Little Green Apples

Recorded in 1968 for Monk Higgins' album Extra Soul Perception, Little Green Apples reinterpreted Bobby Russell's composition with Higgins on tenor saxophone and arrangements by Higgins himself. The album's session musicians included Arthur Adams and Freddie Robinson on guitar, John Guerin on drums, Miles Grayson on piano, and Dee Ervin on organ and percussion. Released on Solid State Records in 1968, Little Green Apples transformed a contemporary popular song into an instrumental arrangement built around saxophone, keyboards and a prominent rhythmic foundation. The performance demonstrated Higgins' approach to adapting familiar compositions for his studio ensemble, contributing to the distinctive character of Extra Soul Perception. Little Green Apples achieved renewed recognition when Gang Starr sampled Higgins' recording for Code of the Streets in 1994, introducing its instrumental textures to a new generation of hip-hop listeners. Its subsequent reputation among DJs, producers and record collectors contributed to the enduring interest in Extra Soul Perception and its later vinyl reissues.