Music
Press
Sisters doing it for themselves:Heather Brooks is a sassy singer-songwriter, Kat Epple an Emmy award-winning composer, but both strong, smart women deserve the accolade Best. - Gulfshore Life Magazine
Sisters doing it for themselves:Heather Brooks is a sassy singer-songwriter, Kat Epple an Emmy award-winning composer, but both strong, smart women deserve the accolade Best. - Gulfshore Life Magazine
Floating like a lifeboat in a vast sea of cover bands are a handful of local acts who hope their music is good enough to land on Record Executive Rock. The first one out of this lifeboat could be The Heather Brooks Band...proving through interesting and jazzy arrangements that it has the tools that could lead to a major recording contract. The band-a quartet that's part Ben Fold Five and part Ani DiFranco-is led by the sexy singer/pianist in Brooks who sounds a bit like Sheryl Crow, but better. Brooks also writes some pretty catcy songs that are bolstered by a delivery reminiscent of Fiona Apples's debut "Tidal". Her "Kiss" is just as captivating as anything I've heard on commercial radio-especially the simple refrain of "When it all comes down/You're the one I want around". The song is so appealing it's been crawling around in my head for a week now, and no matter what I play, I can't get it out of there...In just two years, The Heather Brooks Band has amassed about 20 (original) songs and a growing legion of "Heatherheads", fans who sing along to nearly every one of her songs. - Ft. Myers News-Press: Gulf Coasting Feb. 2004
Floating like a lifeboat in a vast sea of cover bands are a handful of local acts who hope their music is good enough to land on Record Executive Rock. The first one out of this lifeboat could be The Heather Brooks Band...proving through interesting and jazzy arrangements that it has the tools that could lead to a major recording contract. The band-a quartet that's part Ben Fold Five and part Ani DiFranco-is led by the sexy singer/pianist in Brooks who sounds a bit like Sheryl Crow, but better. Brooks also writes some pretty catcy songs that are bolstered by a delivery reminiscent of Fiona Apples's debut "Tidal". Her "Kiss" is just as captivating as anything I've heard on commercial radio-especially the simple refrain of "When it all comes down/You're the one I want around". The song is so appealing it's been crawling around in my head for a week now, and no matter what I play, I can't get it out of there...In just two years, The Heather Brooks Band has amassed about 20 (original) songs and a growing legion of "Heatherheads", fans who sing along to nearly every one of her songs. - Ft. Myers News-Press: Gulf Coasting Feb. 2004
Band slowly build a solid reputation:
Heather Brooks strolls across the wooden floor of downtown Fort Myers' City Tavern, her black platform boots elevating her to Amazon heights. She's donned in slit-to-the-knee bellbottoms, elbow-length fingerless gloves and a knitted scarf that brushes the floor. Her trademark tinted cat-eye glasses give her the allure of an artist on the cutting edge of all that's cool.
But there's also substance to this 31-year-olds' fashion-plate style. Carrying an armful of microphone stands, cords and keyboards, the singer/musician/songwriter greets a few Tavern regulars and the members of her ensemble, The Heather Brooks Band. Then she gets down to business. The group eases into a low-volume groove that gradually builds with a pulsating bass guitar, a popping snare drum and guitar and keyboard sonic waves. The bar sparks to life. Toes tap. Heads bob. A group of young women chair-dance to this homegrown band's funky-chic sound. "She's got so much style, and I love her lyrics," says Cindy Olsen, a regular at the City Tavern where the band plays Tuesday nights. Brooks hopes to share her sound with more of Southwest Florida as they play more local venues. In April, Brooks will release her new CD, an as-yet-untitled collection of jazzy-bluesy original music. "It's such an incredible journey, trying to make it," Brooks says...Her musical themes also are her personal testimonies. "Don't Give Up" and "Kiss" for example, speak of victories in everyday struggles. Spiritual overtones also form a common thread in her songs. The title cut from "Full Circle" is an affirmation of the power of faith in God. - Ft. Myers News-Press: Gulf Coasting
Band slowly build a solid reputation:
Heather Brooks strolls across the wooden floor of downtown Fort Myers' City Tavern, her black platform boots elevating her to Amazon heights. She's donned in slit-to-the-knee bellbottoms, elbow-length fingerless gloves and a knitted scarf that brushes the floor. Her trademark tinted cat-eye glasses give her the allure of an artist on the cutting edge of all that's cool.
But there's also substance to this 31-year-olds' fashion-plate style. Carrying an armful of microphone stands, cords and keyboards, the singer/musician/songwriter greets a few Tavern regulars and the members of her ensemble, The Heather Brooks Band. Then she gets down to business. The group eases into a low-volume groove that gradually builds with a pulsating bass guitar, a popping snare drum and guitar and keyboard sonic waves. The bar sparks to life. Toes tap. Heads bob. A group of young women chair-dance to this homegrown band's funky-chic sound. "She's got so much style, and I love her lyrics," says Cindy Olsen, a regular at the City Tavern where the band plays Tuesday nights. Brooks hopes to share her sound with more of Southwest Florida as they play more local venues. In April, Brooks will release her new CD, an as-yet-untitled collection of jazzy-bluesy original music. "It's such an incredible journey, trying to make it," Brooks says...Her musical themes also are her personal testimonies. "Don't Give Up" and "Kiss" for example, speak of victories in everyday struggles. Spiritual overtones also form a common thread in her songs. The title cut from "Full Circle" is an affirmation of the power of faith in God. - Ft. Myers News-Press: Gulf Coasting
Heather Brooks and band are making her music happen! (They) are no stranger to the downtown Ft. Myers scene, they have built up a loyal following and have established themselves as one of the hottest up and coming original groups around. Thankfully The Heather Brooks band has restored our faith in live music. Their unique, laid-back grooves, funky, eclectic leanings and frankly, extremely foxy singer is a breath of fresh air. They really are quite impressive. - Citiview
Heather Brooks and band are making her music happen! (They) are no stranger to the downtown Ft. Myers scene, they have built up a loyal following and have established themselves as one of the hottest up and coming original groups around. Thankfully The Heather Brooks band has restored our faith in live music. Their unique, laid-back grooves, funky, eclectic leanings and frankly, extremely foxy singer is a breath of fresh air. They really are quite impressive. - Citiview
Discography
Full Circle is my 5-song EP, and we've sold over 500 copies locally. My website is heather-brooks.com and myspace.com/heatherbrooksmusic where there is streaming audio and video of live performances, recording sessions and interviews on 96 K-Rock and 90.1 NPR. We released our first full-length album "Turn It Over" in 2006, have sold almost 1000 copies and it is available for purchase at CD Baby.
Photos
Bio
Heather Brooks grew up climbing trees, reading books and listening to her parents' records in the small town of Moore Haven, Florida. In between headphone sessions with Steely Dan, Earth, Wind and Fire, Yes and Gino Vanelli she played piano for her church and fought with her two sisters. Moving to the 'big city' of Fort Myers when she was 14 of course, changed everything, and boys took up the time that ruminations on God and music didn't fill. After a brief spell of undedicated college enrollment, she waitressed and began writing particles of progressions on the piano about real-life stories and imagined endings. It was after a month long cross-country road trip with her best friend and a dense breakup that Heather decided to renig on her idea of music as an escape and pursue songwriting with the dedication and recklessness it deserves. There's always more to every story, but hopefully you're interested enough to learn the next chapter through the album. ((Ding...turn the page>>>))
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