Harvey Brooks
Encyclopedia
Harvey Brooks is an American bassist
. He has played in many styles of music (notably jazz
and popular music
)
Brooks came out of a New York music scene that was crackling with activity in the early 1960s. One of the younger players on his instrument, he was a contemporary of Felix Pappalardi
and Andy Kulberg
and other eclectic bass players in their late teens and early 20s, who saw a way to bridge the styles of folk, blues, rock, and jazz. Columbia Records
producer Tom Wilson gave Brooks his first boost to fame when he picked him to play as part of Bob Dylan
's backing band on the sessions that yielded the song "Like a Rolling Stone
" and the album Highway 61 Revisited
— in contrast to the kind of folkie-electric sound generated by the band on his previous album, Bringing It All Back Home
. Wilson and Dylan were looking for a harder, in-your-face electric sound, and Brooks, along with guitarist Michael Bloomfield
and organist Al Kooper
, provided exactly what was needed on one of the most famous recordings of the 1960s.
Brooks was also part of Dylan's early backing band which performed to great notoriety at Forest Hills, Queens
and other venues in 1965. This band also included Robbie Robertson
(guitar), Al Kooper
(keyboards) and Levon Helm
(drums). From the Dylan single and album, which became two of the most widely heard (and, at the time, most controversial) records of the 1960s, Brooks branched out in a multitude of directions, as he went on to play on records by folk artists like Eric Andersen
at Vanguard Records
, Richie Havens
and Jim & Jean
at Verve Records
, transitional electric folk-rockers such as David Blue (whose producer was looking for a sound similar to that on Highway 61 Revisited), and various blues-rock fusion projects involving Bloomfield and Kooper. Brooks played on Cass Elliot
's debut solo album Dream a Little Dream
(1968), and also on some Doors
sessions , including the Soft Parade album. Producer Paul Rothchild wanted to give the Doors a fresh sound. He hired Harvey to play and help organize the rhythm tracks and Paul Harris to write some string and horn arrangements. Harvey also played live with the Doors at the Forum in LA and Madison Square Garden in New York and was very visible on the Michael Bloomfield/Al Kooper/Steve Stills Super Session
release, one of the iconic records of late 1960s rock music. His song "Harvey's Tune" appeared on this album.
's interests in blues, that Brooks' career took an unexpected turn. The Flag only lasted in its original line-up for about a year, and much of that time was spent recording a sound track album to the film The Trip
starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Susan Strasberg & written by Jack Nicholson and "The Electric Flag, An American Music Band." But in the course of this, Brooks became a producer at Columbia Records
and connected with fellow producer Teo Macero
who led him to Miles Davis
.
Working with Davis involved Brooks in a freer manner of making music than he'd been used to even on the most ambitious sessions with Bloomfield, though it also meant butting up against Davis' ego, personality, and musical sensibilities as a bandleader. Brooks worked with the legendary jazz trumpeter long enough to contribute to the Bitches Brew
and Big Fun albums as well as several unreleased tracks. On these sessions two bassist were used; Brooks played electric bass while Dave Holland
simultaneously played the accoustic bass. From that point on — between the Dylan, Davis, Electric Flag, and Bloomfield and Kooper connections — Brooks' career was made.
, John Sebastian
, Loudon Wainwright III
, John Cale
, the Fabulous Rhinestones and Paul Burlison. He has been somewhat less active since the early 1990s, having relocated to Arizona
during that decade, but has continued to perform and record. Harvey also played with Donald Fagen
(Rock 'n' Soul Revue).
In 2006, Light In The Attic, a Seattle-based record label, reissued the 1971 album In My Own Time
by Karen Dalton
, which was arranged and produced by Harvey Brooks. His current band is the 17th Street Band based in Tucson, Arizona
. With his wife Bonnie and guitarist Tom Kusian started "17th Street Records" with two releases in Nov. 2009 now distributed by independent distributor City Hall Records. "Positively 17th Street" by the 17th Street Band and "El Regalo, The Gift" by Francisco Gonzalez.
Harvey Brooks and his wife moved to
Israel
on August 4, 2009 Playing and recording in Tel Aviv Harvey & Bonnie continue their musical blog at viewfromthebottom at harveybrooks.net Recently featured cover story at Bass Musician Magazine March 2011(Bass Musician Magazine).
