Monk Higgins (October 17, 1936 – July 3, 1986) – Please Don't Leave Me (1970)
The unsung musical genius saxophonist, songwriter and producer co-wrote this beautiful soul anthem with Alex Brown for her ultra-rare $1000+ debut solo LP.
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Monk Higgins was a saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and unsung musical genius.
Milton Bland aka Monk Higgins was born in Arkansas and later lived in Chicago, where he was a social worker and music teacher in the city’s public schools. In the late sixties he moved to Los Angeles. Over the next few years he put out several solo albums, worked as a sideman with other artists, and collaborated with singer/songwriter Alex Brown.
His second solo album Extra Soul Perception was released in 1968 on Solid State Records, the jazz subsidiary of United Artists. Nearly all the original songs he wrote for it were superb soul-jazz jams, including “The Look of Slim” (later sampled by Madlib and MF Doom), “Collision In Black,” the LP’s laid back title track, and its super funky closing cut “Doing It To Deff.”
Higgins and Alex Brown co-produced Brown’s ultra-rare 1970 debut solo album In Search Of Love, released on Gil Cabot’s Sundi Records label. Today, original copies sell for an eye-popping $1,100 on average on Discogs.
Brown and Higgins co-wrote eight of the LP’s ten tracks, including the very funky jam “Baby You’re Right,” the heartfelt love song “Have I,” and the stunningly beautiful funky soul anthem “Please Don’t Leave Me.” The album was arranged and conducted by Higgins. Its stellar backing band included Wilton Felder on bass and Joe Sample on keyboards from the Jazz Crusaders, plus flutist Jim Horn, Freddie Robinson on guitar, Sidney Sharp handling strings, Allen Estres on vibes and percussion, and Paul Humphrey on drums.
Higgins and Brown again collaborated in 1975, this time on the original motion picture soundtrack to the Blaxploitation action film Sheba, Baby starring Pam Grier.
The album featured singer Barbara Mason’s vocals on several tracks like the mournful anthem “A Good Man Is Gone” and the slow jam “I’m In Love With You.” Thanks to Higgins and Brown’s top-notch writing and production skills, it was arguably one of the best if little known soundtracks of the 70s, packed with dynamite instrumentals like “Three Hoods.” And in a decade full of funky film scores, its superb title track was one of the funkiest.
Further info:
“Monk Higgins, 50, Record Producer and Saxophonist,” obituary, Los Angeles Times, July 12, 1986.
“Musician, Composer Monk Higgins, 50,” obituary, Chicago Tribune, July 16, 1986.
#soul #funk #AlexBrown #PamGrier #ShebaBaby #MonkHiggins