Remembering Dan Hicks

Dan Hicks, the wry, irascible leader of Dan Hicks And His Hot Licks, died of cancer on Feb. 6 at age 74. He left behind a small but fervent group of devoted fans. Hicks' music, which he characterized as "folk swing," often featured sly, witty lyrics and instrumentation reminiscent of Django Reinhardt's gypsy jazz.

Hicks was a guest on World Cafe twice: He performed solo in 2009 and appeared in 2000 with a then-new incarnation of his Hot Licks band. Hear both sessions at the audio link above.