Uploaded by projazz on November 18, 2019 at 9:26 am

"Known previously for his tenure behind R&B legend Ray Charles, trumpeter Billy Brooks proved himself an uncommonly skilled practitioner of jazz-funk with his solo debut Windows of the Mind. "Forty Days" (later sampled to potent effect by A Tribe Called Quest) remains a textbook example of the form, combining Brooks' sun-kissed lead performance with a jigsaw rhythm that's as persuasive as they come. The entire LP is a fecund source for killer breaks and samples, but simply dismantling this music for spare parts is a disservice to artist and listener alike -- Brooks is a gifted composer with a knack for melody as well as groove, and while Windows of the Mind delivers on the physical promise of funk, it meets the intellectual demands of jazz as well." - Jason Ankeny/AllMusic A1 Rockin Julius (Roger Hamilton Spotts) 3:40 A2 Cooling It (H. B. Barnum) 4:45 A3 The Jagged Edge (Ronald P. Rogers) 3:42 A4 The Speech Maker (Roger Hamilton Spotts) 5:21 A5 Black Flag (Ray M. Jackson) 3:45 B1 Good News Blues (Julius E. "Billy" Brooks, Nolan Davis, Roger Hamilton Spotts) 2:54 B2 Shetter Cheeze (Lonnie Shetter) 4:31 B3 C.P. Time (Roger Hamilton Spotts) 4:39 B4 Fourty Days (Julius "Billy" Brooks, Raymond M. Jackson) 6:17Alto Saxophone – John Stevens , Lonnie Shetter Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Tom R. Vigil Baritone Saxophone – Bill Carter Bass – Larry Gales Bass, Bones – Ken Sawhill Cornet – Michael J. Conlon Drums – Clarence Johnston Effects [Echo Plex] – Billy Brooks (tracks: A4) Guitar – Jeff Lee Soloist – Billy Brooks (tracks: A1) Soloist [Alto] – Lonnie Shetter (tracks: A3) Soloist [Cornet] – Mike Conlon (tracks: A4, A5) Soloist [Electrics] – Billy Brooks (tracks: A4, A5, B1) Soloist [Flute] – Lonnie Shetter (tracks: A5) Soloist [Guitar] – Calvin Keyes (tracks: A2, A3, B3), Jeff Lee (tracks: B4) Soloist [Skoonum Horn] – Billy Brooks (tracks: A4, A5, B3) Soloist [Tenor] – Clifford Solomon (tracks: B2), Herman Riley (tracks: B1, B4), Wilbur Brown (tracks: A2) Tenor Saxophone – Cliford Solomon, Herman Riley, Wilbur Brown Trombone – Al Hall (2), Benny Powell (tracks: B3), Britt Woodman (tracks: A1 to B2, B4), Buster Cooper, Mihran Vartan, Ray Jackson Trumpet – Al Gottlieb, Bob Comden, Mike Artega Trumpet, Producer – Billy Brooks _______________________ Label: Crossover Records ‎– CR 9003 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 1974 Genre: Jazz, Latin, Funk / Soul Style: Soul-Jazz, Fusion, Jazz-Funk, Latin Jazz

“Known previously for his tenure behind R&B legend Ray Charles, trumpeter Billy Brooks proved himself an uncommonly skilled practitioner of jazz-funk with his solo debut Windows of the Mind. “Forty Days” (later sampled to potent effect by A Tribe Called Quest) remains a textbook example of the form, combining Brooks’ sun-kissed lead performance with a jigsaw rhythm that’s as persuasive as they come. The entire LP is a fecund source for killer breaks and samples, but simply dismantling this music for spare parts is a disservice to artist and listener alike — Brooks is a gifted composer with a knack for melody as well as groove, and while Windows of the Mind delivers on the physical promise of funk, it meets the intellectual demands of jazz as well.” – Jason Ankeny/AllMusic.

Track listing:

A1 Rockin Julius (Roger Hamilton Spotts) 3:40

A2 Cooling It (H. B. Barnum) 4:45

A3 The Jagged Edge (Ronald P. Rogers) 3:42

A4 The Speech Maker (Roger Hamilton Spotts) 5:21

A5 Black Flag (Ray M. Jackson) 3:45

B1 Good News Blues (Julius E. “Billy” Brooks, Nolan Davis, Roger Hamilton Spotts) 2:54

B2 Shetter Cheeze (Lonnie Shetter) 4:31

B3 C.P. Time (Roger Hamilton Spotts) 4:39

B4 Fourty Days (Julius “Billy” Brooks, Raymond M. Jackson) 6:17

Personnel:

Alto Saxophone – John Stevens , Lonnie Shetter

Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Tom R. Vigil

Baritone Saxophone – Bill Carter

Bass – Larry Gales

Bass, Bones – Ken Sawhill

Cornet – Michael J. Conlon

Drums – Clarence Johnston

Effects [Echo Plex] – Billy Brooks (tracks: A4)

Guitar – Jeff Lee

Soloist – Billy Brooks (tracks: A1)

Soloist [Alto] – Lonnie Shetter (tracks: A3)

Soloist [Cornet] – Mike Conlon (tracks: A4, A5)

Soloist [Electrics] – Billy Brooks (tracks: A4, A5, B1)

Soloist [Flute] – Lonnie Shetter (tracks: A5)

Soloist [Guitar] – Calvin Keyes (tracks: A2, A3, B3), Jeff Lee (tracks: B4)

Soloist [Skoonum Horn] – Billy Brooks (tracks: A4, A5, B3)

Soloist [Tenor] – Clifford Solomon (tracks: B2), Herman Riley (tracks: B1, B4), Wilbur Brown (tracks: A2)

Tenor Saxophone – Cliford Solomon, Herman Riley, Wilbur Brown

Trombone – Al Hall (2), Benny Powell (tracks: B3), Britt Woodman (tracks: A1 to B2, B4), Buster Cooper, Mihran Vartan, Ray Jackson

Trumpet – Al Gottlieb, Bob Comden, Mike Artega

Trumpet, Producer – Billy Brooks

_______________________

Label: Crossover Records ‎– CR 9003

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album

Country: US

Released: 1974

Genre:

Jazz, Latin, Funk / Soul

Style:

Soul-Jazz, Fusion, Jazz-Funk, Latin Jazz