Drummer Roy Brooks and His Ensemble: "The Free Slave"

Drummer Roy Brooks had a long career in Jazz music as he began playing drums as a small child in Detroit, where he was born on March 9, 1938. However he never really became well known until 1959 when he came to New York to join pianist Horace Silver's Quintet. Roy replaced another Detroiter, Louis Hayes who left Silver to join Cannonball Adderley's band. Brooks went on after Silver to play with so many people it would take too long to mention. He was with saxophonist James Moody in the early 70s and toured with Charles Mingus in 1972-73. He also joined drummer Max Roach's percussion ensemble called M'Boom. Brooks later returned to Detroit and performed with many until mental illness crippled him and he died in a home for the mentally ill at age 67. Tonight's Jazz Feature is a special band led by Mr. Brooks at Baltimore's Left Bank Jazz Society on April 26,1970. The band includes the great Woody Shaw on trumpet and the amazing and still alive George Coleman on tenor saxophone. The underrated Hugh Lawson on piano and the still living master of the bass, Cecil McBee. There are only four long tunes on the date first released on Muse Records. The album was entitled "The free Slave" and that is the first tune composed by Mr. Brooks. The recording reflects in an oblique way the political climate of the times in the USA and is The Jazz Show's opening Feature dedicated to Black History Month. After the tune, "The Free Slave", two compositions by Woody Shaw follow, the first is called "Understanding" and the second is entitled "Will Pan's Walk" which leads to the final tune again by Roy Brooks called "Five For Max" dedicated to Mr. Brooks' biggest influence, Max Roach. The band performs before a vociferous audience that demonstrates it's deep appreciation for the music. Check out "The Free Slave"....real Jazz played by masters of their music.