Reviews:

C D R E V I E W
PULSE MAGAZINE

Introducing Robert Hicks

Robert Hicks is a very talented singer/pianist/arranger in his 20s whose current album "New Standards" (Velocity) is actually a collection of new versions of some old standards. Unlike some young singers who approach the standard repertoire with some bewilderment and a lot of forced effort, Hicks obviously understands these songs and is very comfortable performing them. His scat singing on "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" and "The Song Is You" compares favorably with that of Mel Torme. And there's a smoothness to his ballad singing on "Moonlight in Vermont" and "Early Autumn" that may remind you of Chet Baker. Accompaniment ranges from Hicks' piano with bass and drums on some tracks to a big-band sound on "The Carioca" with trumpets, trombones and saxes. -Steve Gruber lives an works in the San Francisco Bay area.