John Hicks
' sudden death in the spring of 2006 was a shock to the jazz world. This tribute CD salutes his work as a composer, pianist, and arranger, with the capable
Larry Willis
(an old friend) filling the piano chair, plus
Hicks
' widow,
Elise Wood-Hicks
, on flute; saxophonist
Craig Handy
; trumpeter
Eddie Henderson
; bassist
Curtis Lundy
; and drummer
Steve Williams
. The band opens with a breezy take of
"Mind Wine,"
then moves on to the intricate
"After the Morning,"
which features a captivating blend of flute and soprano sax.
"Blues in the Pocket"
is an upbeat hard bop vehicle that swings like mad, while the lush ballad
"Heart to Heart"
features
Henderson
's lyrical muted trumpet.
"Naima's Love Song"
is one of
' best-known tunes, and
Willis
delivers the goods with his outstanding playing. Finally,
Duke Ellington
's
"Single Petal of a Rose"
is a heartfelt duet by
and
Wood-Hicks
to close the session. ~ Ken Dryden