Brandee Younger
Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036
Brandee Younger brings her harp-led work to Birdland for a late-evening set. No accompanying performers are listed for this date, so the billing keeps the focus on Younger as harpist, composer and bandleader. Expect music shaped by her links between spiritual jazz, classical training, R&B and hip-hop, with the reflective, personal original music of her 2025 album Gadabout Season forming the most recent chapter in her catalog.
Raised on Long Island, Younger sang gospel and studied classical harp before falling for hip-hop and the vintage soul sampled by rap producers. As a teenager, an introduction to Alice Coltrane's music became a defining influence. 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 nominated in that category. On 2023's Brand New Life, she revitalized newly discovered compositions by Dorothy Ashby; the album received 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.