Bubba Brooks
Encyclopedia
David Kenneth Brooks, Jr., better known as Bubba Brooks or Bubber Brooks (May 29, 1922, Fayetteville, North Carolina
– April 11, 2002) was an American jazz
tenor saxophonist. He was the brother of Tina Brooks
.
Brooks's first professional gig was with the medicine show
of Pepper McAllister. He served in the Army
during World War II
, there he played with James Moody
. He moved to New York City
after his discharge in 1944, where he played at Minton's Playhouse
and the Harlem Grill. He toured North Carolina
in a band alongside Sonny Payne
in 1947, then played with George Barkley
at the Baby Grand in New York; he first recorded with Barkley around 1947 or 1948. He then played with Sonny Thompson
from 1948 to 1957.
In 1958 he worked with Jimmy McCracklin
and in 1961 with Phil Upchurch
; he also did session work with pop musicians in the 1960s. From 1967 to 1973 he played at the Fantasy East in New York with alto saxophonist Charles Williams
and Don Pullen
, recording three albums as a trio for Mainstream Records
. After a short run with Jimmy McGriff
in 1974, Brooks became a member of Bill Doggett
's ensemble, where he remained for two decades (1976–1996).
Brooks worked in the middle of the 1990s with Bross Townsend
, Carrie Smith
, and the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band. He did a tour of France
with Al Casey
in 1999.
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
– April 11, 2002) was an American jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
tenor saxophonist. He was the brother of Tina Brooks
Tina Brooks
Harold Floyd "Tina" Brooks was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and composer.-Early years:Harold Floyd Brooks was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and was the brother of David "Bubba" Brooks. The nickname "Tina", pronounced Teena, was a slight variation of "Teeny", a childhood moniker....
.
Brooks's first professional gig was with the medicine show
Medicine show
Medicine shows were traveling horse and wagon teams which peddled "miracle cure" medications and other products between various entertainment acts. Their precise origins unknown, medicine shows were common in the 19th century United States...
of Pepper McAllister. He served in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, there he played with James Moody
James Moody (saxophonist)
James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player. He was best known for his hit "Moody's Mood for Love," an improvisation based on "I'm in the Mood for Love"; in performance, he often improvised vocals for the tune.-Biography:James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia...
. He moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
after his discharge in 1944, where he played at Minton's Playhouse
Minton's Playhouse
Minton’s Playhouse is a jazz club and bar located on the first floor of the Cecil Hotel at 210 West 118th Street in Harlem. Minton’s was founded by tenor saxophonist Henry Minton in 1938...
and the Harlem Grill. He toured North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in a band alongside Sonny Payne
Sonny Payne
Sonny Payne was an American jazz drummer, best known for his work with Count Basie and Harry James.His father was Wild Bill Davis's drummer Chris Columbus...
in 1947, then played with George Barkley
George Barkley
George Philip Barkley is an American executive consultant, investment banker and fondsmanager. He is also a former CEO of the Blackstone Group...
at the Baby Grand in New York; he first recorded with Barkley around 1947 or 1948. He then played with Sonny Thompson
Sonny Thompson
Sonny Thompson was an American R&B bandleader and pianist, popular in the 1940s and 1950s.Born Alfonso Thompson in Centreville, Mississippi, he began recording in 1946, and in 1948 achieved two #1 R&B chart hits on the Miracle label – "Long Gone " and "Late Freight", both featuring saxophonist...
from 1948 to 1957.
In 1958 he worked with Jimmy McCracklin
Jimmy McCracklin
Jimmy McCracklin is an American pianist, vocalist, and songwriter. His style contains West Coast blues, Jump blues, and R&B. Over a career that has spanned seven decades, he says he has written almost a thousand songs and has recorded hundreds of them...
and in 1961 with Phil Upchurch
Phil Upchurch
Phil Upchurch is an American jazz and R&B guitarist and bassist.Upchurch started his career working with The Kool Gents, The Dells, and The Spaniels before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush and Jimmy Reed. He then returned to Chicago to play and record with Woody Herman, Stan Getz,...
; he also did session work with pop musicians in the 1960s. From 1967 to 1973 he played at the Fantasy East in New York with alto saxophonist Charles Williams
Charles Williams
-United Kingdom:* Sir Charles Hanbury Williams , Member of Parliament and satirist* Charles Williams, Baron Williams of Elvel , life peer ennobled in 1985* Charles Williams , principal of Jesus College, Oxford...
and Don Pullen
Don Pullen
Don Pullen was an American jazz pianist and organist. Pullen developed a strikingly individual style throughout his career. He composed masterworks ranging from blues to bebop and modern jazz...
