LifeForcejazz
1202 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 204 San Jose, CA 95125
Phone
(408)667-2099
info@lifeforcejazz.com
Wellness through Music
The legacy of Billy Higgins
Throughout a career that spanned over fifty years, Billy Higgins participated in much of the innovative music classified as jazz. His list of accomplishments as a performing artist and his vast discography contributed to many new concepts and directions in jazz, putting him in demand amongst peers and supporters of creative music. Billy’s rise to legendary status was augmented by his commitment to presenting and promoting music in grassroots communities throughout the world. In the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles California, during the late 1980’s, Billy Higgins and poet Kamau Da’ood founded The World Stage, roughly 600 square feet of performance space presenting professional and aspiring artists from all disciplines. Dedicated to seeking out and preparing "young lions" for successful careers as jazz artists, Billy recruited composer/woodwind specialist Dawan Muhammad to manage production projects. The World Stage soon gained a reputation worldwide for developing and attracting jazz giants. Popularity of the space also drew attention to lesser-known jazz artists deserving of wider recognition, and in 1994 gave rise to LifeForcejazz, a nonprofit collective of jazz enthusiasts, an independent record label and an impressive catalog (over 50 titles) of rare recordings on compact disc, distributed internationally. Billy’s charisma and natural leadership recruited, encouraged and inspired the artists, and Dawan managed the organization’s administration, programs and services, including the record label, which is now headquartered in San Jose, California. Since Billy’s passing in 2001, Dawan has maintained the operation and continued to pursue the vision of establishing a network of community-based organizations with jazz exchange programs throughout the country.
Dawan says, “We promote holistic approaches to creative music, focusing on spiritual and therapeutic benefits rather than popular or commercial appeal. Although we acknowledge and appreciate entertainment value in music, we are more dedicated to presenting jazz as America’s National Treasure and a major source for cultural enrichment. Most recordings released on the LifeForcejazz label are of live performances where artists are encouraged to present original compositions and arrangements based on their study of the natural healing qualities in music. In addition, the natural elements of Latin music and its African roots are an integral part of jazz and LifeForcejazz has also established a Latin Jazz division headed up by Bobby Matos and Ismael “East” Carlo, producers of several exciting releases featuring giants of Latin jazz.”
“We believe this music called Jazz can help raise consciousness and promote wellness in a time when our society is in desperate need of change. We look forward to expanding audiences and further exploring the healing nature of creative music. Thus, we welcome opportunities to collaborate with artists and organizations identifying with our vision. Please visit our website at www.lifeforcejazz.com and help us build a better world through creative, collective, functional and inspirational music.”
