Brooks is a novelist and a jazz singer — two harmonious art forms that have taken her to the world stage. Her critically acclaimed books have found an international market in Spain, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Japan, France, Australia and the UK as well as Canada and the US. She is a four time nominee of the Governor General’s Award for Literature, taking home the prize in 2002 for her young adult novel, “True Confessions of a Heartless Girl.” In 2008 she was awarded the Writers’ Trust Fund of Canada’s Vicky Metcalf Award for her body of work. She is currently completing “Letters to Brian,” a memoir of the first year of grief that pays tribute to her late husband, Brian Brooks.
Her CD, “Change of Heart,” was named Jazz Album of the Year at the Prairie Music Awards, 2002. The album showcased five original songs from pianist/composer Knut Haugsoen, for which Brooks penned the lyrics. She has performed evenings with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Under the Rooftop and made numerous appearances at The Winnipeg International Jazz Festival. Internationally she has appeared at The Reykjavik Jazz Festival, and with her trio in concert at the 4th international literary festival berlin. Closer to home she has appeared at Toronto’s Top O’ the Senator and has worked with some of Canada’s finest and brightest jazz musicians — David Braid, Dave Restivo, Mike Downes, Mark Mclean, Ted Warren, Knut Haugsoen, Michelle Gregoire, Glenn Buhr, and most recently, in a simpatico musical partnership with pianist/arranger Jeff Presslaff.
“All My Tomorrows” was recorded live in the summer of 2013 at the TD International Winnipeg Jazz Festival.
Brooks lives and creates in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
marthabrooksjazz 