Harry Brooks
Harry Brooks (September 20, 1895 – June 22, 1970) was an American writer of popular songs, jazz pianist and composer in the 1920s to the early 1950s. Brooks was born in Homestead, Pennsylvania. After graduating from his hometown high school in 1914, he worked as a pianist with Pittsburgh bands (dance orchestras) and then as a staff composer for a publishing company. He is recalled mostly in the 21st century for his work with his friends Thomas "Fats" Waller and the lyricist Andy Razaf. Brooks was the composer of several hit songs including his composition "Ain't Misbehavin'", written with Waller and Razaf. Also with Razaf and Waller, Brooks scored the Broadway shows Snapshots of 1921 and Connie's Hot Chocolates. He died, aged 74, in Teaneck, New Jersey. |
Birth and Death Data: Born Homestead, Died June 22, 1970
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1921 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, piano, trombone, songwriter, arranger
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 51-75 of 89 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | E31559 | 10-in. | Dec. 1929 | My man is good for nothing but love | Edith Wilson | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Brunswick | E31919 | 10-in. | 1/31/1930 | Black and blue | Adrian Rollini ; Snake & Teddy | Saxophone solo, with piano and guitar | composer | |
| Brunswick | E35750 | 10-in. | 12/15/1930 | Saturday | Andy Kirk ; Twelve Clouds of Joy | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Brunswick | E30421-E30422 | 10-in. | 7/31/1929 | Can’t we get together? | Hotsy Totsy Gang ; Irving Mills | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | composer | |
| Brunswick | E30423-E34024 | 10-in. | 7/31/1929 | Sweet Savannah Sue | Hotsy Totsy Gang ; Irving Mills | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo; without vocal (take G) | composer | |
| Brunswick | C3899 | 10-in. | 7/19/1929 | That rhythm man | Jimmie Noone’s Apex Club Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer | |
| Brunswick | C3900 | 10-in. | 7/19/1929 | Off time | Jimmie Noone’s Apex Club Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer | |
| Brunswick | C4029 | 10-in. | 8/13/1929 | (What did I do to be so) Black and blue | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer | |
| Brunswick | TCL1468 | 10-in. | 3/27/1931 | Ain’t misbehavin’ | Boswell Sisters | Female vocal trio | composer | |
| Brunswick | DAL202 | 10-in. | 10/4/1935 | (What did I do to be so) black and blue | Roy Newman and his Boys | String band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Edison | 8065 | 10-in. | 6/14/1921 | Saturday | Lanin's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Gramophone | 0EA6384 | 10-in. | 8/21/1938 | Ain't misbehavin' | Fats Waller and his Rhythm | Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Decca | 60888 | 10-in. | 3/11/1936 | That's what love did co me | Noble Sissle Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60889 | 10-in. | 3/11/1936 | You can't live in Harlem | Noble Sissle Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60890 | 10-in. | 3/11/1936 | I wonder who made rhythm | Noble Sissle Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60891 | 10-in. | 3/11/1936 | 'Tain't a fit night out for man or beast | Noble Sissle Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60892 | 10-in. | 3/11/1936 | I take to you | Noble Sissle Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60893 | 10-in. | 3/11/1936 | Rhythm of the Broadway moon | Noble Sissle Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63263 | 10-in. | 2/10/1938 | Viper mad | Noble Sissle's Swingsters | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63264 | 10-in. | 2/10/1938 | Blackstick | Noble Sissle's Swingsters | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63265 | 10-in. | 2/10/1938 | When the sun sets down South-1 | Noble Sissle's Swingsters | instrumentalist, piano, arranger | ||
| Decca | 63266 | 10-in. | 2/10/1938 | Sweet patootie | Noble Sissle's Swingsters | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 73020 | 10-in. | 8/29/1945 | A kiss goodnight | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trombone | ||
| Decca | 73021 | 10-in. | 8/29/1945 | Benny's coming home on Saturday | Ella Fitzgerald | instrumentalist, trombone | ||
| Decca | 73469 | 3/22/1946 | Somebody loves me | Randy Brooks Orchestra | instrumentalist, trombone |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brooks, Harry," accessed December 11, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105536.
Brooks, Harry. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 11, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105536.
"Brooks, Harry." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 11 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Brooks, Harry, 1895-1970 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n87121594
Wikidata: Harry Brooks - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5667534
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/36145971362932331382
MusicBrainz: Harry Brooks - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/cfb5c397-2fae-4ab2-b5af-9a294fb86978
Fast: http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1480481 - http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1480481
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