Anna Brooks
Over the last two decades saxophonist, vocalist, musical director, music arranger and recording artist Anna Brooks ’prestigious career has gained her a reputation as one of the UK’s leading jazz, funk and pop saxophonists and female musicians and multi-genre music educator. She is currently alto saxophonist and backing vocalist with Jools Holland’s ‘Rhythm And Blues Orchestra’ and for ten years was tenor saxophonist and backing vocalist with the Brooklyn Funk Essentials. In early 2020 she toured Europe with Jools' four-piece band on tenor and soprano saxes and vocals alongside special guests KT Tunstall, Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall. She has appeared on BBC 2’s 2020 and 2021 Annual Hootenanny shows, most recently performing a solo with Gregory Porter. With the Brooklyn Funk Essentials she toured worldwide and recorded two albums - ‘Funk Ain’t Ova ’and ’Stay Good’. In 2021 she featured in the BBC DJ and TV presenter Sarah Cox ‘s ‘Just Can’t Get Enough ‘80s ’live touring show.
Anna graduated from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with a First-Class Honours degree and soon afterwards was commissioned to compose and perform music for the ‘Rising Star ’series at the Cheltenham International Jazz Festival. A record deal followed and her first album ‘My Time ’was released in 2003, followed by the E.P ‘Going My Way ’in 2007. She is currently working on a long-awaited second solo album.
As musical director, arranger and saxophonist, Anna spent two years with George Treadwell’s legendary group ‘The Drifters ’and nineteen years with Roy G. Hemmings‘ ’Dictionary Of Soul'. This followed two years touring with ‘70s glam-rocker Roy Wood and several years touring and recording with 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 performed on numerous occasions with The City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
As a music preparation specialist / copyist, Anna has worked for such prestigious clients as Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Katie Melua, film producers Ridley Scott and Gurinder Chadhar, Kanbar Animation and the BBC (Dr. Who, Torchwood). She has composed original music for TV and independent film and arranged music for numerous theatre shows and bands, including Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
Anna is passionate about music education and has been a saxophone tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire since 2003.