Suzanne Brooks, The Jazz Generation

March 9, 2010 Mother Ruby Muhammad (born 1897)and Suzanne Brooks/The Jazz Generation, entertained and delighted the audience at the annual Sacramento Community Women of Color Day/Diversity Awards Event on Sunday's event "I Believe I Can Fly: Memories of Music And Stories."
Continued online with photos
- sacramentopress.com

09.20.05
Suzanne Brooks, a local singer and event planner, is organizing a benefit concert to raise money for survivors in New Orleans.

The “multicultural, multigenerational” event is scheduled for Saturday, October 29 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Ben Ali Shrine, located at 3262 Marysville Blvd.

Among those scheduled to perform are The Jazz Generation, the Capital City Artists Collective, playwright/actress/dancer Nicole Limon, Lake Tahoe based singer Rachelle Stocchi and World Arts’ Savvy Singers.

“After days of watching the news and being emotionally drained by the events, including the apparent abandonment and dehumanization of the hurricane victims, who are suffering more from the unrepaired levees, than directly from the hurricane, and on learning that international organizations had identified New Orleans as the number one site in the world in danger of a catastrophe, I felt the need to do something besides grieving,” shared Brooks, who fronts the band Jazz Generation.
Continued online - Sacramento Observer

Why are we doing this show?" the event's organizer, local jazz singer Suzanne Brooks, asked the sharp, feisty Muhammad.

"Because you said so," Muhammad replied, and she started laughing. "I didn't plan it, you did."

Oh, snap.

"This is Mother Ruby's first performance," said Brooks. "She's spoken about her longevity before, but people generally have not viewed her as anything other than an old woman. But she has an incredible memory and sense of humor. Her poems are wonderful. She can finally be recognized as a performer." Read more online.
- Sacramento Bee

Published on July 15, 2004, Page E3, Article 1 of 104 found, 418 words.
** Suzanne Brooks has worn many hats
Before she became an author, Brooks, who lives in North Sacramento, was a police officer, a college administrator, an English teacher, a private investigator, a hula dancer, a playwright and a jazz singer.
So it's understandable that her two books released earlier this year would draw from her life, although she swears that they aren't "confessional."

Read more: http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?s_site=&p_multi=SB%7C&p_product=SB&p_theme=sb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=suzanne%20brooks&s_dispstring=suzanne%20brooks&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=_rank_%3AD&xcal_useweights=no&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date%3AB%2CE&p_text_date-0=#ixzz0sE9b7Jxl
- Sacramento Bee

Date / Length: 8/13/2008 3:00 PM - 2 hrs
Length: 2 hrs
Description:
h:25001 s:243009 Suzanne Brooks, Sacramento, CA, vocalist, poet, author, involved in the politics of human and civil rights activism. Founder Justice 4 All Includes Women of Color and INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN OF COLOR DAY, works on issues of women of color in U.S. and Obama platform. Website: www.creativeconsys.com
- MUSICWOMAN

112-year old woman debuts with music band in premiere of "I Believe I ... Posted by: AnneHart Sacramento :: CA :: USA | updated 3 months ago | entertainment-news Mother Ruby Muhammad, who is 112 years old (born 1897) performs with Suzanne Brooks/The Jazz Generation to highlight the annual Sacramento Community Women of Color Day/Diversity Awards Event on Sunday, March 7, 2010 4-8 PM at Imani Community Church of...
continued online - All Voices: Local To Global News

Lasting Impression, composed by Suzanne Brooks (lyrics) and Reggie Graham (music)is about a meeting of Suzanne Brooks and Miles Davis

Suzanne Brooks, vocals and lyrics; Reggie Graham, music and keyboard; Norm Hawkins, recording engineer; Suzanne Brooks, producer; Produced at Creative Concepts Systems Studio on the Women of Color Day label. - IAC Independent Artists Company

By Melanie Noel Light

‘Some lives are great but. . .none of us are perfect. Yet in the time we have, we Experience the unforgettable.’

