(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)March 28, 2003

(Mahwah) – The John Hicks Trio, led by accomplished jazz pianist and composer John Hicks, brings its soul-rending riffs and torrid tempos to Ramapo College’s Sharp Theater Saturday, May 10 at 8 p.m. The trio features longtime musical collaborators drummer Cecil Brooks III and bassist Dwayne Dolphin.

The trio’s jazz lineage is extensive. John Hicks played road gigs with blues legends Little Milton and Albert King, as well as jazz maestros Al Grey, Johnny Griffin and Pharaoh Sanders before arriving in New York City in 1963. Hicks became a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and later joined the Betty Carter Trio. Recent discs include In The Mix, released in 1995; Single Petal Of A Rose, 1994; and John Hicks In Concert.

Drummer Cecil Brooks III has recorded with a wide variety of jazz luminaries such as Stanley Turrentine, Billy Eckstein, Jimmy Smith, Geri Allen, Benny Green, Etta Jones, Nat Adderly, the Mingus Big Band, and Hannibal Peterson. He also has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and was named as a Producer Deserving Wider Recognition” by the Down Beat Magazine Critics’ Poll. Recent CDs include Live At Sweet Basil, Vols. 1 and 2, released in 2001 and 2002; Our Mister Brooks, 2000; and For Those Who Groove to Groove, 2000. Brooks also has produced albums for numerous jazz veterans and pioneers including Hicks, Jimmy Ponder, Don Braden, Mike Cochrane, Chris White, Ron Jackson, Russell Gunn, Jr., and Eric Johnson.

Bassist Dwayne Dolphin has previously toured extensively throughout the United States with Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, and has appeared on the Tonight Show with Marsalis’ award-winning quintet. Dolphin has worked with a Who’s Who” of the jazz scene including Hank Jones, Abbey Lincoln, Chico Freeman, Pharaoh Sander, Clark Terry, Kenny Burrell, Bobby Watson, and others. Dolphin also plays the piccolo bass with his new contemporary funk band, Under Cover Project.

Critic Mike Joyce of The Washington Post noted that pianist John Hicks may be one of the unsung giants in jazz, but he certainly isn’t under-recorded. The discography he’s compiled over the years, as both a leader and a sideman, is extensive, and it no doubt will always serve as a source of great inspiration for aspiring pianists and composers.”

Tickets are $21 for general admission, $18 for seniors, and $12 for students with a valid ID. For information or to order tickets, call (201) 684-7844.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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