John Hicks - R.I.P.

[Lois Gilbert]

John Hicks passed away this morning. He was rushed to the hosptial last night with intestive internal bleeding. One of my all time favorite people and great pianists. I am overwhelmed with sadness.

His last performance was Sunday at the St Mark's Church of which his late father was the minister. That was also his 1st performance. Please look at his website. We just recently put it back up on Jazzcorner and we were planning to meet this week to get it up to date.

God Bless You John Hicks - I will miss you so much, hickiepoo

[Gary Sisco]

Oh, shit. Tell me it ain't so.

Devastation.

[Steve Reynolds]

awful, long one my guys at the piano

saw with David Murray, Ray Drummond and Andrew Cyrille

Gordon was there - in Philly - maybe 1997 or 1998, I think

such a sweet melodic player - his playing was always filled with joy.


RIP, Mr. Hicks

[Brian Olewnick]

Sad to hear--a very fine musician.

[Gary Sisco]

A real piano great. The kind whose name in the credits will often open my wallet just because it's there.

I only got to hear him live once, with Joe Lovano's bebop nonet. Dr Dave was there, and Walter Horn and Kevin Bresnahan, at the old R-bar in Cambridge.

[Tom Storer]

RIP. I first saw John Hicks with the Charlie Rouse-Benny Bailey quintet at the Village Vanguard back in the 70's, then through the years in many memorable concerts with Betty Carter, David Murray and others. I was just listening to him with Betty this morning. Very sad to see you go, Mr. Hicks.

[MRS]

I caught him once with the Mingus Big Band. . .immense talent.

[Root Doctor]

A wonderful player. RIP, Mr. Hicks.

[John L]

Damn.

It's always tough when news like this comes suddenly and unexpectedly.

RIP

[rollhead]

One of my favorites.

[Fred K]

I was planning to hear him this weekend in DC. He was and is one of my favorites.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

A marvelous player who will be missed. I loved his great performances on Billy Bang's two Vietnam albums. R.I.P.

[jazzy mary]

I'm really shocked by this! I knew John and liked him very much. My condolences to Elise. Very sad. He was a wonderful pianist!

Damn.

Anyhow, Rip Mr. John Hicks.

[Al in NYC]

Sad, sad news. John Hicks was one of those musicians who just seemed to sound right in pretty much any setting. Partially as a result of this, I've always thought that he was undervalued as a player and as an individual voice on the piano. He was always one of my quiet favorites and his name on the bill always meant that whoever I took to the show of whatever kind of music would be pleased. I'd usually say, nodding towards the un-flashy pianist, "listen carefully to that guy, he's baaaad as hell" -- and he always was.

Bye John...

[Rob C]

Wow, that's a shock. A great player. I've dug his playing since I first heard him on the wonderful The Audience with Betty Carter.

RIP.

[hearsay]

Sad news. I really didn't think he was very old either.

[burning dog]

[Uli]

RIP Mr. Hicks!

[Nate Dorward]

There are some death notices that are sad but not unexpected; this one, though, took me by surprise. RIP, Mr Hicks. Saw him once, with Sonny Fortune (on a wretched piano, but still marvellous playing).

[Gordon B]

Originally Posted by Steve Reynolds

awful, long one my guys at the piano

saw with David Murray, Ray Drummond and Andrew Cyrille

Gordon was there - in Philly - maybe 1997 or 1998, I think

such a sweet melodic player - his playing was always filled with joy.


RIP, Mr. Hicks

I remember, Steve. I've been a fan of John Hicks almost as long as I've been a fan of jazz. I first saw him at the Tin Palace in the 70's. He was a very melodic player who also wrote some great compositions. The last time I saw him was in April 2005 at An Die Musik.

This is a sad day for me.

[justinruins]

I've been meaning to hear more of his work. I remember being impressed with his sparkling work on Billy Bang's 'Vietnam: Aftermath' album. RIP

[Chris D]

How sad and shocking. He always seemed so full of life. As Al said, he was so sympathetic a player in so many settings. Those Keystone Trio records he made with Mraz and Idris Muhammad are master classes in lyricism.

[Clay Fink]

The best jazz performance I ever saw was Hicks with Bobby Hutcherson, Rufus Reid and Joe Chambers. Saw him with Murray in '83 or so too and at the One Step a few times. A great, great player.

[hornplayer]

Oh my, NO! what a tragedy! I'm at a loss for words.

My deepest sympathy goes out to Elise and all his family.

[Lois Gilbert]

BTW XM radio is airing an interview with John and Elise tonight at 5:50 and Saturday at the same time.

[clinthopson]

I join all of you in our sorrow at the loss of this fine musician.

[Lois Gilbert]

Of course, we at HighNote are saddened and shocked by the tragic loss of our friend John Hicks. There is far too little beauty in the today's world that
we can afford to lose a beautiful person and maker of such beautiful art.

I can hear the Heavenly conversation now:

An elder statesman of jazz passes away and meets St. Peter at the Pearly
Gates. St. Peter says, "A jazz player, eh? You know, we have a pretty good
jazz band here." The jazz man asks if he can join the group and St. Peter
says they are rehearsing right now and takes him over to the bandstand.

There's Louis, Bix, Woody Shaw on trumpets. Bill Harris, Vic Dickenson,
J.J. Johnson are in the 'bone section. Bird, Trane, Gerry, & Desmond are on
reeds. "Geeze," says the jazzman, "that's some band! They are fabulous.
But that piano player is horrible!"

"Yes, we know," says St. Peter in an apologetic tone. "We let G-d play the
rehearsals, but John Hicks plays the concerts."

We will all miss him.

Joe, Barney, Ray & Raghu
The Crew HighNote Records

[Valerie]

i am extremely sorry to hear this very sad news but seem to be the only one here that is not really shocked. i have been enjoying John's incredible musicianship since the '60s and most recently at the jazz bakery with sonny fortune. for the past several years though, i have been noticing John's "fading" and obvious health decline although he was still playing wonderfully. he was struggling when he was here in l.a. and it ws very apparent. this is such a huge loss to the jazz community.

my heartfelt condolences to Elise. i am so very sorry for her enormous loss.

[mjb]

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

There are some death notices that are sad but not unexpected; this one, though, took me by surprise. RIP, Mr Hicks. Saw him once, with Sonny Fortune (on a wretched piano, but still marvellous playing).

If this was a toonie concert in the tent at John and King during the jazz festival, I was there too. After the set I went and chatted with him - he was a delight to talk to.

I have loved his playing for so many years and am greatly saddened.