CiTR

Harold Floyd Brooks, better known as "Tina" (a nickname that he was given because of his small size is a corruption of "Teeny" or "Tiny") was one of the sadder stories in Jazz music. This well respected musician broke into the big time Jazz scene in 1958, after years in anonymous r&b and Latin bands, on a famous recording date with organist Jimmy Smith called "The Sermon". Brooks distinctive sound and blues inflected approach was like no other and Blue Note head honcho Alfred Lion took to Brooks and recorded 4 great sessions with Tina. The only problem was that Lion only released one. The others were never issued until long after Brooks' death in 1974. Brooks only recorded for Blue Note (with one exception) as a sideman and leader from 1958 to 1961. After 1961 he never recorded again. Because of an addiction to hard drugs and general physical dissipation, he stopped playing by the late 60's and died in ill health and abject poverty in 1974. Tonight in celebration of what would have been Brooks' 78th birthday, The Jazz Show is presenting one of his classic recordings. This album was advertised, sequenced, mastered and given a number but never issued. "Back To The Tracks" is a beautiful representation of New York Jazz in the early 1960's before the changes wrought by Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane and others moved the music in a new and different direction. Brooks' strong, lyrical and intense horn is heard at it's best and the band is a stellar all-star group. Along with Brooks on tenor saxophone, there is Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Arthur Taylor on drums plus on one long track, a cameo appearance by alto saxophone master Jackie Mclean. Happy Birthday to Tina Brooks, who finally got some of the recognition he warranted when he was still alive.Tina brooks was born on June 7,1932 in Fayetteville, North Carolina and died on August 13,1974 in New York.