Buster Brown, New York's Favorite Tap Dancer
Everyone loves Buster Brown, who is always at every tap event to cheer, support, encourage, sing, tell jokes, dance or act as master of ceremonies. Every Sunday he hosts a tap jam at Swing 46 in New York City where everyone goes tap dancing. Here are a few recollections from friends.
Savion Glover, Artist
Is there a word that describes the emotion felt? Is there a melody as gracefully melodic? No. Buster Brown to me is an indispensable bundle of love and life. I love you, Buster.
Leonard Reed: Performer, Producer, Creator of the Shim Sham
"When I was doing stock in Baltimore in 1934, Buster Brown was in the theatre almost every show, copying and stealing everything he could. I had a heckler in the audience that I had planted and when he got too obnoxious, I would say, 'Sit down Buddy.' After a while the audience picked up on, 'Sit down Buddy' and would yell out, 'Sit down Buddy.' One day I heard a strange voice doing the same material that I had the heckler doing. I said, 'Who is that little squirt out there?' and to the amazement of all, he yelled to me, 'Sit down Buddy' and the crowd went wild. From that point on Buster thought he was part of my show! Actually he did the material better than the guy I had hired."
Ted Levy: Teacher, Director, Performer, Choreographer
"I first saw Buster in Chicago with Cookie, Brownie Brown, Jane Goldberg, and Dianne Walker. Buster made the evening personal for me. He was both silly and sublime. I was astonished at how masterfully he moved the audience and the journey he took us on. He shared his laughter, flabbergasted us with his musical and technical brilliance and inspired us with his rendition of Come Sunday. All I could think was that, one day I was going to be a tap dancer. Since that day, each experience with Buster has been the same, masterfully brilliant and inspiring.
Tony Waag, Director of New York City Tap Festival
"Tap master Buster Brown is the high mucky-muck!"
Delilah Jackson, Dance Historian
"In 1979 when I didn't know much about producing shows, Buster was always there to help and acted as master of ceremonies. For the next 12 years of Harlem Week shows, he introduced people, entertained and told corny jokes. Later, at the Barry Harris Cultural Theater, I produced "Remembering The Apollo Theatre" shows and Buster always opened. I feel fortunate to have this legend in my life."
Jo Rowan: Chairman Dance Oklahoma City University
"Buster is a magnet of love and respect. He gives love and respect to his audience, and as a consequence, he gets it back."
Acia Gray: Director of Austin Dance Company, Tapestry
"In having worked with Buster as a performer as well as a student, the many facets of Mr. Brown take many angles. Witnessing his genius over the years is such a blessing and watching my students digest his rhythmic essence is a gift...what a legacy."
Jim Lerman: New York Tap Committee Member
"Buster is all about fun, love, and encouragement. He says only good things about people and constantly accentuates the positive. For Michela, (Jim's teen daughter) Buster's friendship has been like having an added member of our family. He is always there for her, supporting, coaching, teaching, sharing, enjoying her presence and performing, respecting her as an artist, and advocating for her. To see the give and take between Buster and Michela is to witness the joining of two souls."
Michela Lerman: Protégé of Buster
"The minute I hear his name, a smile comes to my face. He's one of the best people I've ever known, with one of the biggest hearts in the world. He never tells you that you did it wrong, he always says, 'No, that's right, that's your way.' That always made me want to keep going, learn more, and obtain more knowledge."
Nicole Hockenberry: Director of T.A.P. Company, Easton, Pennsylvania
" I was 15 when I saw Buster dance a PBS special, "Tap Dance In America." I vowed I would some day dance with him. Buster was a guest at my first T.A.P. Company's show. Teaching and performing with Buster at the St. Louis Tap Festival was a week I will long remember."
Charles Goddertz:
Choreographer, Teacher
"I would award Buster Brown the Nobel Prize for performance, dance, and the enrichment of audiences. He is a role model and humanist to the highest degree."
John Bedford: Dean, School of American Dance and Arts Management, OCU
" At Peg Leg Bates' 90th birthday party, I noticed that no one could deep track of Buster. He saw everything and everybody, but if you turned away, he was gone. Can you imagine how he must have been at 30?"
Buster's career spans from vaudeville circuits to Broadway's "Black and Blue." He performed the Duke Ellington Sacred Concert, toured with Savion's Footnotes, danced in "The Cotton Club" (movie) and tap documentaries, featured with Cab Calloway's Band, and member of the Copasetics.
Buster Brown was awarded an honorary doctorate by Oklahoma City University in February. One of the most popular tap dancers in history, his career and contribution to tap is major and continues. Everyone loves Buster •