Only 30 years old, yet Solomon Hicks already sounds like he’s lived several musical lifetimes. This is a player possessed of something timeless, and listening to him you get the sense he was always destined for bigger rooms. After all, this is a bloke who was playing the Cotton Club at just 13. Stick on his take on “Further On Up The Road” and you’re not hearing a young guitarist showing off — you’re hearing an old-school bandleader, in full command of the room.
That authority runs right through his reading of John Lee Hooker’s “Dimples,” and again on “Driftin’ Driftin’,” which begins as the work of a dyed-in-the-wool blues purist before happily veering into jazzier territory. It’s reverent without being museum-piece stuff.
“All Your Love (I Miss Lovin’)” feels like a proper New York melting pot — blues, soul, swing, all rubbing shoulders — and that band behind him? Absolute A-listers, mate. They elevate the whole thing and underline, once again, what a genius Otis Rush really was.
There are early Joe Bonamassa vibes on “Flyin’ High (Yesterday),” a 30-year-old song plucked from nowhere and made to feel utterly alive again. But if you’re looking for proof that Hicks belongs here on his own terms, look no further than the self-penned title track. “How Did I Ever Get This Blue” sits comfortably alongside the classics, its gorgeous harmonica and timeless feel marking him out as far more than just a great interpreter.
“I’m Burning Up,” another original, carries a definite 60s glow, shaped by the pull of New York City itself — the town where I may my burden down — and you can hear the place in the grooves.
And yes, Dear Reader, I’ll admit it: I’ve never heard Bruno Mars’ version of “When I Was Your Man,” but Hicks’ take is an absolute cracker, adding a subtle Latin tinge that gives it its own character. Even more striking is the ZZ Top-style stomp he gives Adele’s “Rumour Has It.” If you’re going to cover a song, do it like this. No facsimiles. No polite nods. Tear it down and rebuild it.
“Feels Like Rain” starts as a gentle, acoustic soul piece before suddenly thundering into something huge, while the closing stretch — including a brilliant take on “Memphis, Tennessee” — lands everything perfectly.
Solomon Hicks clearly doesn’t care about the noise. Interpreter of songs? Singer-songwriter? Band leader? All of the above. “How Did I Ever Get This Blue” doesn’t just suggest it — it proves that a star is being born right in front of us.
RATING: 9/10
