Little Rock musician and music educator David Higginbotham will be featured at Wednesday Night Poetry at Kollective Coffee + Tea, 110 Central Ave.
The regular open mic session for all poets, musicians and storytellers will begin at 6:30 p.m. today. Higginbotham will begin his feature set at 7:30 p.m., followed by another round of open mic. Admission is free and open to all ages.
"All are welcome. WNP is a safe space," a news release said.
"I was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, on April 24, 1958," Higginbotham said in the release. "I have resided in the central Arkansas area since 1970. My home is in Little Rock. I'm single and share custody of my 10-year-old son, Jacob, along with his Aussie Shepherd dog, Gabby."
Higginbotham has taught music for the past 24 years in the Little Rock School District. "For the past six years, I have been at Forest Park Elementary teaching K-5th students," he said. "I also play music professionally. My main instrument is acoustic bass and I play every weekend at Sullivan's Steakhouse in Little Rock with a jazz trio. I also frequently play the Thursday night jazz set at the Ohio Club in Hot Springs. Aside from music, I also practice the Wu style Tai Chi daily and try to keep in shape."
Higginbotham earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Master's in Jazz Studies from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
As far as his personal history playing music, Higginbotham said, "I've been writing songs since I was a teenager. I mostly write them with an acoustic guitar in my hands. Sometimes the words come first. Sometimes it's a melody or a chord progression that starts the creative juices flowing. Mostly it starts with an idea. I will see a sign on the side of the road. Or someone will say something to me that I can't get out of my head. Often I'm inspired by a muse or someone I'm in a relationship with."
He said he has written "scads of songs. Some of them are quite nice, if I do say so myself. But hardly anyone has heard them. That's why I'm excited to have an opportunity to perform some for a discerning audience like WNP."
"Most of my songs are about love found and love lost. I'm influenced by the great show tunes from the '20s and beyond. Some of my greatest inspirations and influences include The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, etc. Also Brazilian music from Antonio Carlos Joblim, Milton Nasciemento, Jorge Drexler and Beto Guedes," he said.
"My playing history is quite diverse. I played with the rock band Gibraltar in the '70s and toured as a backup artist with Pat Benatar, Pure Prairie League, The Guess Who, Starbuck and Styx. I have played mostly jazz since then and had the good fortune to play with many great players you've probably never heard of, including Tom Cox (piano), Charles Thomas (piano), Art Porter Sr. (piano) Art Porter Jr. (sax), and John Puckett (piano). I currently play gigs with Clyde Pound (piano), Ted Ludwig (guitar), and Ed Smith (guitar). My regular working jazz trio consists of me on acoustic bass, Chris Parker piano, and CE Askew on drums," Higginbotham said.
"I've also played in the pit orchestra at Robinson Auditorium for many touring Broadway shows like 'Wicked,' 'Phantom of the Opera,' 'Beautiful the Carole King Show,' and 'Chicago,' just to name a few.
"I have recorded a collection of 15 original songs entitled 'This is My Heart.' I also have another recorded collection of jazz standards, some with my original lyrics, called 'Blues on the Corner.' I will bring a few of each in case someone wants to take me home with them," he said.
This will be the first time that Higginbotham has featured for Wednesday Night Poetry. When asked about his thoughts on the long-running series, Higginbotham said, "I'm a fan of Kai. I love her poetry and the fact that she provides an outlet for creativity for so many others. I think I've attended one WNP in person years ago, but I've followed the series online and it totally rocks."
"I love to mix it up like this," Kai Coggin WNP host and Hot Springs Poet Laureate, said in the release. "Bringing in a local musician who has frequented many a stage in and around Hot Springs. David is a talented instrumentalist with a passion for his art practice, and dedication to his original creations. I also love that he has been a music educator for over 25 years. Arts education is a lifesaving source of inspiration and a window out into the greater world for so many young people, including myself. I am so excited to hear David's feature set tuned in the key of his heart. It should be a special night."
This week marks 1,835 consecutive Wednesdays of open mic poetry in downtown Hot Springs since Feb. 1, 1989, over 35 years ago. "Wednesday Night Poetry is the longest-running consecutive weekly open mic series in the country. For more information, email [email protected]," the release said