received the 2000 Perrier Young Jazz Band Of The Year award.

In the early 2000s he joined the contemporary quartet co-led by saxophonist Ian East and pianist David Beebee, with Robin Mullarkey on bass; the group recorded the well-received 1999 Beeboss album Momentito. Additional sideman work included engagements with Guy Barker and Tim Garland. Relocating briefly to New York in 2002, he appeared alongside Gary Bartz and Ingrid Jensen. He came back to Britain to tour in support of his 2005 album One, recorded with his New York quartet of Seamus Blake on saxophone, Aaron Goldberg on piano and Orlando Le Fleming on bass. The set mixed original pieces such as “Stray Dates,” “She Walks In Beauty” and “Sunday” with earlier material by Dizzy Gillespie and Gil Fuller (“Manteca”), Herbie Hancock (“The Sorcerer”), Bud Powell (“Un Poco Loco”) and Wayne Shorter (“Blues A La Carte”). By the middle of the decade Higginbottom had earned recognition as a significant figure in the thriving contemporary jazz circles of both London and New York. (NB: Not to be confused with the US CCM singer of the same name.)