John Hicks Trio - Moanin': Portrait of Art Blakey (1992) [2018 SACD]

Like many other prominent jazz musicians, master pianist John Hicks started his early career with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1964-1965). This special album for Venus Records was recorded in 1992 as a tribute to his former boss who had passed away two years earlier.
Hicks' many influences--including Bud Powell, Art Tatum, Fatz Waller, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner--shaped his modern yet earthy style. Aided by his well-known collaborators Marcus Maclaurene on bass and Victor Lewis on drums, Hicks here perform some of the familiar Jazz Messengers' repertories with a lot of emotion and extra earthiness.
It is not easy to perform these tunes--forever etched to jazz fan's memories with the powerful two-horn quintet sound of the Messengers--with a piano trio, but Hicks is successful here, more than making up the lack of horn players with his powerful piano playing.

Tracks:

01. No Problem 《 D. Jordan 》
02. Whisper Not 《 B. Golson 》
03. Nica's Dream 《 H. Silver 》
04. Moanin' 《 B. Timmons 》
05. Blues March 《 B. Golson 》
06. A Night In Tunisia 《 D. Gillespie, F. Paparelli 》

Personnel:

John Hicks - piano
Marcus Maclaurene - bass
Victor Lewis - drums