Download “He Has a Name”

Trayvon Martin: Musicians React in Heartfelt Tribute

It has taken the fatal, senseless shooting of an unarmed 17 year old African American male by the name of Trayvon Martin to reawaken our generation to the fact that racial injustice still exists. From Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit”, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, Curtis Mayfield’s eponymous “Curtis”, Gil Scott Heron’s “Pieces of a Man” to Ice T’s “Cop Killer”, music has a rich history of responding to socially conscious issues that affect the African American community.

Affected by the recent Trayvon Martin case, New York based harpist Brandee Younger composed “He Has A Name (Awareness)” in memory of the late Trayvon Martin. The classically trained harpist you may have heard on the recordings of Common, Ryan Leslie, jazz saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and even behind the flow of Drake on an early mix tape has responded to the Trayvon Martin case on a rather personal note, commenting in the song’s expressive liner notes “For me, having a teenage brother who appears not unlike Trayvon, I can’t help but be fearful that he will be judged unfairly, based on stereotypes and appearance. ” Recorded with bandmates Dezron Douglas (bass), E.J. Strickland (drums), Stacy Dillard (tenor sax) and Nicole Camacho (flute), the piece was written to help continue to bring awareness to the issues of racial profiling and injustice today and urges us to open our eyes to reality instead of holding to irrational beliefs due to preconceived notions.

Read the liner notes

“He Has a Name ” (Awareness) is available for download on bandcamp.com and all proceeds will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to help the organization continue its work for racial justice.

~Making harp a more relevant force in today’s music ~

Congratulations on your Latest EP, “Prelude”, after being introduced to your music by hearing ‘So alive’ I simply had to have more, lyrics that can be easily relatable, I imagine is a fan favorite, what can you tell me about this songs meaning to you?

Thank you so much! It’s my debut EP! I recently posted the lyrics to “So Alive” on my blog, after receiving so many requests from so many people to have them. It makes perfect sense, I guess, that a song with so much meaning would end up being everyone’s favorite. Niia and I wrote that song together on my apartment floor and Niia is the mastermind behind the lyrics and melody. The song is basically about me, navigating my way through this life not knowing what’s ahead, but still being okay or ‘so alive’ throughout the process — still even being okay, knowing that my path is a bit more clear to others, than myself (who knew the birds would be keeping my secrets?). I am a very blunt person when I speak so me writing lyrics would probably be a bad idea. Niia has a poetic way with words.

Highly educated in the musical field and cultured in the amount of artists you have worked with, what can you say are your influences for the art you create?

My immediate musical influences are Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. I’m also very drawn to the history of women like Frida Kahlo, Maria Callas, Nina Simone and Josephine baker. Their struggles are so significant to whom they ultimately became, and the successes that they achieved.

Although playing the harp has fallen behind in today’s “main stream” society, from your experiences what has been able to let you cross over and be so “in demand” today?

Having grown up in New York, listening to mainly urban music, that has always been ‘home’ for me, so it was a matter of bridging a gap between my background, and the nature of the traditional instrument I’ve chosen. I’m all about bridging gaps. Actually, my next venture is making a series of eco friendly notebooks to sell, with a portion of the proceeds going to an organzation that promotes sustainable living, and makes sure all economic backgrounds have access to fresh, organic produce! 2 completely different worlds there

The list of fellow artists you have worked with ranges from jazz artists such as – Jack Dejohnette, Ravi Coltrane, and Wycliffe Gordon to hip hop artists Common, Ryan Leslie, Cassie, Talib Kweli, and Drake, What has been a memorable moment on this journey for you?

Reading your question, it just looks crazy when all of those names are mentioned together! It’s all memorable. I would have to say that the most meaningful work has been with Ravi Coltrane, playing the music of his mother, the late Alice Coltrane. Her music has had a major influence on me, so to have the opportunity to play that music with him, and with her colleagues, is just incredible and sometimes surreal.

What artist do you hope to work with in the future?

My radar is on Flying Lotus, Marsha Ambrosius and Maxwell!

In addition where has your journey been able to take you to and expose your eyes to a culture you would not have seen otherwise?

Most recently, I spent a week in California preparing a concert of Alice Coltrane’s original sacred music — the music less known to the public, that is played and sung on her ashram in Agoura Hills, California. Although I had played some of that music before, it was my first time at an ashram, and gave me a glimpse of Hindu culture that I’ve never before seen.
Where would you like your musical journey to take you in the future?

I still have not yet left the country with my own trio — so I really want to do that…soon! Japan, Brazil, France…I’m ready to go!

Currently not only have you released you own EP, in addition you perform with your trio as a soloist, regularly as part of The Workman String Summit, led by bassist, Reggie Workman; the Laura Kahle Quintet, led by composer and trumpeter, Laura Kahle and with Bill Lee and the Natural Spirit Orchestra. . You are also a private teacher in New York and are a staff member at harp faculty of the Hartt School at the University of Hartford, West Hartford Ct, Adelphi university in Garden City, Ny and the Greenwich house music school in Ny, Ny, not to mention Vice president of the Long Island Chapter of the American Harp society. How do you manage to find time for yourself?

Time management is a constant struggle for me. I can’t even lie about that. I do become overwhelmed at times, but I thankfully have family and friends that help me if ever I begin to slip.

From having such a versatile career path, what struggles do you endure from being a musician to a teacher the next?

Scheduling can become a struggle when big performances out of town come up, and conflict with teaching. I am on top of making up missed lessons on a different day, and also Skyping lessons. My students do understand the importance of my performing in addition to my teaching so they are very supportive. Having their support & encouragement is very important to me.

Any advice you can give to budding artist trying to have their music heard?

Actually, social networking is really incredible! Create your networks via Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or whatever you prefer, and USE THEM.

