ABOUT CHUCK

Charles Brooks, D.M.A. is a classically trained professional jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, hand drummer, pianist, clinician, composer, and educator. He is the Assistant Professor of Audio Engineering in the Department of Entertainment Industry at the University of North Alabama, where he mentors students while teaching and equipping them with the skills necessary to understand how to seek out, recognize, and be fully prepared for professional opportunities in live sound and studio recording.

His textbook, "A Practical Approach to Understanding Music Theory", offers non-music majors the chance to learn and understand the basic concepts in the field of music as it is related to entertainment practice. It is written in a spiral learning manner so even the most inexperienced of persons can start at the beginning and slowly add to their knowledge base, thereby becoming more successful at creating content of substance. He is currently wrapping up two educational instruction manuals, one for the drum set and one for the vibraphone. He is a five-time Grammy-nominated educator recognized by international audio component giant K&K Sound. Dr. Brooks is endorsed by SoulTone Cymbals.

In addition to teaching, Brooks also composes, performs, records, mixes and masters his own original music. Each tune reflects on specific people in his life, as well as his own experiences of personal growth. Known for his improvisational talents and personalized high-energy performances, Dr. Brooks captivates audiences with his wildly innovative four-mallet playing. And, by running the vibraphone through effects pedals, he provides added texture to his already unique sound, which he views as a universal language full of rich vibraphone tones that roll out to listeners with multi-dimensional effects, leaving behind a never-before-heard lasting impression that speaks clearly to the soul. His albums are available on his website and most music streaming platforms. 

Dr. Brooks is a nationally featured jazz performer at the University of North Alabama, Louisiana State University, Belmont University, University of Minnesota-Duluth, Austin Peay State University, University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University, the Mid City Jazz Festival, and the Duluth Jazz Festival. He holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts with a Composition minor from Louisiana State University. He studied Composition under Dr. Dinos Constantinides (LSU) and Dr. Jeffrey Wood (Austin Peay), and his extensive study of Jazz and Percussion Performance took place under the instruction of Dr. Christopher Norton (Belmont), Mr. David Steinquest (Austin Peay), Dr. Michael Kingan (Indiana Univ. of Percussion), and Dr. Willis Delony (LSU). He was further mentored by Dr. Thomas King (Austin Peay) and graduated the Berklee College of Music Summer Jazz Series. 

He has over 35 years’ experience in performance, composition, education, and over 25 years' experience recording live shows. He is a classically trained percussionist, an accomplished jazz musician, and both a public and private instructor and consultant proficient in orchestral performance, jazz studies and performance, percussion studies and performance, and audio engineering.

credit: Rachel Neal Pictures

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