Suzanne Brooks is a musician, a teacher, a mentor and an educator. And she calls herself a “woman singer with a band” because she finds that singers in the music industry are often underrated as musicians, especially in jazz, when the numbers of singers is examined. Suzanne is working to end stereotypes in the world of music and is aiming to replace those stereotypes with respect for working musicians and equity for women performers.

“Show business is about the time and effort you put into it; there’s a huge business end to it. It’s not about glamour, drugs, sexuality, etc.” It’s about hard work by creative artists and smart business people.

Ms. Brooks has studied with several vocal coaches, including the well-known creator of Speech Level Singing, which includes learning to sing without fatigue and injury, using your speaking voice. Suzanne has her own coaching method, which is offered in a “Session for Singers” workshop twice monthly. Believing that each singer has to learn in his/her own way, she encourages individualism and teaches ethics and values. She teaches “how to be a professional,” which includes business strategies, and helps other “find their own sound and image.”

Suzanne attended an improvisation workshop with noted Bobby McFarren (the first workshop, in fact, that he’d ever done) with other singers from around the world. She has extensive training, and yet believes that musicians don’t need a teacher’s guidance all the time; that they need to practice and develop on their own as well. And she’s got plenty more practical advice on things often overlooked…like looking out for oneself and one’s things; perhaps even traveling with a chaperone; making sure to get plenty of rest as “physical fatigue will affect your voice, even alcohol, diet, hydration, etc.”

Suzanne is a professional singer/musician and business owner with her own employees and her own band. She respects those she works with and is sure to always treat them like the exquisite people that they are. She’s also a strong teacher and mentor with a tremendous amount of wisdom, sensibility and consideration. And, for her students and clients, all at a very reasonable rate to boot.

“I don’t want to be battling people for money,” Suzanne admits. “While making money as a musician is important, it can’t be all about the money.” With a complete recording/production studio of her own, Suzanne says that a singer without a lot of resources can operate on a smaller budget through her. Each session with Suzanne is only $20, and there are no contracts to sign. She is grateful for opportunities to assist “low income people (especially youth) to have a chance.” It’s what she calls “social entrepreneurship.” “I like to feel like I’m contributing while making money.”

Suzanne also likes to spend her energies promoting things in the community that she feels don’t get the attention they need and deserve. She is so involved, in fact, that it’s hard to keep track of her efforts. Yet aside from having taught classes through the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and having been part of the group which established the first Police Athletic League for Girls (PAL), Women of Color Day, for instance, is one of her claims to fame. Suzanne even contributes her own money to the event if a budget falls short.

But Women of Color Day is making a splash indeed. Now beginning its 21st year, it has been celebrated in 20 states and five other countries, and has honored almost 200 women in Sacramento alone, with hundreds more across the nation and world. Suzanne emphasizes that it’s “important to include other communities,” to embrace sisterhood and ‘community-hood’. Women of Color Day is for everyone, not just for women, not just for people of color. It adds a focus on minority/indigenous women during Women’s History Month.

Suzanne is a pioneer in not only the world of music, business and mentoring, but she is also an author, having published both poetry and short stories. She’s currently working on a new book about a contemporary theory of art. She says, “for art to be meaningful and valuable in our world today, it has to exemplify diversity and promote justice. Otherwise, it’s not doing its job.” And Suzanne recognizes that while there will likely be some controversy and discussion from this, she poignantly adds, “we might just need that in order to move ahead.”

Although quite connected to both our intimate community and the musician’s community at large, Suzanne always makes time for her music. She’s has several CD’s with cover tunes and an original single already out, but is currently working on some new music. Suddenly, she says “songs have been coming into my head at an incredible rate.” She just sent four songs in for copyright.

Dr. Love Radio, Netteradio and Smoothjazz (online) have been among those playing her music for some time now, and she’s still working on KSSJ. A Gospel singer as well, Suzanne makes plenty of appearances in person around town. “I sing at the drop of a hat.” “I’m very charitable but I have to pay the band, I have to pay the mortgage and I have to pay the staff.” Bridging this gap is just one of the things that keeps Suzanne and her career passionately thriving.

