George Brooks | Saxophonist, Composer, Arranger | Jazz Indian World Fusion http://www.georgebrooks.com Wed, 08 Dec 2010 04:00:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Steve Smith, George Brooks and Prasanna http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-music/ragaboptrio/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-music/ragaboptrio/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:32:36 +0000 admin http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=671 George Brooks, Steve Smith and south Indian guitar phenomenon Prasanna release there debut album, Raga Bop Trio on the Abstract Logix music label. The Raga Bop Trio play a fluidly inventive music that bravely and insightfully combines improvisational traditions from around the world. Drawing upon the urgency and harmonic density of jazz, the rhythmic complexity and melodic richness of classical Indian music (encompassing both Northern and Southern traditions), and a range of pan-African grooves, the uniquely-constructed trio's self-titled debut album is simultaneously groundbreaking and refreshingly listenable, capturing three masters engaging in a conversation with each other and the great range of their inspirations. Read more, listen, and buy...]]>

Raga Bop Trio

  1. Tug of War (Prasanna)
  2. Miss Oma (Brooks)
  3. Love and Hunger (Brooks)
  4. Ironically (Prasanna)
  5. Garuda (Prasanna)
  6. The Geometry of Rap (Smith, Brooks, Prasanna)
  7. The Geometry of Rap (Smith, Brooks, Prasanna)
  8. Dubai Dance (Brooks)
  9. Katyayini (Prasanna)

  • George Brooks – alto and tenor saxophone
  • Prasanna – guitar
  • Steve Smith – drums, konnakol (vocal percussion)

All compositions © 2010 · George Brooks · Earth Brother Music, BMI: Susila Music, ASCAP :Vital Info Publishing. Produced by Raga Bop Trio.

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Purchase from Abstract Logix

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-music/ragaboptrio/feed/ 0 Spirit and Spice Review – Flat out wonderful http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/spirit-and-spice-review-flat-out-wonderful-2/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/spirit-and-spice-review-flat-out-wonderful-2/#comments Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:40:15 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=603 GEORGE BROOKS SUMMIT/Spirit and Spice: The thing you’re going to like most about this set is that it’s completely nuts. A solid jazzbo with free jazz leanings and world beat interests that isn’t afraid to share the spotlight with a bunch of game raising players, Brooks brings the 60s into the 10s with [...]]]> GEORGE BROOKS SUMMIT/Spirit and Spice: The thing you’re going to like most about this set is that it’s completely nuts. A solid jazzbo with free jazz leanings and world beat interests that isn’t afraid to share the spotlight with a bunch of game raising players, Brooks brings the 60s into the 10s with a smoking world/groove date that would find Paul Horn and Paul Winter running for cover if you blasted it at them. Genre twisting and groovealicious, this is visceral jazz for the over educated who won’t be able to stop themselves from bobbing their heads and jimmying their legs. FLAT OUT WONDERFUL THROUGHOUT.

Volume 33/Number 216
June 5, 2010
MIDWEST RECORD
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Copyright 2010 Midwest Record

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/spirit-and-spice-review-flat-out-wonderful-2/feed/ 0 Spirit and Spice review: “Flat out Wonderful” http://www.georgebrooks.com/uncategorized/spirit-and-spice-review-flat-out-wonderful/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/uncategorized/spirit-and-spice-review-flat-out-wonderful/#comments Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:22:27 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=595 GEORGE BROOKS SUMMIT/Spirit and Spice: The thing you’re going to like most about this set is that it’s completely nuts. A solid jazzbo with free jazz leanings and world beat interests that isn’t afraid to share the spotlight with a bunch of game raising players, Brooks brings the 60s into the 10s with [...]]]> GEORGE BROOKS SUMMIT/Spirit and Spice: The thing you’re going to like most about this set is that it’s completely nuts. A solid jazzbo with free jazz leanings and world beat interests that isn’t afraid to share the spotlight with a bunch of game raising players, Brooks brings the 60s into the 10s with a smoking world/groove date that would find Paul Horn and Paul Winter running for cover if you blasted it at them. Genre twisting and groovealicious, this is visceral jazz for the over educated who won’t be able to stop themselves from bobbing their heads and jimmying their legs. FLAT OUT WONDERFUL THROUGHOUT.

