John Hicks Trio – Cry Me A River (1998) [Japan 2016] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-185]

Title: John Hicks Trio – Cry Me A River (1998) [Japan 2016]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Cry Me a River is an album led by pianist John Hicks. John Hicks is joined by fellow musicians Dwayne Burno on bass and Victor Lewis on drums for a compilation of jazz standards titled Cry Me A River. Tunes include “Witchcraft”, “Alone Together”, “Moon And Sand”, “Cry Me A River” and more.
John Hicks was very much in demand during the last two decades of his life, often releasing several CDs annually for a variety of labels. This 1997 studio session for Venus finds the pianist playing in his favorite setting, with a trio consisting of bassist Dwayne Burno and the phenomenal drummer Victor Lewis. Starting with the standard “Witchcraft,” Hicks offers a swinging yet elegant performance. Most of the session focuses on ballads, highlighted by his spacious, insightful scoring of “Beautiful Love” and a strolling, bluesy take of the usually bittersweet “You Don’t Know What Love Is.” It’s challenging to find fresh ground to explore in a warhorse like “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise,” though Hicks’ light yet breezy arrangement gives one an opportunity to hear Burno’s tasty bass work. The sole jazz composition of the date is the final track, a cooking rendition of Duke Ellington’s “C Jam Blues” that leaves the listener wanting more from the trio.

hraudio | allmusic | discogs

Tracklist:

01. Witchcraft
02. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
03. Beautiful Love
04. I’m Getting Sentimental Over You
05. Cry Me A River
06. Alone Together
07. You Don’t Know What Love Is
08. Moon And Sand
09. “C” Jam Blues

Personnel:

John Hicks – piano
Dwayne Burno – bass
Victor Lewis – drums

Note:

Produced, Mixed & Mastered by Tetsuo Hara. Engineered by Troy Halderson.
Recorded on June 27, 1997 at Clinton Studio “A” in New York.
Venus Hyper Magnum Sound Direct Mix. VENUS Japan # VHGD-185.

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