Customer Reviews

Sweet Love of Mine

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased this CD after hearing the John Hicks solo piece "The Things We Did Last Summer" on a Newark, NJ jazz station, and was captivated by the beauty and emotion of Hicks' playing. I was pleased to find that there are several other moments on "Sweet Love Of Mine" that matched my expectations; Hicks' solo pieces "Sunset Blues" and "One Peaceful Moment" are also excellent examples of his mellow and introspective playing. These songs stand out to me as some of the most intimate sounding jazz piano solos that I've heard, and I can't count the number of times I've played them at the end of a long day. However, this posthumous release does not focus strictly on Hicks' solo playing, and I have to say that I'm not as big a fan of the ensemble pieces. I found the latin jazz tinged title track and "Mambo Influenciado" to have an annoying quality of the saxophone and flute playing the melodies in unison, which is fine if you can pull it off, but the flute player's almost constant vibrato made the melodies sound annoyingly discordant at times and I have consistently skipped these tracks when playing this disc. However, the Hicks duet with saxophonist Javon Jackson on the seven minute "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry" is just as amazing as the solo work by Hicks on "Sweet Love Of Mine". I have two of Jackson's solo CD's which are more R&B influenced, but his more traditional jazz playing here really impressed me. Overall, this CD is somewhat of a mixed bag. I love the solos by Hicks and some of the more mellow material, but I do tend to skip over at least four of the songs on this one. My suggestion to new listeners would be that "Sweet Love Of Mine" is probably not the best starting point to Hicks' material, but for longtime fans this is worth purchasing.

"Sweet Love Of Mine" marks the last recording jazz pianist John Hicks made before his death. While I think there are some selections that are just amazing like his solo piano excursions "One Peaceful Moment" or his duet with saxophonist Javon Jackson on "I'll Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out Dry," among others, I don't think this record is the best place to start exploring this wonderfully gifted musician.

Why I am giving this session 3-stars is because of flutist Elise Wood, who happens to have one of the most terrible flute tones I've ever heard, ruined the whole vibe of the record. I'm sorry, but she did. Trust me when I say this, if you want to hear a real flute player listen to David "Fathead" Newman or Jerry Dodgion. They have the tone. Making matters worse is her approach to sustain, she doesn't hold notes out long enough or doesn't seem to capable to play sustained notes.

The rest of the band are all fine musicians: Javon Jackson on tenor saxophone, Curtis Lundy on bass, Victor Jones on drums, and Ray Mantilla on percussion. These musicians provide great support to John Hicks.

This recording had so much potential, unfortunately it falls short no thanks the dreadful flutist Elise Wood. I would recommend his trio albums instead like "Something To Live For: The Billy Strayhorn," which is one of the most beautiful albums Hicks ever made or "Beyond Expectations." I would save your money and avoid this. I would only pick this one up for its historical purposes.

LOVE THE MUSIC OF JOHN HICKS. VERY UNDERRATED PLAYER.THIS CD IS GREAT FOR THE FEEL OF HIS PLAYING, CHECK THIS OUT AND YOU PLAY THIS CD A LOT.

A must have if you are a jazz afficionado. Just listen to the whole album and you will see why.