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 King Solomon Hicks (from the album Harlem on Provogue Records)
The sound of Soul music permeates each and every note, nuance, rhythm, and Blues of Harlem, the recent release from album title native son, King Solomon Hicks. A pounding beat shows no mercy while the guitar work of King Solomon Hicks bares teeth in the instrumental cruising “Riverside Drive” as his wriggling guitar line snakes in and under, wrapping around “What the Devil Loves”. Harlem shows a tender side in the smooth glide of “I Love You More Than You Ever Know” while the album makes a Blues crawl through “Help Me” as guitar notes fire sparks and blend Blues with Garage Rock shouting “It’s Alright”. Growing up in Harlem, King Solomon Hicks was in the audience of local Jazz clubs with his parents, teaching himself guitar by age six, polishing his skill set at private parties and local jams. ‘Play or pay’ takes on a new meaning when the thirteen-year-old guitarist was tossed onstage backing local artists at the infamous Cotton Club. Now hitting his mid-20’s, King Solomon Hicks pays tribute to the sounds of Soul that trained him, riding a Rock’n’Soul groove for “Headed Back to Memphis”, tapping his toe to the sunshine beat of Southern Soul for “I’d Rather Be Blind”, and stepping on the gas pedal barreling down Highway 61 in “Have Mercy on Me”. Produced by Kirk Yano (Miles Davis, Public Enemy), Harlemsalutes its heroes in song while King Solomon Hicks borrows from personal favorites for versions of “Everyday I Have the Blues” as he concocts a funky jam for Gary Wright’s “Love is Alive”. Listen and buy the music of King Solomon Hicks from AMAZON Visit the King Solomon Hicks website for more information
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