And Suzanne is appreciative; She feels “fortunate to still be singing,” considering she started at the bright and tender age of three. “No one ever sent me to vocal lessons or music school. “Back in the day,”… girls were expected to get married and not have careers.” But Suzanne now has degrees in both English and education, and has even reached the doctoral level.

“I think in life you have many challenges, and you have many choices.… Many times I have achieved what I was fighting for; sometimes, I have not. The only failures are when we give up or sell our integrity. You have to choose to be happy. No one ever knew I could write music, including me, I had melodies come into my mind, but didn’t write them down then. I do now. I cannot tell you the thrill of listening to something that was in your head…”

“And I’m singing better than I’ve ever sung. Audience response is so appreciative that sometimes it’s almost overwhelming. But it’s also fulfilling. It’s a happy state of mind. Artists of all kinds are vehicles, or passageways for things that are given to us and we are fortunate to have that experience… The experience of having these gifts flow through us is the most important thing. You need to be able to share it as well as enjoy the moment.”
- LaSalle University Alumni

Best local book author

Bill Pieper Suzanne Brooks

- Best of Sacramento Guides, Sept 28, 2006 Sacramento News and Review

The Canoe, directed by Dennis Yep, is a delightful tale filled with the sprit of Polynesia through its mele (song) and hula (dance). Written by Diane Yen-Mei Wong, George "Keoki" Winston has composed and recorded several pieces on the ki ho 'alu (slack key guitar) for this play. Amy Shima-Cornellier of Hapa Hao'le Hula Dancers is the mele and hula consultant. Lighting design is by Dion Cook, whose credits include the Best of Broadway productions. As told by Tutu (grandmother - played by Suzanne Brooks ) {Brooks sang all the show songs in Hawaiian language, including "Angel's Blues" by George Winston which concluded the play.
Diane Yen-Mei Wong is a San Francisco-based freelance writer and editor who previously worked as a journalist and attorney. Recent editing projects include books about Japanese American communities in San Francisco and in San Mateo County, and a Web book on ki ho`alu, or Hawaiian slack key guitar music. The Canoe is her second play. Wong is an ordained Zen Buddhist priest of Daihonzan Chozen-ji/International Zen Dojo in Honolulu, Hawai`i.

George "Keoki" Winston is a jazz musician best known for his solo melodic impressionistic style piano music. The Great Plains of Eastern Montana where he grew up inspired much of his music and also fueled the search for traditional music that led him to ki ho`alu, the finger-picked guitar style of the Hawaiian islands. - Interactive Asian Contemporary Theater

Monday, August 20, 2007
In Celebration of Women's Equality Day
GREAT WOMEN OF JAZZ, a narrated history, 1890-1990
Friday, August 24th 2007, 7pm
24th Street Theatre, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento CA 95818
The Jazz Generation presents their popular show, "Highlights of Great Women in Jazz" as the first event of the 2nd annual Women's Equality Day Parade and Rally. www.womenequaliatyparade.com
Tune in to LiveWire on August 22nd, when our guest will be author and vocalist, Suzanne Brooks. Hear a sample from the show when Suzanne sings " They say it's spring".

posted by LiveWire @ 4:00 PM
- LiveWireDirt: Your #1 source for arts and entertainment in the Sacramento area.

Suzanne Brooks (California, USA) CEO, International Association for Women of Color Day and owner, Creative Concepts Systems which includes Jazz West Productions; multi-lingual administrator, teacher, organizer and specialist in civil rights, women's issues--especially in higher education, cross-cultural communication, community economic development, hearing impairment. Vocalist and band leader of The Jazz Generation, writer and hula dancer. She has been active in a variety of university and community service organizations, including the National Institute for Women of Color, Center for Women's Policy Studies, Nevada Women's Fund, Negro Business and Professional Women (Reno), Reno Women's Commission, Business and Professional Women (State College, PA), National Council of Negro Women (Sacramento) and Penn State University Strategic Study on Status of Women. Promoting the worldwide recognition of achievements and contributions of women of color, especially indigenous women, and of women in jazz.
For information on Suzanne's music and books:
jazzgeneration@aol.com - Women & Life on Earth Network coordinator, English website editor.