Volume 33/Number 216
June 5, 2010
MIDWEST RECORD
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher
Copyright 2010 Midwest Record

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/uncategorized/spirit-and-spice-review-flat-out-wonderful/feed/ 0 Spirit and Spice http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-music/spirit-and-spice/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-music/spirit-and-spice/#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 01:13:25 +0000 admin http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=499 "Spirit and Spice" opens with the infectious “Monsoon Blues," combining a funky James Brown guitar chop and pumping bass, with complex unison melodies that draw on the rhythmic language of South India. All of the compositions on "Spirit and Spice" are Brooks’ originals, exploring the realm where jazz and Indian classical music intersect. Read more, listen, and buy...]]>

Spirit and Spice

  1. Monsoon Blues
  2. Spice
  3. Silent Prayer- Madhuvanti
  4. Spirit
  5. Lalita
  6. Sri Rollins
  7. Peshkar for Hamza
  8. Casting

  • George Brooks – saxophone
  • Fareed Haque – guitar
  • Kai Eckhardt – bass
  • Steve Smith – drums, konnakol (vocal percussion)

With:

  • Zakir Hussain – tabla (7)
  • Swapan Chaudhuri – tabla (2,5)
  • Frank Martin – piano (2,4,5,8)
  • Niladri Kumar – sitar (2,7)
  • Ronu Majumdar – bansuri (bamboo flute) (5)
  • Kala Ramnath - violin (2)
  • Hamsika Iyer – vocal (5)
  • Sridhar Parthasarathy – mrdingam, moorsingh, ghatam, kanjira, konnakol (1)
  • Celso Alberti – percussion (8)

All compositions © 2010 · George Brooks · Earth Brother Music, BMI
Produced by George Brooks, associate producer Joel Jaffe

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or purchase directly from George Brooks:

MP3 Excerpts: (Click to play…)

Monsoon Blues Spice
Silent Prayer – Madhuvanti Spirit
Lalita Sri Rollins
Peshkar for Hamza Casting

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-music/spirit-and-spice/feed/ 0 Bombay Jazz Review on Jambase http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/bombay-jazz-review-on-jambase/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/bombay-jazz-review-on-jambase/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 01:48:51 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=482 Below is an excerpt from Joe Lang’s review of our Bombay Jazz performance at the Dakota jazz club in Minneapolis. “For the final set at their four-night stay at Minneapolis’ Dakota Jazz Club, under the banner of “Larry Coryell’s Bombay Jazz” – Brooks, Coryell, Ronu Majumdar (bansuri flute) and Aditya Kalyanpur (tabla) – proceeded to serve [...]]]> Below is an excerpt from Joe Lang’s review of our Bombay Jazz performance at the Dakota jazz club in Minneapolis.

“For the final set at their four-night stay at Minneapolis’ Dakota Jazz Club, under the banner of “Larry Coryell’s Bombay Jazz” – Brooks, Coryell, Ronu Majumdar (bansuri flute) and Aditya Kalyanpur (tabla) – proceeded to serve up a sonic concoction of supreme speed, agility and musicality that brought forth equal influence from the busy streets of New York City as it did Bombay, India.

Ordinarily, a bandleader wouldn’t have a “side man” call the shots but when the side man happens to be George Brooks, who has done more for East/West fusion than anyone in the 21st century, it’s a safe assumption Brooks will be steering things to a strong degree. Sure, Coryell has worked with artists from both North and South including Dr. L. Subramaniam as well as subbing for John Mclaughlin in the legendary Shakti, but it is Brooks who has actually studied Hindustani music and taken the time to found countless fusion projects with his Indian brethren.

So, it was fitting that the concert kicked off with Brooks’ original “McCoy,” a tribute to the great McCoy Tyner. The intro was reminiscent of an Indian classical concert with a rubato statement from the melody players before breaking down into a blistering unison line in 11. Immediately, the group brought to mind the legendary (aforementioned) Shakti with its groove in 6/8 time, but it was Coryell and Brooks’ interactions that allowed the group to go further into harmonic jazz territory unlike the original fusion super-group.”