, recording three albums as a trio for Mainstream Records
Mainstream Records
Mainstream Records was an American record label, which released jazz, rock music, and soundtracks during the 1970s.It was founded in 1964 by Bob Shad, and in its early history reissued material from Commodore Records and Time Records in addition to some new jazz material...
. After a short run with Jimmy McGriff
Jimmy McGriff
James Harrell McGriff was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who developed a distinctive style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ.-Early years and influences:...
in 1974, Brooks became a member of Bill Doggett
Bill Doggett
Bill Doggett was an American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist. He is best known for his tracks, "Honky Tonk" and "Hippy Dippy", and variously working with The Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Jordan.-Biography:William Ballard Doggett was born in...
's ensemble, where he remained for two decades (1976–1996).
Brooks worked in the middle of the 1990s with Bross Townsend
Bross Townsend
Bross Elvie Townsend, Jr. was an American jazz and blues pianist.Townsend was born in Princeton, Kentucky. His father was also a pianist, who started his son on the instrument at age seven. He moved to Cleveland in 1933 and attended the Cleveland Institute of Music...
, Carrie Smith
Carrie Smith
Carrie Smith is an American blues and jazz singer.Smith was a member of a church choir that performed at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival...
, and the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band. He did a tour of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with Al Casey
Al Casey
Albert Aloysius Casey known professional as Al Casey, was an African American swing guitarist who played with Fats Waller on some of his famous recordings. Casey composed the well known tune Buck Jumpin which was recorded by Waller.Casey was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Joseph and Maggie B....
in 1999.
As Leader
- Smooth Sailing (TCB, 1995)
- The big Sound of Bubba Brooks (Claves Jazz, 1995)
- Polka Dots And Moonbeams (TCB, 1996)
As Sideman
- Wynonie HarrisWynonie HarrisWynonie Harris , born in Omaha, Nebraska, was an American blues shouter and rhythm and blues singer of upbeat songs, featuring humorous, often ribald lyrics. With fifteen Top 10 hits between 1946 and 1952, Harris is generally considered one of rock and roll's forerunners, influencing Elvis Presley...
(Route 66Route 66 RecordsRoute 66 Records is a record production company that reissues forgotten Rhythm & Blues recordings. Their motto: "The Highway To R&B". They are known to have produced the following compilation albums:*KIX-1: Floyd Dixon: Opportunity Blues...
, 1954) - Phil UpchurchPhil UpchurchPhil Upchurch is an American jazz and R&B guitarist and bassist.Upchurch started his career working with The Kool Gents, The Dells, and The Spaniels before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush and Jimmy Reed. He then returned to Chicago to play and record with Woody Herman, Stan Getz,...
You can't sit down (United ArtistsUnited Artists RecordsUnited Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
, 1961) - Phil UpchurchPhil UpchurchPhil Upchurch is an American jazz and R&B guitarist and bassist.Upchurch started his career working with The Kool Gents, The Dells, and The Spaniels before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush and Jimmy Reed. He then returned to Chicago to play and record with Woody Herman, Stan Getz,...
Twist - The big hit dances (United Artists, 1961) - Charles Williams (MainstreamMainstream RecordsMainstream Records was an American record label, which released jazz, rock music, and soundtracks during the 1970s.It was founded in 1964 by Bob Shad, and in its early history reissued material from Commodore Records and Time Records in addition to some new jazz material...
, 1971) - Charles Williams Trees and Grass and Things (Mainstream, 1972)
- Charles Williams Stickball (Mainstream, 1973)
- Bill DoggettBill DoggettBill Doggett was an American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist. He is best known for his tracks, "Honky Tonk" and "Hippy Dippy", and variously working with The Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Jordan.-Biography:William Ballard Doggett was born in...
Am I blue (Black and Blue, 1978) - Bill DoggettBill DoggettBill Doggett was an American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist. He is best known for his tracks, "Honky Tonk" and "Hippy Dippy", and variously working with The Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Jordan.-Biography:William Ballard Doggett was born in...
Honky Tonk (Black and Blue, 1980) - Bill DoggettBill DoggettBill Doggett was an American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist. He is best known for his tracks, "Honky Tonk" and "Hippy Dippy", and variously working with The Ink Spots, Johnny Otis, Wynonie Harris, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Jordan.-Biography:William Ballard Doggett was born in...
The Right Choice (After Hours, 1991) - Bross Townsend I love jump jazz (Claves Jazz, 1995)
- Michel Pastre Live during a french tour (Djaz, 1999)
- Joseph Carter In the now (Velvet Swan, 2000)
- Bobby Forrester Organic Chemistry (Lollipop, 2001)