Brandee Younger
Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036
Brandee Younger brings her own project to Birdland for this late Saturday set. The harpist, composer and bandleader arrives following Gadabout Season, her 2025 release of reflective, personal original music. No accompanying musicians or special guests are listed, but the evening centers on an artist whose work draws together spiritual jazz, classical training, R&B and hip-hop.
Younger grew up on Long Island, singing gospel, studying classical harp and absorbing hip-hop alongside the vintage soul sampled by rap producers. Hearing Alice Coltrane as a teenager, after an introduction from her father, proved transformative. Her 2021 Impulse! Records debut, Somewhere Different, included “Beautiful Is Black,” which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition and made her the first Black female solo artist to receive that recognition. On 2023’s Brand New Life, she reworked newly discovered compositions by Dorothy Ashby; the album won the 2024 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. Alongside a busy performing life, Younger teaches at New York University and the New School.
Birdland offers a refined jazz experience in a room where the audience sits at tables close to the stage, allowing every note to reach you clearly. The venue features a full menu with dishes like New Orleans-style gumbo alongside a well-stocked bar, making it easy to enjoy a meal or drinks while listening. Each show is ticketed per set, encouraging focused listening as the music unfolds in roughly 45-minute segments. The club’s walls echo decades of jazz history, having hosted legends and continuing to attract top contemporary artists. Located in Manhattan’s Theater District, the space balances a serious music environment with the energy of a night out, where attentive audiences savor the performances without distraction. Booking ahead is essential, as the club fills quickly for its celebrated lineup.