“Anna Brooks’ debut album is wonderful - you should go and get it!”
“An admirable technique and a musical elegance that’s evident in both her playing and her writing”
“Agility, clarity and a beguiling vocalised quality. Her playing is as assured as it is polished”
Anna Brooks
Anna Brooks is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, vocalist, musical director, music arranger, and recording artist, who has established herself as one of the leading female musicians in the UK's jazz, funk, and pop scenes. As well as being a successful solo artist, she is a member of Jools Holland’s ‘Rhythm And Blues Orchestra’, (alto saxophone / vocals) and a former member the Brooklyn Funk Essentials (tenor saxophone / vocals).
With Jools’ 24-piece Rhythm And Blues Orchestra, Anna tours regularly and appears annually on BBC 2’s Hootenanny show (highlights include performing solos with Gregory Porter and Ruby Turner). With the band she has recorded 3 albums, including one with Sir Rod Stewart. With Jools’ four-piece band, Anna has toured Europe on tenor / soprano saxes and vocals alongside special guest KT Tunstall. With the Brooklyn Funk Essentials Anna toured worldwide, recording live shows for television and two studio albums – ‘Funk Ain’t Ova’ and ’Stay Good’. Anna has also featured in a solo spot on the BBC DJ and TV presenter Sarah Cox‘s ‘Just Can’t Get Enough ‘80s’ live show.
Anna's impressive musical career includes serving as the musical director and saxophonist for both George Treadwell’s legendary group ‘The Drifters’ and Roy G. Hemmings’ ‘Dictionary Of Soul'. She also toured with ‘70s glam-rocker Roy Wood and Indian composer /violinist John Mayer's ‘Indo-Jazz Fusions’. As lead alto saxophonist she performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival with the Walsall Jazz Orchestra and recorded two albums of their original music. Classically trained, she has also played on numerous occasions with The City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. As a session musician, Anna has recorded saxophone and backing vocals for many artists, including most recently a track for Incognito’s forthcoming album.
Anna's skills as a music arranger and composer are highly regarded. She has arranged and prepared music for numerous BBC shows, including Dr. Who, Torchwood and Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny. For the latter, she has arranged music for artists including Self Esteem, Melanie C, and Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves). Anna has worked for notable clients including Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Katie Melua, as well as film producers Ridley Scott, Gurinder Chadhar and Kanbar Animation. She has composed original music for TV and independent film and arranged music for numerous theatre shows and bands. Additionally, she is the in-house transcriber for smoothjazzbackingtracks.com.
Overall, Anna Brooks' illustrious career as a saxophonist, vocalist, musical director, and music arranger, along with her passion for music education, make her an esteemed and respected figure in the music industry.
“She plays with all the technique that we’ve come to expect these days, plus a melodic flair and quietly assured approach which are far less common.”
“She possesses a confident virtuosity, a purity of tone and a melodic elegance.”
“No-nonsense solos built with impeccable technique and a lyrical flair.”
NEWS
15th March 2021
Anna is a guest on this week’s episode of ‘The Wedding Thinners’ podcast hosted by Tom Knight. She will be talking about music, food, health & wellbeing and playing tracks from her album ‘My Time’ and from the Brooklyn Funk Essentials latest album ‘Stay Good’. Listen to the podcast here.
29th January 2021
Hear Anna’s interview with Isabel Kimbrey on Free Radio Birmingham. Anna will be discussing the impact that Brexit will have on musicians touring within the European Union and what the British government needs to do to better support its musicians and artists.
31st December 2021
Bring in the new year with Anna on BBC2! She will be performing with Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, with special guests Celeste, Sir Tom Jones, Michael Kiwanuka, Roisin Murphy, Rick Wakeman, Ruby Turner, Chris Difford, and the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Batallion Scots Guards.
25th February 2020
Anna is off to the airport to start a 3-week tour of Europe with Jools Holland, KT Tunstall, Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and George Latham. As well as playing soprano and tenor saxophones and singing backing vocals, Anna will be taking centre stage to sing ‘Message To My Son’, a song written by Jools & Soloman Burke.