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twenty years before it closed in 2004.

Brooks began his musical career while studying at the U-M and was soon playing with local and visiting musicians; his early recordings include a challenging 1962 album with pianist Bob James, who would eventually make it big playing more popular kinds of music; a date with the adventuresome woodwind player Eric Dolphy; and albums with the Contemporary Jazz Quintet and Mixed Bag.

The Mixed Bag combo included Eddie Russ, who became the first pianist in the Ron Brooks Trio, a position held by many others over the years, including Harvey Reed, Stanley Cowell, and Rick Roe; drummers have included Pete Siers and George Davidson. When Brooks opened the Bird of Paradise, Russ returned to the fold once again in one of the more memorable versions of the Trio. For almost nineteen years, the Brooks trio was the house rhythm section at the Bird, working with visitors and playing regular weekly gigs on their own.