Brandee Younger has broken new ground for harpists over the entirety of her career. She made history as the first black female solo artist to be GRAMMY®-nominated for Best Instrumental Composition, for “Beautiful is Black”, from her 2021 major-label debut album, Somewhere Different. The album received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Jazz Album – Instrumental.
We look forward to Brandee Younger’s new album, titled Brand New Life. The album, produced by drummer and composer Makaya Mccraven, is due for an April 7th release. The album is a platform for Younger to celebrate one of her greatest inspirations – iconic jazz harpist and composer Dorothy Ashby. Ashby is widely credited with having asserted the harp’s place in contemporary music, showcasing the traditionally-classical instrument on groundbreaking albums such as Afro-Harping and Dorothy’s Harp. Her unparalleled body of work has continued to be influential for decades and has been heavily sampled and transposed across jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, by artists including Jay-Z, J. Dilla, Pete Rock, and Flying Lotus.
The first single off the Dorothy Ashby inspired album “You’re A Girl For One Man Only” is currently available. Brand New Life is a consolidation of works, combining original tracks from Younger, nominated iterations of Ashby’s work, and interpretations of the composer’s previously-unrecorded compositions. Younger was initially introduced to Ashby’s work through the many hip-hop artists who sampled her music and now collaborates with some of those very artists on Brand New Life, including the legendary Pete Rock and 9th Wonder. Brand New Life also includes features by Meshell N’degeocello, Mumu Fresh, and production by drummer and composer Makaya McCraven.
For further information on Brandee Younger, visit the following links:
Source/Images provided by Crossover Media
About Author
