can't remember if it was World Stage or 5th Street Dick's? I think the former.

I was in High School at the time, and my homegirl from Echo Park happened to know him as somewhat of a family friend. She was like "come check out this great man me and my mother know play the drums!", which is totally unheard of for young people in the 90's. Our generation was in tune to some jazz through hip-hop and our parents, but to go on a whim to check out a live show was not so common.

Immediately I just found that the audience, not just my friend and her mother, really LIKED Billy Higgins. He had developed personal relationships and a musical following from being accessible and likeable. When you think free-jazz you don't think of either of those adjectives, more likely the opposite.

Just a personal story that kind of supports your more detailed take of what he contributed musically.