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
. He has played in many styles of music (notably jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
)
Brooks came out of a New York music scene that was crackling with activity in the early 1960s. One of the younger players on his instrument, he was a contemporary of Felix Pappalardi
Felix Pappalardi
Felix A. Pappalardi Jr. was an American music producer, songwriter, vocalist, and bass guitarist.- Early life :Pappalardi was born in the Bronx, New York...
and Andy Kulberg
Andy Kulberg
Andy Kulberg was an American musician notable for his bass playing with the groups Blues Project and Seatrain....
and other eclectic bass players in their late teens and early 20s, who saw a way to bridge the styles of folk, blues, rock, and jazz. Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
producer Tom Wilson gave Brooks his first boost to fame when he picked him to play as part of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's backing band on the sessions that yielded the song "Like a Rolling Stone
Like a Rolling Stone
"Like a Rolling Stone" is a 1965 song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Its confrontational lyrics originate in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted from a grueling tour of England...
" and the album Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited
Highway 61 Revisited is the sixth studio album by singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was released in August 1965 by Columbia Records. On his previous album, Bringing It All Back Home, Dylan devoted Side One of the album to songs accompanied by an electric rock band, and Side Two to solo acoustic numbers...
— in contrast to the kind of folkie-electric sound generated by the band on his previous album, Bringing It All Back Home
Bringing It All Back Home
Bringing It All Back Home is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's fifth studio album, released in March 1965 by Columbia Records. The album is divided into an electric and an acoustic side. On side one of the original LP, Dylan is backed by an electric rock and roll band - a move that further alienated...
. Wilson and Dylan were looking for a harder, in-your-face electric sound, and Brooks, along with guitarist Michael Bloomfield
Mike Bloomfield
Michael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
and organist Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
, provided exactly what was needed on one of the most famous recordings of the 1960s.
Brooks was also part of Dylan's early backing band which performed to great notoriety at Forest Hills, Queens
Forest Hills, Queens
Forest Hills is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States.-Neighborhood:The neighborhood is home to upper-middle class residents, of whom the wealthier residents often live in the neighborhood's Forest Hills Gardens area...
and other venues in 1965. This band also included Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
(guitar), Al Kooper
Al Kooper
Al Kooper is an American songwriter, record producer and musician, known for organizing Blood, Sweat & Tears , providing studio support for Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965, and also bringing together guitarists Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills to...
(keyboards) and Levon Helm
Levon Helm
Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm , is an American rock multi-instrumentalist and actor who achieved fame as the drummer and frequent lead and backing vocalist for The Band....
(drums). From the Dylan single and album, which became two of the most widely heard (and, at the time, most controversial) records of the 1960s, Brooks branched out in a multitude of directions, as he went on to play on records by folk artists like Eric Andersen
Eric Andersen
Eric Andersen is an American singer-songwriter.-Biography:In the early 1960s, Eric Andersen was part of the Greenwich Village folk scene in New York...
at Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary...
, Richie Havens
Richie Havens
Richard P. "Richie" Havens is an African American folk singer and guitarist. He is best known for his intense, rhythmic guitar style , soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, Havens was the eldest of nine children...
and Jim & Jean
Jim and Jean
Jim and Jean, composed of Jim Glover and Jean Ray were an American folk music duo, who performed and recorded music from the early to the late 1960s....
at Verve Records
Verve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
, transitional electric folk-rockers such as David Blue (whose producer was looking for a sound similar to that on Highway 61 Revisited), and various blues-rock fusion projects involving Bloomfield and Kooper. Brooks played on Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot
Cass Elliot , born Ellen Naomi Cohen and also known as Mama Cass, was an American singer and member of The Mamas & the Papas. After the group broke up, she released five solo albums. Elliot was found dead in her room in London, England, from an apparent heart attack after two weeks of sold-out...
's debut solo album Dream a Little Dream
Dream a Little Dream (Cass Elliot album)
Dream a Little Dream was the first solo album by singer Cass Elliot immediately after the break-up of The Mamas & the Papas. Capitalizing on the success of her first solo song as the album's title, the record was released on October 19, 1968 by Dunhill Records...
(1968), and also on some Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
sessions , including the Soft Parade album. Producer Paul Rothchild wanted to give the Doors a fresh sound. He hired Harvey to play and help organize the rhythm tracks and Paul Harris to write some string and horn arrangements. Harvey also played live with the Doors at the Forum in LA and Madison Square Garden in New York and was very visible on the Michael Bloomfield/Al Kooper/Steve Stills Super Session
Super Session
-Personnel:* Al Kooper — vocals, piano, organ, ondioline, electric guitar, twelve-string guitar* Mike Bloomfield — guitars on side one, reissue tracks 10, 12, 13* Stephen Stills — guitars on side two, reissue track 11...
release, one of the iconic records of late 1960s rock music. His song "Harvey's Tune" appeared on this album.
