|
contents | jazz | |||||||||||||
| Award-winning Jazz Harpist Brandee Younger to Perform in the "Home of Jazz" On Saturday, May 3rd, Flushing Town Hall will bring the genre-defying sound of The Brandee Younger Trio to Queens. Known for her fusion of classical, jazz, soul, and funk, Younger has redefined the harp in contemporary music. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. "Jazz Harp?! How fabulous! We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the extraordinary Brandee Younger Trio to our stage, " says Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall's Executive and Artistic Director. "Flushing Town Hall has a long and proud history of presenting incredible jazz artists, and Brandee Younger continues that tradition with her groundbreaking artistry. We're deeply grateful for funding support from Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's Jazz Touring Network, which helps bring remarkable musicians like her to new audiences." Brandee Younger is revolutionizing the harps' role in modern music. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. That same year, she was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award and later, the winner of the 2024 NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Jazz Album for her latest album Brand New Life. Ever-expanding as an artist, she has worked with cultural icons including Common, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Pharoah Sanders and Christian McBride. Her original composition "Hortense" was featured in the Netflix Concert-Documentary, Beyoncé: Homecoming and in 2019, Brandee was selected to perform her original music as a featured performer for Quincy Jones and Steve McQueens' Soundtrack of America. Brandee is often noted for standing on the shoulders of the very women who ushered in the harp as a clear and distinct voice in jazz & popular styles - particularly Detroit natives Dorothy Ashby & Alice Coltrane. Her latest album, Brand New Life, builds on her already rich oeuvre, and cements the harp's place in popular culture. As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new paths–artistic, personal, political, and spiritual. Younger's music is imbued with a sense of purpose and respect of legacy, creating a larger platform for the harp to reach newer and wider audiences than ever before. In addition to performing and recording, Brandee Younger is on the faculty at New York University, Steinhardt School and The New School College of Performing Arts. With tickets priced at $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students w/ID, and $18 for members, Flushing Town Hall rivals Manhattan's clubs in affordability. The venue, operating in a historic and beautiful Landmarked building, is easily accessible by the 7 train. Learn more and purchase your tickets at https://www.flushingtownhall.org/event-detail.php?id=810. For more information on Flushing Town Hall's upcoming programs and events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |