CD Review: Hadda Brooks, Queen of the Boogie and More

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Hadda Brooks is an unsung heroine of the first decade of post-war rhythm and blues. She had two parallel careers, as a ballad singer and a boogie-woogie pianist. She recorded primarily for Modern Records, owned by the Bihari brothers, which, along with its affilates Flair, Meteor and RPM, produced some of the best West Coast R&B of the '40s and '50s. Ace Records in the U. K. has been gradually releasing the Biharis' catalog for two decades.

Hadda Hopgood was a classically trained pianist. Legend has it that Jules Bihari, then an independent record distributor, found her playing classical music in a Hollywood music shop. When he asked her if she could play boogie woogie, she said she would give it a try. The CD's notes (by Tony Rounce) hint at a romantic relationship between them, but in any case, Jules was sufficiently inspired by her to start his own record label. Modern 101, “Swingin' the Boogie” b/w “Bluesin' the Boogie,” was released in 1945 under the name “Hadda Brooks,” and sold well enough to be followed by many similar recordings. It was as a ballad singer, however, that she had her greatest success, particularly with her version of the pop tune “That's My Desire” in 1947.

Modern's first record album, Queen of the Boogie, issued in 1948, was also by Hadda Brooks. Young people may wonder why long playing vinyl records and CDs are sometimes called “albums.” This collection consisted of three 78 rpm records whose cardboard sleeves were sewn between stiff front and back covers, and which opened like a scrapbook or photo album. The name stuck, even when it was no longer appropriate. The original front cover is reproduced as the cover of this CD, and the six songs are its first six selections.

There are 24 songs on this CD. Ten were released around the time they were recorded, five are alternate takes of previously released sides, and nine are previously unreleased. Four of these nine were found unlabeled in the Modern files and were given generic titles by the Ace staff. All are piano instrumentals, and by my count, all but seven are boogie-woogies. The only time Hadda's voice is heard is when she chants for a few bars on “Bully Wully Boogie.” 

The ballad “Stardust,” is a piano solo. On most of the rest of the tunes, according to the notes, she was accompanied by Teddy Bunn on guitar, Red Callendar or Bill Davis on bass, and Al “Cake” Wichard on drums. Bunn, if present, is seldom audible except on “Moonglow,” where he takes the lead. There is one cut, “Schubert's Serenade in Boogie,” in which she is backed by a small R&B band and trades the lead with a tenor saxophonist, probably Maxwell Davis.

Because of her musical training, Hadda Brooks liked to play classical or semi-classical themes in boogie woogie tempo. She would usually begin by playing the tune as written, but after about 20 seconds, her left hand would get restless and she would begin the familiar boogie-woogie pattern. This became a bit of a cliché for her. There are eight of these classical themes on this CD.

Hadda Brooks is a more than adequate boogie-woogie pianist. While she lacked the strong left hand of some of the male pianists of the '30s and '40s, she more than makes up for this with the inventiveness of her syncopated melodies. The only problem with this CD, which accounts for my relatively weak rating, is its lack of variety.

Hadda Brooks was a great singer. (Here's an example that I posted several months ago.) My ideal Hadda Brooks CD would be more evenly divided between vocals and instrumentals. Such CDs are available—for example, Romance in the Dark on Ace, and Jump Back, Honey, which collects her OKeh recordings from 1952 and 1953. This CD is more for Hadda Brooks completists.

Tracks: Juke Box Boogie; Bully Wully Boogie; Sunset Limited; Boogie at the Bandbox; Night Life; Down Beat Boogie; Minuet in G Boogie; Hungara (Gypsy); Sleepy Time Gal; 743 Blues; 134 Blues; Schubert's Serenade in Boogie; Hadda's Honky Tonk Train; Humoresque Boogie; Melody in F Boogie; Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in Boogie; Grieg's Concerto in A Minor; Star Dust; Strollin' and Rollin'; Rollin' and Strollin'; St. Louis Blues Boogie; Basin Street Blues; Moonglow; Polonaise Boogie. (67 min.)

Personnel: Hadda Brooks, piano; remainder unidentified, but probably Teddy Bunn, guitar; Red Callendar or Bill Davis, bass; and Al “Cake” Wichard, drums.

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