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Joan Hickey

Joan has been teaching and performing in the Chicago area since the 1980's. She went to school at the University of Illinois in Champaign, and discovered jazz her senior year. Many outstanding musicians that had graduated were still there postponing a move to a big city. The result of this was a jazz scene rich with camaraderie and free from economic pressure.

"I had no teachers or books, just the recordings. I learned the most by listening to others. People would have parties and I picked up a lot from their comments when we would sit around and listen to recordings. I was drawn to all the unique and sometimes outrageous personalities of the musicians. You could hear it in their playing. They shared a philosophy and aesthetic that taught a deep understanding of the essence of the music. Our aim was to honor the past masters, know what was to really swing, and to explore one’s own personality."

Joan immediately began working as a jazz musician when she moved back to Chicago. She played a number of solo and big band gigs, led a Blakey style sextet, and a group with vocalist Suzanne Palmer ( a singer with an enormous voice who's style was a cross between Nancy Wilson and Aretha Franklin) She played one of the Chicago Jazz Festivals with Cab Calloway, Milt Hinton, J.C. Heard, and Jonah Jones.

There have always been trio gigs, and after many years, she settled into a group with Dennis Carroll, bass and George Fludas, drums. After George came Dana Hall. She continues her work to this day with vocalists. "I love the challenge of accompanying a vocalist, and it gives me a chance to be around some female energy!"

She has been awarded 2 National Endowment for the Arts grants and an Illinois Arts Council grant in music composition. Her quintet was a finalist in the Hennessy Jazz Competition. The C.D., "Soulmates" was nominated for Best jazz C.D. at the Chicago Music Awards. She performed at the Kennedy Center in May 2006 during the Women in Jazz Festival.

Joan has played with Nat Adderly, Von Freeman, Frank Morgan, Lou Tabakin, Jon Faddis, Clark Terry and Buster Williams. Tours include Italy, Sweden, and Denmark with the Jazz Members Big Band featuring Joe Williams, vocalist.

Her CD "Between The Lines", released in 2006, includes Tito Carrillo trumpet, John Wojciechowski saxophone, Dennis Carroll bass, and Dana Hall drums.

The repertoire includes originals and her own arrangements on Bridge Over Troubled Water, Black Magic Woman, The Man I Love, and My Funny Valentine.

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Album Review

Joan Hickey: Between the Lines

Read "Between the Lines" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Chicago-based pianist Joan Hickey and her quintet sound as if they're trying to sneak up on you with some warbling horn work over a steady bass line as the opening Hickey original, “Herbris," spins to life. Then they find the groove that leads into a light-stepping piano solo; and over the course of eight-plus minutes they keep a mainstream feeling without resorting to the formulaic, later catching fire with saxophonist John Wojciechowski's hot solo.It's a helluva start; and ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Between the Lines

OA2 Records
2006

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Herbris

From: Between the Lines
By Joan Hickey

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