Tenor Saxophone, Composer (1932-1974)

Born Harold Floyd Brooks on 7 June 1932 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Tina Brooks was a tenor saxophonist and composer who remains one of Blue Note Records' most brilliant yet tragically unrecognised talents.

Brooks' first Blue Note session came 25 February 1958 with Jimmy Smith playing on "The Sermon". His first date as leader on 16 March 1958 with Lee Morgan, Sonny Clark, Doug Watkins, and Art Blarkey produced Minor Move, which sat in vaults until 1980. During 1959-1960, Brooks was understudy for Jackie McLean in The Connection at Living Theater, leading to sessions with Freddie Redd and McLean including "Street Singer". On 19 June 1960 he recorded on Freddie Hubbard's debut Open Sesame, writing the title track and "Gypsy Blue". Six days later he recorded True Blue with Hubbard, Duke Jordan, Sam Jones, and Art Taylor, the only album released during his lifetime. Brooks recorded five sessions as leader for Blue Note 1958-1961, but only True Blue was issued contemporaneously. After 1961 he never recorded again, struggling with heroin addiction until his death from liver failure on 13 August 1974, aged 42. Producer Michael Cuscuna released Minor Move in 1980 and Mosaic's complete box set in 1985, establishing True Blue as hard bop masterpiece ensuring Brooks' legacy endures.