Hadda Brooks – The Singles & Albums Collection – 1945-53 – 2CD

Hadda Brooks was a classically-trained pianist who turned to jazz and boogie woogie and became a stylish and distinctive singer of ballads, to the extent that in the late 1940s she enjoyed three Top 10 R&B hits with sophisticated vocal recordings. Basing her piano style initially on that of boogie woogie pioneers like Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson, she developed a unique strand of material which involved re-interpreting classical pieces in boogie woogie idiom. This great-value 50-track 2-CD set comprises selected A & B sides of her singles on the Modern, London and Okeh labels during these years, plus selected titles from the albums “Femme Fatale” and “Swings The Boogie” on Crown, performing in her early years with a small jazz group and later both solo and with her Trio. It naturally includes those three Top 10 hits “That’s My Desire”, “Out Of The Blue” and “What Have I Done”. She was one of the more unusual artists of the post-war decades, straddling stylistic boundaries in her highly individual manner, and this selective compilation of her output in what was an important first decade or so of her career provides an entertaining showcase for her eclectic style and talents.

CD1:
Hadda Brooks: 1. Just A Little Bluesie -   2. Swingin' The Boogie -   3. Blues In B Flat -   Hadda Brooks & Her Sextette: 4. Nightmare Boogie -   Hadda Brooks: 5. The Man I Love -   6. Bluesin' The Boogie -   7. Blue Mood -   Hadda Brooks Trio: 8. Polonaise Boogie -   Hadda Brooks: 9. Society Boogie -   Hadda Brooks Trio: 10. Grieg's Concerto Boogie -   11. You Won't Let Me Go -   12. Humoresque Boogie -   13. That's My Desire -   14. Romance In The Dark -   15. Trust In Me -   16. Don't Take Your Love From Me -   17. That's Where I Came In -   18. It All Depends On You -   19. Hollywood House Party Boogie -   20. The Best Things In Life Are Free -   21. Variety Bounce -   22. Out Of The Blue -   23. Bully Wully Boogie -   24. What Have I Done -   25. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm -

CD2:
Hadda Brooks Trio: 1. Sailboat In The Moonlight -   2. Bewildered -   Hadda Brooks: 3. Take Me -   Hadda Brooks Trio: 4. Always -   Hadda Brooks: 5. Lazy Boogie -   6. This Time We're Through -   7. Keep Your Hand On Your Heart -   Hadda Brooks Trio: 8. When A Woman Cries -   Hadda Brooks: 9. I Feel So Good -   10. The Thrill Is Gone -   11. Please Be Kind -   12. My Ideal -   13. Dream -   14. My Romance -  15. Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere -   16. Honky Tonk Boogie -   17. Hip Shakin' Boogie -   18. I Hadn't Anyone Till You -   19. All I Need Is You -   20. It Hadda Be Brooks -   21. Time Was When -   22. I'm Still In Love -   23. My Song -   24. Jump Back, Honey -   25. When I Leave The World Behind -