Interview: Jazz musician Dwayne ‘Cook’ Broadnax

Drummer and educator Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax has spent decades perfecting his craft as a jazz musician, and sharing his love for music with budding artists and fans alike. The Philadelphia native has traveled the world with legends such as the late Little Jimmy Scott, and released an album, Finally Mine, in 2014. TopBuzz recently caught up with the leader of The Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax Quartet after a riveting performance at Clement’s Place Jazz in Newark, NJ. Read our exclusive interview below!

LIFE ENTERTAINMENT: What do you teach at Long Island University (LIU)?

DWAYNE BROADNAX: At LIU, I teach “Concepts of Trap Drum Set Four-Way Independence.”

LE: What is that? 

DB: Four-Way Independence is utilizing all four limbs– both arms, both legs– independently of one another. Which is what a trap drummer does.

LE: You have worked with some musical greats– jazz artists and those from other genres, including Jamie Foxx and Savion Glover. Did you collaborate with them on the studio or spend time on the road? 

DB: It varies. For instance, with Savion, all Savion’s stuff is live. We’ve done concerts, we’ve done tours, all live performances. The stuff with Kevin Eubanks, when he was with “The Tonight Show,” they were studios. We just did a record together. We’re buddies because he’s a Philadelphian as well and I know his whole family.

LE: I can imagine that you’ve had some amazing experiences across your decades of work. What’s one of your favorite memories?

DB: Oh, my goodness… that’s a difficult question. One of the ones that I enjoy telling the most is that I have a son who is now a junior at Morehouse [College], Parker Broadnax. In 2000, I started working with the great [jazz vocalist] Jimmy Scott. I had worked with him before in the early ’90s, but it was just as a sub. Cut to 2000, I joined Jimmy’s band again. The first gig is in Japan and we do a three-week tour. At the end of the tour, he gave everybody their envelopes, which is their pay, but he gives me a second envelope. I opened it up, and it’s $500. I’m like, “Jimmy, this is $500. Man, what is this?” 

He said, “This is for you to start a college fund for your baby boy that you just had.” My son was two months old. Two years later, when my daughter was born, he did the same thing, another $500. He was looking out for me. When it’s time for my son to go to school, 17 years later, that $500 is now $25,000 because of Jimmy Scott. And by this time, Jimmy has passed on. I tell this story every chance I get to thank him and to pay homage to this brother for giving me that seed. That’s one of my favorite stories.

LE: Awesome; thank you for sharing that. What are you currently working on?

DB: Right now I’m trying to do another project. I’ve been writing music, but it’s been sparse. I’m working on so many different projects with other people because I work primarily as a sideman. This is one of the few jobs that I get to do as a leader. I’m very grateful because everybody on this stage has hired me for projects, so now I get to reciprocate. [Clement’s Place Jazz] is one of the few venues where the money is correct. You don’t have to beg and nickel and dime about a little bit more money. It’s just what it’s supposed to be. It was my honor to be able to hire people who have hired me a lot. I’m also a New York City Park volunteer. There’s a park right in front of my house of which I was one of the homeowners that was instrumental in getting the park built. 

LE: What’s the name of the park?

DB: It’s called South Oxford Park in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. It’s a beautiful little oasis, and I’m very proud to be a volunteer. 

Also just trying to be a good father. My daughter is off to college next year. She wants to go into musical theater, and her number one college right now is Boston Conservatory at Berklee. That’s in Boston, Massachusetts. She’ll be in college and I’ll have two kids in college.

LE: Congratulations.

DB: Thank you. I will be taking all gigs (laughs).