What do you hope your work with playing the harp can do for views on the “outdated” instrument?

You may have seen that my twitter bio says: Making harp a more relevant force in today’s music. That’s my goal. I would hope that people don’t think the harp is still just good for Baroque music, and to use your word ‘outdated’ music. It is a full functioning instrument so I am happy that many non-classical and celtic artists are incorporating harp into their music. Hopefully more people will start using harp for recordings and live performances

What is one thing you hope fans can take from your music?

Hopefully, one can sense an honesty in my playing. Far from perfect, my playing is flawed and very human so I hope people feel a sense of comfort. Nothing that makes them think too hard, but something that they can just listen to, enjoy and relate.

What can you begin to define as your L3GACI?

A new culture. A hybrid of elements classic, urban and modern. Look at what Dorothy Ashby did with her music; and look at how rappers are still sampling it today! Look at what Alice Coltrane did. They each took the harp and did something new, something different and something unique to them. That’s key. They each created a culture.

Lastly how does your art work, Create and Evolve Society?

Blending all of those elements that make me, myself and being able to communicate that in a new way musically is just a step. Forward motion.

Looking forward to the WBGO Kids Jazz concert on March 31 in Montclair, NJ, and excited to be on the cover of their publication, “Upbeat” — the concert will feature original music by the quartet consisting of:

E.J. Strickland, drums

Stacy Dillard, sax

Dezron Douglas, bass

Yours Truly, harp

The concerts are free and open to the public!  Visit WBGO for more info!

Listen to tracks below

Brandee Younger f. Niia, “So Alive”
Brandee Younger, “Angel Eyes”
Brandee Younger, “Hortense”

Video

More Music

Common, “Intro” Common, ‘Finding Forever’

Overdose on Life – Drake, Travis McCoy, Mickey Factz, Produced by Omen

It’s You – Vado f. Raheem DeVaughn

Dear John – Michael Campagna

For Turiya – (Charlie Haden) with Ravi Coltrane & Charlie Haden

Blue Nile – (Alice Coltrane)

A Dream is a Wish – with Niia

Brandee Younger, harpist

direct email: brandee.younger@gmail.com

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I hope 2012 has been treating you well!  It has been great for harping so far, and here I am, playing catch-up right now!  I wanted to let you all know about some upcoming performances this month.  I will also be sure to keep my website calendar updated, as there are more February performances that I have not yet confirmed but will be up soon!  HAPPY FEBRUARY!

First, thanks to all that came to the Zinc Bar last month.  On a rainy day right after Christmas, I did not expect so many people and so much fun — I am so grateful for all of you!

Beginning this year in 2012, the Soulful Symphony is now the official resident ensemble at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center.  We had our first concert of the season there in the new space just this past weekend and it was INCREDIBLE! It’s always incredible, but this particular program featured Michael Jackson’s music and as long as I’m living, MJ will always be my #1!  Although I neglected to send an email out about the concert, our next one is February 24th, so if you’re in Baltimore, come out and enjoy the experience!  “Evolution of a People” by Darin Atwater.

February Dates with corresponding links:

February 2:  Dizzy’s Coca Cola at Jazz @ Lincoln Center with the Dezron Douglas Trio 11:00pm — NYC
February 3: ARTWALK @ Hartford Public Library, ‘Improvised Reflections’ Art Show Opening by Andres Chaparro; Harp & Bass duo. 6-8pm Free & Family Friendly! — Hartford
February 9: The Electric Room, Gigi Burris Millinery Fall Winter Presentation (fashion),  5-8pm duo — NYC (limited, send email for rsvp)
February 11: Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church with the Jay Hoggard Ensemble, 4:00pm — Hartford
February 12: Music Unboxed with the Nicole Camacho Ensemble, and students, 2:00pm — Long Island
February 17: Detroit Institute of the Arts, ‘Friday Night Live’, The Brandee Younger Trio, 7:00pm — Detroit
February 19: Detroit Institute of the Arts, Sunday Music Bar, The Brandee Younger Trio, 1:00pm — Detroit
February 24: Soulful Symphony at the Hippodrome, 8:00pm — Baltimore

I hope to see you sometime this month…or sometime soon!

Brandee Younger Quartet at the Zinc Bar

Brandee Younger, harp
Dezron Douglas, bass
Stacy Dillard, tenor sax
John Davis, drums

Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sets at 8:00pm & 10:00pm

$10 at the door

Maria Callas would have been 88 today

Each blank, 5×7 lined journal has a hard front and back and 80 lined sheets. All paper and board is 100% post-consumer recycled.
$12.00

Thank you for visiting! Your purchase of this custom, novelty journal will help provide healthy, high-quality and affordable food for people in under served communities. A portion of this sale will be donated to Growing Power, Inc. to help build the world’s first five-story vertical farm that will provide people with fruits, vegetables and herbs year round. While they increase local food production, they will also create thousands of jobs. I am thrilled to support Growing Power’s work, the building of this vertical farm and the model that it serves for ecological sustainability.

Second only to playing the harp, I love to write, so I hope you enjoy keeping a journal as much as I do. Perhaps you will want to keep personal notes, write stories, musical ideas or record whatever thoughts you may have.

Brandee Younger, Harpist

Learn more about Growing Power, Inc, by visiting www.growingpower.org

For each journal purchased, one notebook will be donated to ‘Harps for Life,’ a foundation that provides harp access to students who are unable to purchase their own.

To listen and download music, visit Brandee’s Bandcamp Page. 

Extra Special Thanks to Tensei for making this remix of “So Alive”, available as a FREE DOWNLOAD! Thanks for your support!

*Donate Directly to Growing Power* 

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*For Bulk Orders, Please Email brandee.younger@gmail.com* 

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