Harold Floyd "Tina" Brooks (June 7, 1932 – August 13, 1974) was an American… Read Full Bio ↴Harold Floyd "Tina" Brooks (June 7, 1932 – August 13, 1974) was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and composer.
Harold Floyd Brooks was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The nickname "Tina", pronounced Teena, was a variation of "Teeny", a childhood moniker. He was the brother of Bubba Brooks. He studied harmony and theory with Herbert Bourne. Initially, he studied the C-melody saxophone, which he began playing shortly after he moved to New York with his family in 1944. Brooks' first professional work came in 1951 with rhythm and blues pianist Sonny Thompson, and, in 1955, Brooks played with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. Brooks also received less formal guidance from trumpeter and composer "Little" Benny Harris, who led the saxophonist to his first recording as a leader. Harris, in fact, was the one who recommended him to Blue Note Records producer Alfred Lion in 1958.
Brooks is best known for his work for Blue Note Records between 1958 and 1961, recording primarily as a sideman with Kenny Burrell, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Freddie Redd, and Jimmy Smith. Around the same period, Brooks was McLean's understudy in The Connection, a play by Jack Gelber with music by Redd, and performed on an album of music from the play on the Felsted Label.
Brooks recorded five sessions of his own for Blue Note (including one jointly with McLean). The first session was recorded on 16 March 1958 at the Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, and featured promising young trumpeter Lee Morgan alongside seasoned professionals such as Sonny Clark, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey. Despite the calibre of the players and the quality of the output, Minor Move was not released for more than two decades, long after Brooks had died. This started an unfortunate trend, as three of his four other sessions (Street Singer, Back to the Tracks and The Waiting Game) did not appear during his lifetime. The exception was True Blue, a session recorded on 25 June 1960 with Freddie Hubbard, Duke Jordan, Sam Jones and Art Taylor. The release of True Blue coincided with the release of Hubbard's Blue Note debut album, Open Sesame (also featuring Brooks), and was not actively promoted.
Brooks did not record after 1961. Plagued by heroin dependency, and gradually deteriorating health, he died of liver failure aged just 42.
Michael Cuscuna in 1985, through Mosaic Records, released a boxset of Brooks' recordings as leader; the limited edition quickly sold out. The interest in Brooks' music has also led to releases of the unissued sessions through Blue Note Japan and on CD in Blue Note's Connosieur series.
In the liner notes for the CD release of Back to the Tracks, Cuscuna wrote: "Far lesser talents have been far more celebrated" and that Brooks "was a unique, sensitive improviser who could weave beautiful and complex tapestries through his horn. His lyricism, unity of ideas and inner logic were astounding."
David Rosenthal in his work Hard Bop: Jazz and Black Music 1955-1965 dedicated a number of pages to Brooks. Of his composition "Street Singer", Rosenthal wrote that it is "an authentic hard-bop classic" where "pathos, irony and rage come together in a performance at once anguished and sinister."
The official Blue Note website says of Brooks, "With a strong, smooth tone and an amazing flow of fresh ideas every time he soloed, tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks should have been a major jazz artist, but his legacy is confined to a series of dates that he did for Blue Note as a sideman and leader" and that he "was one of the most brilliant, if underrated, tenor saxophonists in modern jazz".
Harold Floyd Brooks was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The nickname "Tina", pronounced Teena, was a variation of "Teeny", a childhood moniker. He was the brother of Bubba Brooks. He studied harmony and theory with Herbert Bourne. Initially, he studied the C-melody saxophone, which he began playing shortly after he moved to New York with his family in 1944. Brooks' first professional work came in 1951 with rhythm and blues pianist Sonny Thompson, and, in 1955, Brooks played with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. Brooks also received less formal guidance from trumpeter and composer "Little" Benny Harris, who led the saxophonist to his first recording as a leader. Harris, in fact, was the one who recommended him to Blue Note Records producer Alfred Lion in 1958.
Brooks is best known for his work for Blue Note Records between 1958 and 1961, recording primarily as a sideman with Kenny Burrell, Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, Freddie Redd, and Jimmy Smith. Around the same period, Brooks was McLean's understudy in The Connection, a play by Jack Gelber with music by Redd, and performed on an album of music from the play on the Felsted Label.
Brooks recorded five sessions of his own for Blue Note (including one jointly with McLean). The first session was recorded on 16 March 1958 at the Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey, and featured promising young trumpeter Lee Morgan alongside seasoned professionals such as Sonny Clark, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey. Despite the calibre of the players and the quality of the output, Minor Move was not released for more than two decades, long after Brooks had died. This started an unfortunate trend, as three of his four other sessions (Street Singer, Back to the Tracks and The Waiting Game) did not appear during his lifetime. The exception was True Blue, a session recorded on 25 June 1960 with Freddie Hubbard, Duke Jordan, Sam Jones and Art Taylor. The release of True Blue coincided with the release of Hubbard's Blue Note debut album, Open Sesame (also featuring Brooks), and was not actively promoted.
