John Hicks (jazz pianist)

For other people named John Hicks, see John Hicks (disambiguation).

John Hicks in 2006.

John Josephus Hicks, Jr. (December 21, 1941 – May 10, 2006) was an American jazz pianist and composer, active in the New York and the international jazz scene from the mid-1960s.

Biography

Hicks was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He studied music at Lincoln University in Missouri and Berklee School of Music in Boston before moving to New York in 1963.

He was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1964–1965) and occasionally in the 1970s, worked with Betty Carter (1966–1968, 1975–1980), and was in one of Woody Herman's groups (1968–1970). From the early 1980s until his death he performed solo and led his own groups including The Keystone Trio.

Hicks played and recorded with jazz artists such as Lee Morgan, David Murray, Joe Lovano, David "Fathead" Newman, Pharaoh Sanders, George Mraz, Arthur Blythe, Kenny Barron, and Gary Bartz amaong others. The pianist recorded the seventh instalment of the "Live at Maybeck Recital Hall" series of solo concerts, which were recorded for Concord Records.

From 1983, the flautist Elise Wood was regularly a member of his groups. The couple married in 2001. Wood survives him, and has led a group dedicated to the performance of his music.

Discography

As Leader

• Hell's Bells (1978) - Strata-East Records, with Clint Houston, Cliff Barbaro
• After the Morning (1979) with Walter Booker, Clifford Barbaro West 54 Records
• Some Other Time (1981)
• John Hicks (1984)
• Sketches of Tokyo (1986) with David Murray
• Luminous (1988)
• Two of a Kind (1989)
• Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 7 (1991)
• In Concert (1993)
• Beyond Expectations (1994)
• Piece for My Peace (1996)
• Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook (1998)
• Hicks Time: Solo Piano (1999)
• Nightwind: An Erroll Garner Songbook (1999)
• Impressions of Mary Lou (2000)
• Music in the Key of Clark: Remembering Sonny Clark (2002)
• Fatha's Day: An Earl Hines Songbook (2003)
• Sweet Love of Mine (2006)
• On the Wings of an Eagle (2007)
• I Remember You" (2009)
• Passion Flower (2009)

As Sideman

With Gary Bartz

• West 42nd Street (Candid, 1990)

With Lester Bowie

• Fast Last! (Muse, 1974)

With Arthur Blythe

• Illusions (Columbia, 1980)
• Blythe Spirit (Columbia, 1981)

With Betty Carter

• The Audience with Betty Carter (Bet-Car, 1979)

With Booker Ervin

• Structurally Sound (Pacific Jazz, 1966)

With Chico Freeman

• Spirit Sensitive (India Navigation, 1979)

With Hank Mobley

• Hi Voltage (Blue Note, 1967)

With Lee Morgan

• Taru (Blue Note, 1968)

With David Murray

• Morning Song (Black Saint, 1983)
• I Want to Talk About You (Black Saint, 1986)
• Ming's Samba (Portrait, 1988)
• Fast Life (DIW/Columbia, 1991)
• Ballads for Bass Clarinet (DIW, 1991)
• MX (Red Baron, 1992)
• Jazzosaurus Rex (Red Baron, 1993)
• Saxmen (Red Baron, 1993)
• For Aunt Louise (DIW, 1993)
• David Murray/James Newton Quintet (DIW, 1996)
• Like a Kiss that Never Ends (Justin Time, 2000)

With Pharoah Sanders

• Africa (Timeless Holland, 1987)

External links

• http://www.ejn.it/mus/hicks.htm
• http://www.mp3.com/john-hicks/artists/5737/biography.html
• http://www.johnhicksmusic.com/
• http://www.onsoundandmusic.com/issues/0408/0408-hicks.html
• Obituary in The Guardian (London) by Peter Vacher, May 12, 2006