. . . . . Live from the Union Chapel is a snapshot of Rice’s music just after the release of O, his incredible debut, . . . . .
“Be My Husband” is the last song on Live from the Union Chapel that isn’t from O, and is all rhythm and Hannigan’s voice. It’s closer to the Suzanne Brooks version than the Nina Simone, and is just as sexy as either of them. Considering the location of the recording this cut feels like forbidden fruit, almost sacrilegious, with its pounding marriage ritual arrangement . . . . - by Written by K L Poore, 01 January 2008, Audio/Video Revolution

By Anita Creamer,
McClatchy Newspapers
Published: Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010
At 112, Mother Ruby Muhammad wants to live to be the oldest person in the world, but for now she's fulfilling another dream: She'll be performing on stage — singing gospel, telling stories and reciting poems she's written — to commemorate Sacramento Community Women of Color Day in March.

"Why are we doing this show?" the event's organizer, local jazz singer Suzanne Brooks, asked the sharp, feisty Muhammad.

"Because you said so," Muhammad replied, and she started laughing. "I didn't plan it, you did."

Oh, snap.

More online

- Deseret News

A spate of recordings by jazz instrumentalists and vocalists followed the Goodman Quintet outing. Jazz musicians have been drawn to the song because of its interesting harmonic progressions and the way in which its lyrics and melody fit together.
Writers
Music & Lyrics – Cole Porter
Covered
Beegie Adair, Harry Allen, Karrin Allyson, Eddy Arnold, Chet Baker, Dave Barbour Trio, Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, Andy Bey, Art Blakey, George Braith, Paul

Broadnax, Suzanne Brooks,

Ann Hampton Callaway, Betty Carter, Ray Charles, June Christy, Rosemary Clooney, Jimmy Cobb, Natalie Cole, John Coltrane, Eric Comstock, Laila Dalseth, Claire Daly, Vic Damone, John Dankworth, Sammy Davis Jr., Dena DeRose, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Kenny Drew, Kurt Elling, Ethel Ennis, Bill Evans, Michael Feinstein, Ella Fitzgerald, The Four Freshmen, Sara Gazarek, Larry Goldings, Roy Hargrove, Billy Hart, Johnny Hartman, David Hazeltine, Eddie Henderson, Fred Hersch, The Hi-Los, John Hicks, Billy Higgins, Lena Horne, Milt Jackson, Illinois Jacquet, Ingrid Jensen, Jack Jones, Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, Morgana King, Lee Konitz, Diana Krall, Cleo Laine, Frances Langford, Michel Legrand, Julie London, Gloria Lynne, Shelly Manne, Warne Marsh, Rob Mazurek, Rob McConnell, Susannah McCorkle, Carmen McRae, Mabel Mercer, Mulgrew Miller, Ronnie Milsap, Joe Morello, Nana Mouskouri, Jackie Paris, Dave Peck, Ken Peplowski, Oscar Peterson, Esther Phillips, Bucky Pizzarelli, Chris Potter, Marcus Printup, Sue Raney, Marcus Roberts, Red Rodney, Sonny Rollins, Randy Sandke, Diane Schuur, Jimmy Scott, Marilyn, Bud Shank, George Shearing, Jack Sheldon, Archie Shepp, Bobby Short, Janet Seidel, Judi Silvano, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Jeri Southern, Charlie Spivak, Dave Stryker, Maxine Sullivan, Cal Tjader, Mel Torme, McCoy Tyner, Steve Tyrell, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Cedar Walton, Wesla Whitfield, Buster Williams, Joe Williams, Teddy Wilson, Phil Woods, and many more...
Recorded - 90.5 FM, WICN, Public Radio, New England's Jazz and Folk Station

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Suzanne Brooks, The Jazz Generation
Dec 23, 2005 - Napster