Real name: John Benson Brooks

Effective period / Period of releases: 1957 - 2007

B. February 23, 1917, Houlton, Maine
D. November 13, 1999, New York City

American jazz pianist, songwriter, arranger, and composer. Among his best-known compositions are "You Came A Long Way From St. Louis", "Where Flamingos Fly", "Over The Weekend" and "Just As Though You Were Here". His composition "Bird Meets Cage" was performed over WBAI in January 1961.

Studied with Joseph Schillinger in the 1940's, and with John Cage at the New School in 1960. Brooks was also fascinated by the occult, and studied and corresponded with astrologer Marc Edmund Jones beginning in 1943.