Brooks did not record after 1961. Plagued by heroin dependency, and gradually deteriorating health, he died of liver failure aged just 42.
Michael Cuscuna in 1985, through Mosaic Records, released a boxset of Brooks' recordings as leader; the limited edition quickly sold out. The interest in Brooks' music has also led to releases of the unissued sessions through Blue Note Japan and on CD in Blue Note's Connosieur series.
In the liner notes for the CD release of Back to the Tracks, Cuscuna wrote: "Far lesser talents have been far more celebrated" and that Brooks "was a unique, sensitive improviser who could weave beautiful and complex tapestries through his horn. His lyricism, unity of ideas and inner logic were astounding."
David Rosenthal in his work Hard Bop: Jazz and Black Music 1955-1965 dedicated a number of pages to Brooks. Of his composition "Street Singer", Rosenthal wrote that it is "an authentic hard-bop classic" where "pathos, irony and rage come together in a performance at once anguished and sinister."
The official Blue Note website says of Brooks, "With a strong, smooth tone and an amazing flow of fresh ideas every time he soloed, tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks should have been a major jazz artist, but his legacy is confined to a series of dates that he did for Blue Note as a sideman and leader" and that he "was one of the most brilliant, if underrated, tenor saxophonists in modern jazz".
True Blue
Tina Brooks Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'True Blue' by these artists:
Angel Olsen Mark Ronson (Fucking around, I'm falling in love) (Saying goodbye 'cause…
Benson George Never been a millionaire And I tell you mama I don't…
Blood Stain Child 壊れそうな程 狂いそうな程 切ない夜には そっと「抱きしめて」 壊れそうな程 狂いそうな程 切ない夜には そう呟い…
Boygenius You said you wanted to feel alive So we went to…
Bright Eyes Well, the songs you sung spiraled And hung round like…
Brighteyes I am a blueblood I will admit that. I dance…
ClariS What is the reason of my birth reason of my life question…
Digger I've had other guys. I've looked into their eyes, but I…
Dirty Beaches I walk along these streets until I Have you in…
dj TAKA feat. AiMEE what happen to our heart love brakes does it fade into the…
DL Rossi I don’t think I want to, but I’m gonna give…
Dolly Parton I'll be true to you my darling I'll be true to…
Frank & Catholics Two, one two In a little while I'm going to do some…
Gary Louris Rusty wire, bent to make a fence, rows and rows of houses, c…
George Benson Never been a millionaire And I tell you mama I don't…
Georgia Blues Dawgs Pour me some of that drink In my cup I dunno what…
Isabelle Boulay I'll be true to you, my darlin' I'll be true to…
Jason Diaz Yeah you've got it going on I can't leave this behind Cause…
John Williamson Hey True Blue, don't say you've gone Say you've knocked off…
Lorena Chaves Imagino a brisa soprar Marinheiro sem leme nas mãos Faz do m…
Luka Bloom True blue before sunrise, I'm so happy here with you Follo…
LUNA SEA kowaresouna hodo kuruisouna hodo setsunai yoru niha sotto "d…
Madonna I've had other guys I've looked into their eyes But I never…
Mariko Ide 雨のせいで こぼれそうさ キミのせいさ もう ちぎれそうさ 窓辺に 彩づくココロの蒼い雨 そのまま やわらいだ頬に 触れ…
Mark Ronson (Fucking around, I'm falling in love) (Saying goodbye 'cause…
Mindi Abair {Musique sans paroles} {Instrument = saxophone alto}…
Rainie What is the reason of my birth reason of my life…
Rainie Yang What is the reason of my birth reason of my…
Rainie Yang Cheng Lin What is the reason of my birth reason of my life…
Rod Stewart Never been a millionaire and I tell you mama I don't…
