Chuck Nessa Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I copped this piece from RMB: Legendary Detroit jazz drummer Roy Brooks dies November 16, 2005 BY MARK STRYKER, DETROIT FREE PRESS MUSIC WRITER Roy Brooks, one of the greatest jazz musicians to emerge from Detroit and in his heyday in the 1960s a ubiquitous presence in clubs and on record with many of the biggest names in jazz, died Tuesday at Detroit Receiving Hospital. He was 67 and suffered from heart, lung, arthritis and circulation troubles, said his wife Hermine Brooks. Brooks' clarified swing, gutsy attack, fiery momentum and distinctive rhythmic snap made him on eof the keynote hard bop drummers of his generation. He made his name with pianist Horace Silver's Quintet from 1959-64 and later worked or recorded with Sonny Stitt, Yusef Lateef, Dexter Gordon, Charles Mingus, James Moody and countless others. After returning to Detroit in the '70s, Brooks became a godfather on the local scene, working with groups such as his Aboriginal Percussion Choir, playing the blues on the musical saw and mentoring future stars like pianist Geri Allen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
md655321 Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Living in Michigan I have heard his name many many many times, but never got a chance to see him perform or to hear his music. 67 is pretty young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Wasn't he on the five LP Prestige date of the Chet Baker Quintet with George Coleman and Kirk Lightsey? I had two of those when I was in college. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted November 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I saw him a bunch of times (before I moved to MI) mostly with Mingus. Great spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValerieB Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 i am sad to hear about roy's passing and although 67 is very young, roy had a tough struggle to survive those many years. i think i remember when he and hermine married in the sixties. this is probably the first time he's been at peace in a long time. god bless his soul. and i send my heartfelt condolences to his widow, family members and friends. valerie bishop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Great drummer. I'll put on Free Slave, his great solo record and listen a while. He was wonderful with Horace Silver's group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Rest. Rest in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christiern Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Another one I never got a chance to see. R.I.P., Roy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I enjoyed his work with what was arguably the greatest group that Horace Silver ever assembled. RIP . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 R.I.P., brother in drums. Another great rhythm spirit has left us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert J Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I saw him in Detroit and Windsor several times when I was in high school and University in the mid 80s. I guess I was lucky to even have spoken with him. The drummer in my band and I were checking out his drum kit at the break in this small Windsor club. And he explained his setup to us. He had this device, where he had these flexible tubes running into his toms, and possibly the bass drum. The tubes were attached to a breathing apparatus so he could change the pitch as he played by exerting more or less air into the tubes from his mouth. It made for really interesting solos and I never heard anything like that (or since). He also played the saw quite creatively too. Search out The Free Slave or Duet in Detroit if you want to hear his power. Unfortunately in the last few years, Roy had some severe setbacks due to a bi-polar disorder. You can read it here, as it is sad for me to describe. http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=2746 http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=7070 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Thanks for keeping the beat. I enjoyed your playing. I think I'll spin some Horace Silver now and listen to your druming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Another good one goes away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Sad news - always really enjoyed his work with Silver. Hope he now rests in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Stryker Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Here's a link to the full obituary as it ran in the Detroit Free Press on Thursday morning. http://159.54.239.117/apps/pbcs.dll/articl...70574/1010/NEWS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Thank you, Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Sad news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Sad news indeed. One of the few drummers whose recordings I actively sought. And whose concerts I went out of my way to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Wow. What a drag. It goes without saying that our society's attitude towards the mentally ill is in desperate need of change. And let's not even go into "normal" health care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.W. Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Sad news indeed. I liked his work with Horace Silver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makpjazz57 Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Shamefully, I'm not as familiar with Brooks' work as I should be. Can anyone recommend some CDs/recordings in which Brooks is heavily featured. Since I'm a Horace Silver fan, would welcome suggestions of Silver recordings featuring Brooks. Thanks, Marla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randissimo Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 (edited) I had the pleasure of meeting Roy Brooks in the late 70's when he would occasionally play at the Biermeister, a now defunct jazz club in Grand Rapids, MI with his band the Artistic Truth. I was sitting at a table when Roy Brooks called me up to the bandstand. He had a tune he was playing on a small mallet percussion instrument and wanted to have a drummer if possible, sit in, and unbeknownst to me, the club owner told Roy about me. After the shock of Roy calling my name, I walked up to the bandstand and nervously introduced myself to Roy. He gave me a warm smile and a firm handshake, and his first remark was, "You're a Cancer aren't you?" .. I tell him "I am a Cancer, how did you know?" and he smiles big and says, "Because you vibrate in the key A flat".. This really tripped me out because I have always written and improvised and almost always in that key whenever I sit at a piano! That night Roy played a beautiful rendition of Horace Silver's ballad "Peace" on the saw as well as a soulful "Body And Soul". Roy played brilliant and amazing solos that night as well as a profoundly deep and firey rhythmic approach to time. Roy in fact, gave me the idea of using flexible plastic tubes to change the pitches of my toms, which I started experimenting with again. I believe he was one of the first to discover the idea.. Roy Brooks was also quite an entertainer and would sometimes tell off the wall stories and share weird facts with the audience. During one of his performances at the GR jazz club, I remember him coming up to the mic and telling the audience, "NOW HEAR THIS,, NO MATTER HOW FAST A FISH SWIMS HE NEVER SWEATS" .. Roy Brooks was an amazing musician and percussionist and has inspired countless numbers of musicians as well as aspiring drummers. His contribution to the percussion group M'Boom in the late 70's / early 80's was magical! We have lost 2 great drummers in the last 2 years. Elvin Jones and now Roy Brooks. The two of them in fact grew up in and near Detroit. were innovative masters, and long time friends. I'm sure Roy & Elvin are having a warm re-union! God Bless you Roy Brooks, may you now rest in peace. Edited November 19, 2005 by randissimo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Great post Randy, thank you for sharing your memories of Roy Brooks. Let's play our first set dedicated to him tonight. Bring those tubes, man!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 (edited) ..... Roy gave me the idea of using flexible plastic tubes to change the pitches of my toms, which I started experimenting with again. I believe he was the first to discover the concept. Thanks for sharing these memories - I sure expect to hear those tubes on the next Organissimo CD ..... IIRC correctly, Max Roach - who founded M'Boom - used one of these made by the Hollywood Meazzi drum company in the early 1960's. Edited November 17, 2005 by mikeweil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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