Windows Of The Mind

Description

There is little information about the trumpeter Billy Brooks. A solid session musician who had been active since the 1950s, he played with, among others, Lionel Hampton, Cal Tjader, and of course Ray Charles, who signed him to his sub-label Crossover Records in the early 1970s. This was followed by the release of Windows of the Mind in 1974, which would be his only solo album. The album was recorded in Los Angeles and co-produced by Ray Charles. It is a masterful blend of big band jazz and funk, featuring a superb brass section and a rhythm section that is equally impressive. Among the musicians are notable names such as bassist Larry Gales (Thelonious Monk), drummer Clarence Johnston (Freddie Roach, James Moody), saxophonist Herman Riley (Side Effect, Pleasure, Earth Wind & Fire, Letta Mbulu), as well as guitarists Jef Lee (Roy Ayers, Sylvia Striplin) and Calvin Keys. From the groove of "Rockin Julius," "Shetter Cheeze," and "Black Flag" to the mid-tempo jazz of "Cooling It" and "CP Time," and more cinematic tracks like "The Speech Maker," Windows Of The Mind enjoyed a modest success in jazz circles upon its release, but its fate would change fifteen years later when, in 1990, A Tribe Called Quest sampled the track "Fourty Days" for their own "Luck of Lucien," which appears on the group's debut album People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm. The album revolutionized hip-hop, and "Luck Of Lucien" became one of the highlights of the album, thus cementing the reputation of Billy Brooks' record among DJs and collectors. Remastered album with original cover.