An Aussie @ Hitsville [[early 60's)

[jsmith]

Can anyone here tell me much about the work of Australian vibes player Jack Brokensha at Motown ?
Brokensa was born in Australia in 1926 where he got into music. He moved to Windsor, Canada in 1953 and cut albums with the Australian Jazz Quintet [[one such being released by Bethlehem Records in 56).
From Windsor he moved onto Detroit, where he was hired by Berry Gordy and played in early incarnations of the Funk Brothers.
There are a number of namechecks for him, playing in jazz groups in & around Detroit from the early to mid 1960's. He was one of the musicians who performed at the Detroit Jazz Society Conference staged in April 1966.
He next turns up with releases on Detroit based Contrast Records [[of Mack Avenue, Grosse Pointe Woods) in 1967 / 68.
After a few more years playing vibes he seemed to migrate more into DJ work. He eventually retired to Florida where he passed away as recently as 2010.
Anyone know much of anything about his work at Motown and of any live gigs he did with other 'Funk Brothers' in the early 60's ??

[jsmith]

............ MORE ON JACK ...............
In Motown's heyday he was ''White Jack'', one of two white musicians backing the great soul singers. Jack Brokensha, who died at age 84, may be best remembered as a jazz vibraphonist but he was a man of many parts, including playing on those 1960s hits by Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and the rest. The story goes that many years later he was introduced to Quincy Jones, who said: ''Oh, you're the guy who invented rock'n'roll vibes.''
On Motown discs his simple vibraphone parts nestle in the guitars, sweetening the texture. ''I never saw Diana Ross,'' Brokensha told Jim McLeod in his book, Jazztrack. ''It was a factory. They would lay down a bunch of tracks and then decide which artists would do them.''
He was known at Motown as "White Jack" to stop him being confused on sessions with "Black Jack" -- Jack Ashford.

Motown music was a world away from the jazz that had taken Brokensha from Adelaide to Detroit. As a member of the Australian Jazz Quintet he enjoyed renown across the US. In Detroit, he had also been a member of the house band for ABC/Channel 7 television and was a disc jockey for WQRS radio.
He worked a lot in the 60's with Bess Bonnier and played in the house band at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge back in the day. By all accounts, he also ran a jazz club in the city after his time with Motown. He then operated his own recording studio in Bloomfield Hills.

[jsmith]

Anyone know the last Motown session Jack played on .... it appears to have been towards the end of the 60's [[after he was signed as a solo artist to Contrast Records).
Seems strange that he had a contract with another label and yet still continued working at Motown.

[theboyfromxtown]

John

I remember we talked about Jack before. Have you checked the archives

[snakepit]

When I visted Detroit, I scanned the local telephone book for names that 'might' be relevant to Motown. I found Ivy Hunter that way.
I also found an entry for Brokenshaw, so rang the number and was delighted to find that Jack was on the other end. We talked about Motown and his current activity in a jazz club, which he invited us to attend, which unfortunately we couldn't do due to prior committments.
As in the piece above, he told me that he had played on virtually all Diana Ross' Detroit recordings "but I never ever met her"....
He seemed a nice guy, and it's a shame we couldn't get to see him.

[Motown4Ever518]

I would love to know specific tracks that Jack played on to reference his style contrasting with the other Jack.

[jsmith]

After checking on-line, these are some projects / tracks that Jack is documented as having played on ………..
Face to Face With the Truth -- The Undisputed Truth [[Bells, Gourd, Timpani, Vibraphone)
Forever Yours -- Marvin Gaye
What's Going On -- Marvin Gaye [[Percussion, Vibraphone)
Song for You / Masterpiece + Emperors of Soul -- The Temptations [[ Bells, Gourd, Timpani, Vibraphone)
Strung Out -- Gordon Staples & the String Thing [[Percussion)
PLUS cuts made by The Spinners [[ Percussion, Vibraphone), the Marvelettes, Martha & the Vandellas, Mary Wells, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Junior Walker & the All-Stars, Gladys Knight & the Pips .......... AND ...
on the following Four Tops tracks >>
Baby I Need Your Loving
Where Did You Go
Without The One You Love [[Life's Not Worthwile)
Left With A Broken Heart
Ask The Lonely
Just A Little Love [[Before My Life Is Gone)
My Heart Is Calling You
I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
It's The Same Old Song
Is There Anything That I Can Do
Something About You
No Good Without You
Just As Long As You Need Me
Shake Me, Wake Me [[When It's Over)
Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
Brenda
For Once In My Life
Reach Out I'll Be There
Standing In The Shadows Of Love
Bernadette
7-Rooms Of Gloom
I'll Turn To Stone [[Live At The Roostertail)
You Keep Running Away
Walk Away Renee
Your Love Is Wonderful
If I Were A Carpenter
Just Another Lonely Night
Oh, I've Been Blessed
Yesterday's Dreams
Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind
I'm In A Different World
What Is A Man
So Far
Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me
Do What You Gotta Do
MacArthur Park
I'll Pay Double
Nothing
Barbara's Boy
Stranded On The Road Of Love
It's All In The Game
Love [[Is The Answer)
River Deep, Mountain High
I'm So Glad About It
Just Seven Numbers
In These Changing Times
A Simple Game
You Stole My Love
So Deep Within You
I Can't Quit Your Love
[[It's The Way) Nature Planned It

... ALSO... these later recordings ………….
Once Upon a Dream – Enchantment … plus stuff by the likes of the Floaters, Norman Feels, CJ & Co, Mike Theodore Orchestra

[Motown4Ever518]

JSmith, ask and you shall receive, many thanks.