User:Adjoajo/Hicks

“King” Solomon Hicks is a young guitarist, blues, and jazz singer. His style of music ranges from Jazz, Blues, Classical, Gospel, R&B, Funk, Afro-Cuban, and Classic Rock. He has been called 'Lil B.B. King, King Solomon, and East Montgomery coined after Wes Montgomery by his fans in Harlem. He gets those titles because he merges blues and jazz. Solomon has been a blues guitarist since he was 13. He plays a Benedetto GA35 guitar. Benedetto jazz guitars are hand crafted by Robert Benedetto an American luthier of archtop jazz guitars.

His first recording was when he was 14 with the Cotton Club All-Star Band at the age of 14. The CD is called 'Embryonic'. He tours nationally and internationally and has toured in Spain, Denmark, Germany, and Japan.

Early life
Solomon got his first guitar lessons at the age six. His mother Holly Hicks was his first tutor. She schooled him in the history of African-American music. He first started out learning soul music, blues, and then on to Jimi Hendrix style funk. He was playing music before he learned to read music. He attended the Harlem School of Arts, and Jazzmobile's training program. His parents took the young Hicks to jam sessions where he got to sit in. This parents took him to such clubs in Harlem as the Lenox Lounge, and St. Nick's Pub in Harlem. At an early age Solomon sat in on jam sessions with musicians such as Patience Higgins, Charles Earland, and Jimmy McGriff. At the age of 13 starting playing with the Cotton Club in New York City's 17- piece band as a lead guitarist. He still performs at the Cotton Club, and as been performing there for nine years.

At Harlem's School of the Arts and at Harbor Conservatory for the Performing Arts he studied Jazz, Classical and Afro-Cuban guitar. He attended Jazzmobile workshops where he studied Bebop with Barry Harris.

Career
Solomon has performed at the KISS Kruise V - Kiss (band), the Joe Bonamassa Blues Cruise in 2017, the [FESTIVAL DE BLUES DE BÉJAR-Blues CAZORLA-San Javier] in Spain, in France at the Jazz Marciac, and the Cotton Club in Tokyo. He has performed with many prominent artists such as; Tony Bennett Jon Hendricks, Mike Stern, Lee Ritenour, Bruce Springsteen,

Albums

 * His first CD recorded on the Cotton Club label, "Embryonic," when he was 14.
 * 2015 - Carrying On The Torch Of The Blues
 * Spring 2018 album on Mascot Label Group

Quotes
“The New York scene is very competitive with plenty of great talent. My Mom would put mein these situations where I had to sink or swim. Some of the clubs are closed now. I did a lot of practicing, messing up, and falling on my face. But eventually I started learning how to swim better." Solomon Hicks

"I’m not trying to get an award for composition from Berklee or Julliard. My joy has always come from moving people.” Solomon Hicks