Brandee Younger

Harpist Brandee Younger has carved a distinctive path as a performer whose playing bridges jazz, classical, soul, and funk. Drawing from the legacies of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby, she earned early recognition through The Brandee Younger 4tet in 2014, Wax & Wane in 2016, and Soul Awakening in 2019. She has also spent time on the road with Makaya McCraven’s ensemble while appearing on recordings by Common, Jeremy Pelt, Alessia Cara, Drake, John Legend, Ryan Leslie, and others. Her profile rose further with the 2021 release Somewhere Different, whose track “Beautiful Is Black” positioned her as the first Black woman nominated for a Grammy in the Best Instrumental Composition category. Brand New Life followed in 2023, bringing guest appearances from Mumu Fresh, Meshell N’degeocello, and Pete Rock.

Born in Hempstead, New York, in 1982, Younger began harp studies in childhood and completed dual undergraduate degrees in Harp Performance and Music Business at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford, where she concentrated on jazz under alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. She later pursued graduate work at New York University and, during that period, joined saxophonist Ravi Coltrane for a concert series paying tribute to his mother, pianist and harpist Alice Coltrane. Her first album as a leader, 2011’s Prelude, introduced a quartet completed by bassist Dezron Douglas, drummer E.J. Strickland, and vocalist Niia. Subsequent projects included the aforementioned The Brandee Younger 4tet and Wax & Wane, while her schedule continued to feature tours with McCraven and additional collaborations with the artists already noted.

Alongside her performing career, Younger has maintained an active teaching presence at New York University, The New School College of Performing Arts, Adelphi University, The Hartt School Community Division at the University of Hartford, and several other institutions. Soul Awakening, issued in 2019, reunited her with Douglas, Strickland, and Niia while adding saxophonists Stacy Dillard, Chelsea Baratz, Antoine Roney, and Ravi Coltrane plus trumpeters Freddie Hendrix and Sean Jones. In 2020 she and Douglas released the duet recording Force Majeure.

Somewhere Different, her sixth album, appeared in 2021 and blended fusion jazz, Latin, classical, and R&B elements; it featured bassist Rashaan Carter, drummer Allan Mednard, trumpeter Maurice Brown, and legendary bassist Ron Carter among its contributors. The project’s “Beautiful Is Black” secured the Grammy nomination cited earlier. Brand New Life, another fusion of jazz and hip-hop, arrived in 2023 carrying further contributions from Mumu Fresh, Meshell N’degeocello, and Pete Rock.