Big
Brooklyn Red is an improvisationalist.
Freestyling is Brooklyn’s trademark.
His live performances are complete
improvisations. There is no
conversation about the music prior to
the downbeat and rarely is the same configuration
of musicians repeated.
Music is freedom. Big Brooklyn Red’s music is an expression of that freedom and
of the power in letting the creative
spirit flow. It is a deeply spiritual
and transcendent experience for Brooklyn
to share with his audience. His performances
are his place of worship, a time where
he can communicate both from and to the
soul in a language he calls “the Mother
Tongue.” Music is the Mother Tongue as
well as God’s first and best language
and is meant to be shared with the whole
world.
To
see him live or in the studio is akin
to witnessing a Shaman commune with spirits
long past. He hardly ever writes a song
in the traditional sense. The usual recording
process is for him to (once the track
is ready) just open his mouth and let
out whatever is in him or coming through
him. Editing is rarely necessary and
saved for a final “Golden Take.” If he
does “write” a song, it is when and wherever
the inspiring force grabs him. People
have often seen Big Brooklyn Red walking
down the street chanting lyrics like
some kind of monk until he can get to
a pen and pad. Most of his best written
work appears on cocktail napkins and
brown paper bags.
Big
Brooklyn Red is an artist unlimited by
the conventions of the industry. He can
apply his style to any music because
his approach is organic; he feeds off
of what is happening at the moment. That
kind of gift is a two edge sword. On
the upside, is the fact that you can
hear Big Brooklyn Red’s voice on many
different and diverse projects. He has
recorded for a long list of NY/Miami/LA
artists of many genres including hip-hop,
spoken word, house, alternative rock,
jungle/drum and bass as well as doing
drops for local DJ mix CDs. There is
even a gospel song with Big Brooklyn
Red’s vocal on it charting across the
Bible Belt (although the producers may
have to be brought to justice before
that recording could be counted as a
positive experience.)
The
downside unfortunately is that most of
the powers that be need their artists
in a box. Big Brooklyn Red’s talent is
not one that can be contained. Rather
than continue to argue that point with
the A&R du jour, this album is the first offering for the masses.
Big
Brooklyn Red is not new to the game.
As a member of the CityKids Foundation
Repertory Company, Brooklyn’s career
was launched in 1990, performing an original
composition with Herbie Hancock and Branford
Marsalis at the St. James Theatre on
Broadway - which was later re-created
with the late Grover Washington, Jr.,
for television. As an alumni he was also
a featured singer on the “CityKids 10
Year Anniversary” broadcast on ABC in
1996.
In
1994 he started his first band "eli & the bluesound project" and continued honing his performance chops while stretching the boundaries of
music on the New York scene.
The
Brooklyn native moved to Miami in 1997
and over his five years there made his
mark as the premiere soul singer in South
Florida. In 1998 he was joined by fellow
Brooklynite and former Citykid Hassan
and formed the hip-hop/neo-classic soul
group “A Long Way from Sunday.” During
the 2001/02 NBA season Big Brooklyn Red
and the Miami Funk All Stars were the
house band for the Miami Heat. Every
Friday night home game they did the National
Anthem, a few time-outs, halftime, and
the post game party. As of September
30th, 2003, Big Brooklyn Red can also
call himself a "Showtime at the Apollo" Champion.
Big
Brooklyn Red, a Brooklynite, is constantly
on the move.He has toured the U.S., changed
his base of operations from NY to Miami
to LA and back. He has done a grassroots
tour of the U.S. singing the National
Anthem for NFL/NBA games as well as open
mics and featured performances in cities
along the way. Additionally, Brooklyn
completed a tour of the UK in support
of “Organic Soul v. 3,” a compilation
that includes three tracks from Big Brooklyn
Red's album, Foreword.
He
now splits time between NYC and MIA and
will soon be adding DC, Philly, Chicago
and ATL to his regular appearance schedule.
In the meantime, Brooklyn records tirelessly
for his next release.
Big
Brooklyn Red is a man on a mission and
unlike many of today’s manufactured superstars,
he has and continues to walk the walk