Ray brooks first started as a vocalist in the Coral Club, while in High School. In 1958 began his career as a professional guitar player and singer at the Cloud "9" club in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas. He worked throughout south Texas, and backed such artists as Floyd Dixon and Gate Mouth Brown. In 1961 he went to Dallas, Texas and had the pleasure of working with Freddie King and the great Buster Smith. Ray arrived in Los Angeles, California the month of June 1963, And started to appear in all of the popular clubs of the time. In early 1968 Ray co-wrote "Burbank Brown" that appeared in the movie Bob, Carol, Ted & Alice. In 1979 Ray was nominated for the Blues Grammy for his recording of "Walk Out Like A Lady.

I Heard That!

It happened on the bandstand. After a particularly hot sax solo, J.J. Bad Boy Jones turned to the tenor man and said, "Bob, you the Hurricane!"

Let's step back a little. Vocalist, saxophonist and songwriter Bobby "Hurricane" Spencer has a musical past spanning forty years. Born in Detroit, Michigan he arrived in Alemeda, California by way of Arkansas at the tender age of eleven months.

Oakland in the sixties. There was Al's House of Smiles, the Showcase, the Sportsman, Esther's Orbit Room and the Continental Club. Later, the Shalamar and Troyce Key's famous Eli's Mile High Club.

If you were lucky enough to have heard the soul pumping from these clubs than you know the "Hurricane!" That's cause he was anchored dead center in the horn section of those house bands.

The house band played it all, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues and blues. In these house bands the "Hurricane" backed the likes of Big Mama Thornton, Sugar Pie De Santo, Charles Brown, Solomon Burke, Etta James, Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton, Z.Z. Hill, Percy Mayfield, Carla Thomas, Irma Thomas, Big Joe Turner, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, J.J. Malone and Red Foxx.

He played in the legendary bands of Jimmy McCracklin, Johnny Tolbert and De Thangs and Marvin Holmes and the Uptights. He played sessions with Roger Collins and played in Roger's band. There were sessions with J.J. Malone and Sonny Rhodes. As musical director he wrote charts, did sessions and recorded with Jimmy McCracklin. There were horn charts for Harold Andrews and work with Ray Shanklin at Fantasy Records.

Later he played with the Whispers and was writer and musical director for the Timex Social Club. As a writer Koko Taylor has recorded his work, check out "Fish in Dirty Water" on "Force of Nature".

Currently the "Hurricane" resides in Los Angeles and you can hear his horn at times with J.J. Badboy Jones, The Oozie Blues Show or Finis Tasby. If you're in Babe and Ricks on a given Friday or Saturday night you'll see him on stage with The Mighty Balls of Fire.

Did I mention that he can sing? His renditions of Danny Boy are legendary. The "Hurricane" is the real deal. Listen and you will hear it! From a whisper to a scream, float like a butterfly but sting like a bee, dues paid in full, fonky, a man who "took the whuppin" and is still standing. I hope you enjoy this CD as much as I do. But then I was involved. Check yourself!
James Todd