John Hicks

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

Biography
Hicks was born in Atlanta, Georgia. As a child, he moved with his family around the United States, as his father took up jobs with the Methodist church. He began playing the piano aged seven; his development accelerated once his family moved to St. Louis, when Hicks was 14. He studied music at Lincoln University in Missouri and Berklee School of Music in Boston before moving to New York in 1963, where he soon found employment with blues singer Big Maybelle.

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 1972 to 1973 he taught jazz history and improvisation at Southern Illinois University. From the early 1980s until his death he performed solo and led his own groups, including the Keystone Trio, with Idris Muhammad and George Mraz.

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 among 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 groups dedicated to his music.

As leader

 * Hell's Bells (1978) - Strata-East Records, with Clint Houston, Cliff Barbaro
 * After the Morning (1979) with Walter Booker, Cliff Barbaro West 54 Records
 * Some Other Time (1981) - Theresa Records
 * John Hicks (1984) - Theresa
 * In Concert (1984) - Theresa
 * Sketches of Tokyo (1986) with David Murray
 * Luminous (1988) - Nilva Records
 * East Side Blues (1988) with Curtis Lundy, Victor Lewis - DIW Records
 * Two of a Kind (1989) - Theresa
 * Power Trio (Novus, 1990) with Cecil McBee and Elvin Jones
 * Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 7 (1991)
 * 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 Eric Alexander With Art Blakey With Bob Thiele Collective With Gary Bartz With Lester Bowie With Arthur Blythe With Betty Carter With Booker Ervin With Chico Freeman With Keystone Trio With Hank Mobley With Lee Morgan With David Murray With Pharoah Sanders
 * Solid (1998)
 * Sunday in New York (2005)
 * Are You Real (1965)
 * Soul Finger (Limelight, 1965)
 * 'S Make It (Limelight, 1965)
 * Hold On, I'm Coming (Limelight, 1965)
 * Child's Dance (Prestige, 1972)
 * Sunrise Sunset (1990)
 * West 42nd Street (Candid, 1990)
 * Fast Last! (Muse, 1974)
 * Illusions (Columbia, 1980)
 * Blythe Spirit (Columbia, 1981)
 * ''[(Basic Blythe)] (Columbia, 1988)
 * The Audience with Betty Carter (Bet-Car, 1979)
 * Structurally Sound (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
 * The Outside Within (India Navigation, 1978)
 * Spirit Sensitive (India Navigation, 1979)
 * Heart Beats (1996)
 * Newklear Music: The Songs of Sonny Rollins (1997)
 * Hi Voltage (Blue Note, 1967)
 * Taru (Blue Note, 1968)
 * Live In Baltimore: 1968 (Fresh Sound, 2004)
 * 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)
 * Journey to the One (Theresa, 1980)
 * Africa (Timeless Holland, 1987)
 * A Prayer Before Dawn (Evidence, 1987)