2006 · Album
On the Wings of an Eagle
Recorded 2006 · Not specified in provided sources · Produced by Not specified in provided sources
A Final Flight: Hicks in 2006
A strong, unadorned piano record that needed no farewell attached to matter.
On the Wings of an Eagle arrived late in John Hicks's career, recorded in 2006 when he was already dealing with serious illness. It's not a record traded on sentiment or a last-statement urgency. Hicks was a working pianist who'd spent decades in sideman roles and leading his own sessions—solid, professional, unshowy. This album fits that pattern: straightforward piano work, no gimmicks, no attempt to reinvent himself or make some grand pronouncement.
What strikes you listening is how unselfconscious it sounds. Hicks wasn't interested in proving anything or wringing drama from his situation. The Penguin Guide to Jazz noted the recording's "poignancy" given that Hicks died eight weeks after the session, but also made clear the music would hold up regardless of that context—"it would be a cracking set." That's the right read. This is a pianist doing what he knew how to do, playing with care and no wasted motion.
If you're new to Hicks, this isn't the obvious starting point—his earlier Blue Note and Timeless sessions may serve you better for getting a sense of his range and partnerships. But if you're already familiar with his work, On the Wings of an Eagle deserves a listen precisely because it asks nothing of you except to sit with the playing itself. That's often enough.
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