Hicks, John, 1941-2006

John Hicks (1847-1917) was a native of Auburn, New York. His family moved westward to Detroit, Michigan, and later to Wisconsin, settling in Waupaca County. Hicks studied at Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin, before entering the newspaper business in his early twenties as a reporter for the Oshkosh Northwestern. He eventually became editor and publisher of the paper. Hicks also served as United States Minister to Peru (1889-1893) under President Benjamin Harrison and United States Minister to Chile (1905-1909) during the administration of Theodore Roosevelt.

Epithet: of Bradenham, county Buckinghamshire

Jazz pianist, composer, and educator professionally active in music since the 1960s.

Epithet: of the Home Office

Epithet: Lieutenant; RN

John Hicks (born 12 December, 1941; died 10 May, 2006) was born in Atlanta, Georgia, relocating with his family soon thereafter to Los Angeles and then to St. Louis. He studied at Lincoln University in Missouri (1958-1960), the St. Louis Institute of Music (1961-1962), Berklee College of Music, and The Juilliard School. In 1963, Hicks relocated to New York where he was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1964-1965. He then performed and toured with Betty Carter (1966-1968) and Woody Herman (1968-1970), while recording with musicians including Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, and Booker Ervin. Hicks continued with his work as a sideman in the 1970s and beyond, performing and recording Oliver Lake, Charles Tolliver, Arthur Blythe, David Murray, and numerous others. In the late 1980s and early 1990s Hicks additionally performed as a part of the Mingus Dynasty Band.

From the 1970s on, in addition to his work as a sideman and his solo appearances, Hicks also led a number of bands and ensembles. These ranged from duos to sextets and included musicians such as Sonny Fortune, Walter Booker, Jimmy Cobb, Gary Bartz, Eddie Henderson, Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Elvin Jones, and many others. Beginning in 1982 he regularly performed with the flutist Elise Wood, whom he married in 2001.

Hicks also maintained interests in composition, composing and arranging works such as Naima's Love Song and After the Morning . He further worked as an educator, teaching at Southern Illinois University, the New School for Social Research, and New York University.