Blues-rock and jazz fusion era
It was through his participation in The Electric Flag, an extension of Michael Bloomfield and Barry GoldbergBarry Goldberg
Barry Goldberg is a blues and rock keyboardist, songwriter and record producer.-Career:As a teenager in Chicago, Goldberg sat in with Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, and Howlin' Wolf. He played keyboards in the band supporting Bob Dylan during his 1965 'electrified' appearance at the Newport Folk Festival...
's interests in blues, that Brooks' career took an unexpected turn. The Flag only lasted in its original line-up for about a year, and much of that time was spent recording a sound track album to the film The Trip
The Trip (1967 film)
The Trip is a cult film released by American International Pictures, directed by Roger Corman, written by Jack Nicholson, and shot on location in and around Los Angeles, including on top of Kirkwood in Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Hills, and near Big Sur, California in 1966...
starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Susan Strasberg & written by Jack Nicholson and "The Electric Flag, An American Music Band." But in the course of this, Brooks became a producer at Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and connected with fellow producer Teo Macero
Teo Macero
Teo Macero , born Attilio Joseph Macero, was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and record producer...
who led him to Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
.
Working with Davis involved Brooks in a freer manner of making music than he'd been used to even on the most ambitious sessions with Bloomfield, though it also meant butting up against Davis' ego, personality, and musical sensibilities as a bandleader. Brooks worked with the legendary jazz trumpeter long enough to contribute to the Bitches Brew
Bitches Brew
Bitches Brew is a studio double album by jazz musician Miles Davis, released in April 1970 on Columbia Records. The album continued his experimentation with electric instruments previously featured on his critically acclaimed In a Silent Way album...
and Big Fun albums as well as several unreleased tracks. On these sessions two bassist were used; Brooks played electric bass while Dave Holland
Dave Holland
Dave Holland is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for 40 years....
simultaneously played the accoustic bass. From that point on — between the Dylan, Davis, Electric Flag, and Bloomfield and Kooper connections — Brooks' career was made.
Continuing session work
Even casual listeners became familiar with his name, and from the 1970s into the mid-1990s, Brooks was one of the busiest bassists in music, working with such varied artists as John Martyn, the Fabulous Rhinestones, Seals & Crofts, Fontella BassFontella Bass
Fontella Bass is an American soul singer, who is best known for the 1965 R&B hit "Rescue Me", which she also co-wrote.-Early life:...
, John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
, Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Snowden Wainwright III is a Grammy Award-winning American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and actor. He is the father of musicians Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche, brother of Sloan Wainwright, and the former husband of the late folk singer Kate McGarrigle.To...
, John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
, the Fabulous Rhinestones and Paul Burlison. He has been somewhat less active since the early 1990s, having relocated to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
during that decade, but has continued to perform and record. Harvey also played with Donald Fagen
Donald Fagen
Donald Jay Fagen is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, lead singer, and the principal songwriter of the rock band Steely Dan ....
(Rock 'n' Soul Revue).
In 2006, Light In The Attic, a Seattle-based record label, reissued the 1971 album In My Own Time
In My Own Time
-Track listing:#"Something on Your Mind" - 3:23#"When a Man Loves a Woman" - 2:59#"In My Own Dream" - 4:18#"Katie Cruel" - 2:22...
by Karen Dalton
Karen Dalton
Karen J. Dalton was an American folk blues singer and banjo player associated with the early 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, particularly with Fred Neil and the Holy Modal Rounders as well as Bob Dylan.-Biography:Dalton, whose heritage was Cherokee, was born Karen J. Cariker in Enid,...
, which was arranged and produced by Harvey Brooks. His current band is the 17th Street Band based in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. With his wife Bonnie and guitarist Tom Kusian started "17th Street Records" with two releases in Nov. 2009 now distributed by independent distributor City Hall Records. "Positively 17th Street" by the 17th Street Band and "El Regalo, The Gift" by Francisco Gonzalez.
Harvey Brooks and his wife moved to
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
on August 4, 2009 Playing and recording in Tel Aviv Harvey & Bonnie continue their musical blog at viewfromthebottom at harveybrooks.net Recently featured cover story at Bass Musician Magazine March 2011(Bass Musician Magazine).