Cecil Brooks III overflows with talent

American Visions, Oct-Nov, 1995 by Douglas Turner

Erroll Gamer and Earl "Fatha" Hines top a roster of Pittsburgh jazz greats that includes Stanley Turrentine, Mary Lou Williams, and drummers Art Blakey, Kenny Clarke and Beaver Harris. Now, the city's jazz-rich firmament sports a new star, Cecil Brooks III, whose drumming is complemented by his composing, arranging and producing.

In the last year alone, Brooks has been featured on a number of recordings as either the leader or the prominent sideman-arranger-producer. Check this out: John Hicks' In the Mix, Don Braden's Landing Zone and Leon Lee Dorsey's The Watcher (all on Landmark); Lafayette Harris' Lafayette Is Here and Hannibal Peterson's One With the Wind (both on Muse); Bradford Hayes' Our Fathers intensity); and Brooks' own Neck Peckin' Jammie (Muse).

The man's rise on the jazz scene is personally rooted in the tradition. With a father who was a drummer and a grandfather who was a concert pianist, Brooks recalls that "music just flourished through the house. ... It was there to partake in anytime I wanted to. Philly Joe [Jones] used to come by, and Art Blakey. I played on Blakey's drums when I was 10 years old.

"Blakey was one of my earlier influences - though my father, Cecil Brooks 11, was definitely my first influence. From there it went to Tony Williams and Max Roach, all the way back to Cozy Cole."

Brooks' rock-steady rhythm and joyous presence are apparent on his The Collective, Hangin' With Smooth and Neck Peckin' Jammie (all on Muse). But what makes him unique as a drummer is his ability to compose. "Not to sound prejudiced, but I think drummers make the best composers," he says, laughing. "Drummers seem to be frustrated in the area of melody because it's hard to be melodious on the drums and actually get sounds and tones that sound like the piano. When you take those rhythms and apply them to those sounds, tones, chords and harmony, you can really span the globe with different things."

Brooks is also making his mark on the music as a producer. "Producing came about from being fortunate to record with a lot of different people," he explains. I'd be in the studio, and we'd get to a snag in the music, and I would always make a suggestion that would seem to get us out of the snag. It seemed like everyone would always come to me for comments about the direction, and I seemed to possess, without sounding egotistical, an ability to get people record dates, and for people like [guitarist] Ron Jackson and Lafayette, actually getting them the deal. It happened once, twice, and it just started snowballing. It was just a natural thing."

Brooks' prowess as a producer recently led Muse to create a subsidiary label, Westside Records, so he could produce some of the older, lesser-known artists whom he's been bringing into the Muse stable, including vocalists Gail Allen and Jackie Woods and saxophonist Reggie Wood. All three will have releases on Westside this fall.

That natural snowball continues to roll. in addition to Live at Trumpet's, Vol. 1, featuring the Cecil Brooks Band, other Muse fall releases produced by Brooks will include a new release by pianist Lafayette Harris, featuring Melba Moore, and trumpeter Russell Gunn's debut recording, featuring Brooks, john Hicks, Peter Washington and Sam Newsome.

Late 1995 will see the release of Cecil Brooks III Presents Words and Music Featuring Kevin Mahogany (Muse). Following those projects, Brooks will begin work on pianist Hicks' new recording for Landmark and a collaboration with cutting-edge saxophonist Oliver Lake.

In spite of his busy studio schedule, Brooks manages to keep his performing chops sharp with a variety of groups and musical styles. Lately he has been playing with his own groups and with Donald Byrd and the new Blackbyrds in a funk, hip-hop and swing setting that includes a disc jockey and a couple of rappers. "It's about bridging those gaps between the whole African-American experience in the music," Brooks muses. "If it's good, we want it in there. Throw it in the stew!"

With all of this activity, is Brooks spreading himself too thin? "In my case, nothing suffers," claims the 33-year-old dynamo, who teaches at Montclair State University in New Jersey. "I had so much training and studying that I always felt a void after all the practicing and listening was, done. I always felt there was energy and time to do other things. I've never been one to complain or wait for the phone to ring. I was raised to be a person of action. It just all came natural to pick up We phone, generate some things and roll up my sleeves and jump in there. "