To read the whole review cut and paste the link:

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/21989/Larry-Coryell-and-Bombay-Jazz-03.18-MN

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/bombay-jazz-review-on-jambase/feed/ 0 Interview with Larry Coryell prior to Bombay Jazz performance at L’Astral in Montreal http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/interview-with-larry-coryell-prior-to-bombay-jazz-performance-at-lastral-in-montreal/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/interview-with-larry-coryell-prior-to-bombay-jazz-performance-at-lastral-in-montreal/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 01:38:30 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=478 Back home, finishing the artwork and mastering for the new George Brooks Summit CD, “Spirit and Spice”. Should be at the presses before the end of next week. In the mean time take a look at this interview with Larry Coryell filmed before our performance at the L’Astral Jazz Club in Montreal. There is some [...]]]> Back home, finishing the artwork and mastering for the new George Brooks Summit CD, “Spirit and Spice”. Should be at the presses before the end of next week. In the mean time take a look at this interview with Larry Coryell filmed before our performance at the L’Astral Jazz Club in Montreal. There is some nice performance footage starting around 4:30.

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/interview-with-larry-coryell-prior-to-bombay-jazz-performance-at-lastral-in-montreal/feed/ 0 Posts from Muscat http://www.georgebrooks.com/uncategorized/posts-from-muscat/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/uncategorized/posts-from-muscat/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:06:12 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=473 Steve Smith has put together some behind the scenes footage of our ‘Global Fusion” concert in Muscat earlier this month..check it out Also some nice pix of the concert at http://digitaloman.blogspot.com/ ]]> Steve Smith has put together some behind the scenes footage of our ‘Global Fusion” concert in Muscat earlier this month..check it out

Also some nice pix of the concert at http://digitaloman.blogspot.com/

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/uncategorized/posts-from-muscat/feed/ 0 On Tour with Bombay Jazz http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/on-tour-with-bombay-jazz/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/on-tour-with-bombay-jazz/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:03:06 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=469 I am sitting in the sound booth at Dakotas Jazz Club in Minneapolis, MN. Bombay Jazz has been on tour for about a week now, having some great shows with super enthusiastic audiences. It is indeed pleasure to work with this group again after a two year hiatus. We continue to push the envelope on [...]]]> I am sitting in the sound booth at Dakotas Jazz Club in Minneapolis, MN. Bombay Jazz has been on tour for about a week now, having some great shows with super enthusiastic audiences. It is indeed pleasure to work with this group again after a two year hiatus. We continue to push the envelope on the jazz and Indian fronts. We even pulled out a spontaneous version of “Naima” yesterday. Ronu had never heard the piece before but dove right in like it was a familiar raga. I think Mr. Coltrane would have been quite moved.

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/on-tour-with-bombay-jazz/feed/ 0 Great Global Fusion http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/great-global-fusion/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/great-global-fusion/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:05:46 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=453 Just returned from Muscat, Oman where I had the pleasure of performing with a stellar group of extraordinary musicians. The event was hosted by Bank Sarasen Alpen who provided us this rare opportunity to bring together such a talented group from Hungary, India, Iran, Germany. Liberia, Oman and the USA. Check out these photos. ]]> Just returned from Muscat, Oman where I had the pleasure of performing with a stellar group of extraordinary musicians.
The event was hosted by Bank Sarasen Alpen who provided us this rare opportunity to bring together such a talented group from Hungary, India, Iran, Germany. Liberia, Oman and the USA. Check out these photos.

]]> http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/great-global-fusion/feed/ 0 Global Fusion in Muscat http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/global-fusion-in-muscat/ http://www.georgebrooks.com/george-brooks-blog/global-fusion-in-muscat/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:27:58 +0000 George http://www.georgebrooks.com/?p=446 I am heading to Muscat on Monday for the third is a series of “Global Fusion” concerts supported by the Dubai based Sarasin Alpen Bank. This concert on March 4th will feature India’s master percussionist and founding member of Shakti, Vikku Vinayakram. Also in attendance will be my partners American drum phenom, Steve Smith and [...]]]> I am heading to Muscat on Monday for the third is a series of “Global Fusion” concerts supported by the Dubai based Sarasin Alpen Bank. This concert on March 4th will feature India’s master percussionist and founding member of Shakti, Vikku Vinayakram. Also in attendance will be my partners American drum phenom, Steve Smith and bass treasure, Kai Eckhardt. Joining us from India is sitarist Niladri Kumar who was featured on my first Summit recording and will also appear my my next CD scheduled for release this spring as well as Bollywood percussion superstar A. Sivamani. There will also be appearances by Hungarian violinist, Zoltan Lantos and the Ensemble Shanbehzadeh from Iran. Hope to post some photos on my return.

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