Sayaka Yamamoto アスファルト蹴りあげた分だけの夏を越え 走り続けていくとあの日誓った 泥だらけ傷だらけになっても そう簡単には捨てられな…
Sonny Landreth true blue i see your head a hangin' down true blue i see…
The Australian Wayfarers Hey True Blue, don't say you've gone Say you've knocked off…
Widowspeak Someone said you had moved to the ocean Now it makes…
Yang Cheng Lin What is the reason of my birth reason of my life…
Yellow Fang หากวันนี้ไม่สดใส อาจเป็นวันต้องทำใจ เก็บเอาผ้าที่ตากไว้ เก็บ…
Zone What is the reason of my birth reason of my life…
山本彩 アスファルト蹴りあげた分だけの夏を越え 走り続けていくとあの日誓った 泥だらけ傷だらけになっても そう簡単には捨てられな…
島谷ひとみ 風の音が なだめるように 記憶の鍵 緩めた 遠い昔 眩く見た あたたかくて 良い場所 道の先には ほら 両手いっぱいの …
後藤沙緒里 瞳閉じて 手を繋いで 連れて行くよ... Flying High 鳥より高く 雲を越えて 上昇する 恐くないよ 光を…
楊丞琳 What is the reason of my birth reason of my life…
楊丞琳 (Rainie Yang) What is the reason of my birth reason of my…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Tina Brooks:
Everything Happens to Me Black cats creep across my path Until I'm almost mad I must…
Star Eyes Star eyes, That to me is what your eyes are, Soft as…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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diegodobini2
T̲i̲n̲a̲ ̲B̲r̲o̲o̲k̲s̲ ̲–̲ ̲T̲r̲u̲e̲ ̲B̲l̲u̲e̲ ̲(̲1̲9̲6̲0̲)̲
Format:CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
Genre:Jazz
Style:Hard Bop
Tracklist:
1 G̲o̲o̲d̲ ̲O̲l̲d̲ ̲S̲o̲u̲l̲ 0:00:02
2 ̲U̲p̲ ̲T̲i̲g̲h̲t̲'̲s̲ ̲C̲r̲e̲e̲k̲ 0:08:07
3 ̲T̲h̲e̲m̲e̲ ̲F̲o̲r̲ ̲D̲o̲r̲i̲s̲ 0:13:25
4 ̲T̲r̲u̲e̲ ̲B̲l̲u̲e̲ 0:19:17
5 ̲M̲i̲s̲s̲ ̲H̲a̲z̲e̲l̲ 0:24:49
6 ̲N̲o̲t̲h̲i̲n̲g̲ ̲E̲v̲e̲r̲ ̲C̲h̲a̲n̲g̲e̲s̲ ̲M̲y̲ ̲L̲o̲v̲e̲ ̲F̲o̲r̲ ̲Y̲o̲u̲ 0:29:49
7 ̲T̲r̲u̲e̲ ̲B̲l̲u̲e̲ ̲(̲A̲l̲t̲e̲r̲n̲a̲t̲e̲ ̲T̲a̲k̲e̲)̲ 0:37:42
8 ̲G̲o̲o̲d̲ ̲O̲l̲d̲ ̲S̲o̲u̲l̲ ̲(̲A̲l̲t̲e̲r̲n̲a̲t̲e̲ ̲T̲a̲k̲e̲)̲ 0:42:44
Credits
Bass – Sam Jones
Design [Cover] – Reid Miles
Drums – Art Taylor
Liner Notes – Ira Gitler
Photography By [Cover Photo] – Francis Wolff
Piano – Duke Jordan
Producer – Alfred Lion
Recorded By, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Tina Brooks
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
Written-By – Tina Brooks (tracks: 1 to 5, 7, 8)
Notes
Recorded on June 25, 1960.
Ronald Unkel
This remarkable tenorist deserved much more recognition. With Hank Mobley i rank Tina among the best hard-boppers during those exciting jazz years of the highest calibre. Terribly underused he only recorded a few albums as leader/sideman, mainly for BN. He played with the best during those years notably the best B-3 grinder Jimmy Smith. Passed sadly in oblivion. Imo this was his best album. Great exuberant swingin’ solo’s by everyone that we don’t hear anymore. Dig/G’day & Cheers!
jackie hard-bop lady brown
Hello dear Ron ! Now i see what you wrote recently about Hard - Bop & us , so nice i had to set tears . Toodeloo's & Cheerio !
Ronald Unkel
@jackie hard-bop lady brown Good to hear from you Jazza. It’s indeed brilliant jazz music that we’ve somehow lost. Take care, be happy, G’day & Cheers!
jackie hard-bop lady brown
I agree with Mr. Unkel's opinion that is Tina Brooks best album . Yes every time i listen to this absolutely brilliant album , a world opens , no a universe....I am insatiable for the music in this album , especially for his saxophon & his compositions . A highly talented , gifted artist . Unfortunately , it was not given , that he could give the world more of his light , his all - encompassing talent . Too many ingenious jazz musicians died too young , like my beloved highly esteemed Tina Brooks 🕯❤🌹 G'day & Cheers !
avraham margi
R.i.p tina brooks .
A respectable musical heritage for future generations
Gary Robinson
This is fire. Loved it on first listen.