Joe Brazil

Joseph Brazil (August 25, 1927 – August 6, 2008) was an American jazz saxophonist and educator. Local musicians and touring acts performed in his basement. He taught jazz at Garfield High School, co-founded the Black Music curriculum at the University of Washington, and founded the Black Academy of Music in Seattle. He appeared on the albums Om by John Coltrane and Mystic Voyage by Roy Ayers.

Biography

Detroit (1927–1961) Joseph Brazil was born August 25, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan. In 1951 he purchased a home in Detroit where he lived with his brother and mother. He built a bar in the basement and installed a baby grand piano. Jam sessions took place in his basement, with musicians such as trumpeter Donald Byrd, saxophonists Sonny Red and Brazil, pianist Barry Harris, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Frank Gant. Tapes of saxophonist John Coltrane practicing were made at his house. A tape of a jam session was recorded in his basement on September 25, 1958, with trumpeter Donald Towns, saxophonists Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Brazil, Red, pianist Hugh Lawson, bassist Ernie Farrow, and drummer Roy Brooks. Coltrane met drummer George Goldsmith in his basement and once asked Goldsmith to substitute for drummer Elvin Jones. While living in Detroit, pianist Alice Coltrane (then Alice McLeod) was also a regular: pianist Kenny Cox suggests that it was here that she met her second husband, John Coltrane, although their formal introduction occurred in New York.

Seattle (1961–2008) Brazil moved to Seattle to work as a tool maker at Boeing in 1961. In September 1965, he performed with John Coltrane at The Penthouse and, on October 1 of that year, recorded on flute with Coltrane in Lynnwood, Washington. The music was released by Impulse! Records in 1968 as the album Om. The following day, after performing with his own band, Brazil taped Coltrane's band on reel-to-reel using The Penthouse's house system. The tapes sat in Brazil's basement for decades until, five years after Brazil's death, they were found by local saxophonist Steve Griggs. These recordings were released by Impulse! in 2021 as A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle.

He taught at Garfield High School's Magnet Program with bassist Chuck Metcalf in 1968. He established the Black Academy of Music in 1967 with guitarist George Hurst. The faculty included trumpeter Floyd Standifer, saxophonist Jabo Ward, and bassist Milt Garred. The Black Student Union demanded that he be hired by the University of Washington School of Music. He taught at the University of Washington from 1969 to 1976 but was denied tenure.

Discography As sideman With Roy Ayers Mystic Voyage (Polydor, 1975)

With John Coltrane Om (Impulse!, 1968)

With James Moody Teachers (Perception, 1970)