Roy Brooks Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Recorded in N.Y.C., drumist (as he liked to call himself) Roy Brooks is joined by fellow Detroiter Marcus Belgrave on trumpet, alto saxophonist (exclusively - no doubling) Sonny Fortune and Sonny Red (on tenor instead of his more familiar alto,) pianist Mickey Tucker, bassist Reggie Workman on loan from John Coltrane, and occasionally vocalist Eddie Jefferson. This is the initial version of what would become the most legendary of the bands Brooks led, dubbed The Artistic Truth. At a time when the percussionist was living in The Big Apple, this group was set apart from the leader's previous work with Horace Silver, and added a distinct edginess and urgency. There are three standards, Brooks's famous " The Prophet" and "Blues for the Carpenter's Saw." A recording to seek and find if you can, it highlights a time before Roy Brooks and Belgrave returned to Detroit -- to stay. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Originally released on the Muse label, this album is of vital importance not only because it is one of Brooks' few dates as leader, but also because it introduced much of the jazz world to trumpeter Woody Shaw, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, pianist Hugh Lawson, and bassist Cecil McBee. Recorded at the Left Bank Jazz Society in Baltimore, MD, Brooks and company reflect the music of the day, from straight post-bop and soul-jazz to ultra-modern sounds and unique percussion musings. There are four lengthy selections -- three written by Brooks, one by McBee. The set starts with the title track, which features soaring horn lines and a steady feel-good boogaloo fueled by ostinato piano and bass. Coleman's smooth tenor and Shaw's pungent trumpet contrast each other to good effect on this number. "Understanding" features a head where lead trumpet meets harmonious tenor. Shaw's trumpet solo intensifies Brooks' lovelight beat, and the piece ends in ticktock mode with counterpointed horns and delirious gong ringing. "Will Pan's Walk" has the seeds of a classic, with McBee's heavy ostinato contrasting Lawson's delicate shadings. On the finale, "Five for Max," Brooks cops many of Max Roach's signature trappings and adds a few of his own, including using a breath-a-tone device that allows him to heighten or lower the pitch of his drums by exhaling or inhaling through a pair of plastic tubes. Brooks can drive 'em completely wild -- and does on this exciting piece of modal modern jazz. Of course, Coleman, Shaw, Lawson, and McBee are nothing less than world-class. This is a band for the ages. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Recorded for Berry Gordy's short-lived Workshop Jazz imprint, Roy Brooks' simply but authoritatively titled Beat fuses the intellectual rigors of the modern idiom with the physical prowess of soul-jazz to create a record of uncommon scope and reach. Working with Horace Silver Quintet colleagues Blue Mitchell, Junior Cook, and Gene Taylor alongside Detroit contemporaries George Bohannon and Hugh Lawson, Brooks channels influences spanning the breadth of the Motor City scene, resulting in a clutch of challenging but engaging performances with the unmistakable patina of the embryonic Motown sound. While their technical proficiency is stunning, Brooks' rhythms never lose sight of the almighty groove, and for its hard bop stridency, the record has the proverbial good beat and you can dance to it. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This CD features drummer Roy Brooks (who also plays musical saw on one piece) on two duets apiece (recorded live over a period of six years) with trumpeter Woody Shaw and pianists Randy Weston, Don Pullen and Geri Allen. The music is full of surprises and generally holds one's interest with the trumpet-drums duets being the most unusual. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
