In March 1995 my friend Otto went with his friend from school days Aleardo Buzzi to New York. Buzzi was producing jazz records for the swiss record company Claves Records at that time, and Otto had persuaded Buzzi to produce a CD under the leadership of pianist and arranger Bross Townsend. The idea was to feature tenor saxophonist David “Bubba” Brooks (1922–2002, brother of the more well known Tina Brooks) in a set of classic jumping jazz-cum-r’n'b tunes from the 1940s. Some days or hours before the recording (which took place on march 29 and march 30 1995) Otto was there with his camera when the band rehearsed for what was to becomes Claves Jazz 50-1095, Bross Townsend’s “I Love Jump Jazz”.
From Otto’s footage filmed at the rehearsal I am offering you Bubba Brook’s interpretation of “When I Grow To Old To Dream”. It could well be that Otto – who is listed as coproducer on the CD sleeve – suggested this tune, as a memory to Arnett Cobb’s famous 1947 two-part-version for Apollo. I know that Otto loved Cobb’s version, he used to sing along with it every time it was playing. Anyway this posting is not about Cobb but about the great Bubba Brooks, so here we go!
The band consists of: Irving Stokes (tp), Clifford Adams (tb) David “Bubba” Brooks, Reginald Woods (ts) Tom Olen (bar) Bross Townsend (p,arr,ldr) Bob Cunningham (b) and Clyde Lucas or Winard Harper (d)
Enjoy!
