Joanne Brackeen
| Joanne Brackeen | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joanne Grogan |
| Born |
July 26, 1938 Ventura, California |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Jazz pianist, music educator |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1969-present |
| Website |
www |
Joanne Brackeen (born July 26, 1938) is an American jazz pianist and music educator.[1]
Biography
She was born Joanne Grogan in Ventura, California. She attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, but devoted herself to jazz by imitating Frankie Carle albums. She was influenced by Charlie Parker and bebop.
Her career began in the late 1950s while working with names like Dexter Gordon, Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden and Charles Lloyd, but in 1969 it began to "take off" as she became the first woman in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.
She played with Joe Henderson (1972–75) and Stan Getz (1975-1977) before leading her own trio and quartet. Brackeen established herself as a cutting edge pianist and composer through her appearances around the world, and her solo performances also cemented her reputation as one of the most innovative and dynamic of pianists. Her trios featured such noted players as Clint Houston, Eddie Gómez, John Patitucci, Jack DeJohnette, Cecil McBee, and Billy Hart.
She served on the grant panel for the National Endowment for the Arts, toured the Middle East with the US State Department as sponsor, and had solo performances at Carnegie Hall.
She has 25 albums as a lead musician and is a professor at the Berklee College of Music and at The New School.
Brackeen was formerly married to tenor saxophonist Charles Brackeen.
Discography
As leader
- 1975 Six Ate (Candid)
- 1975 Snooze (Choice)
- 1976 Invitation (Black Lion)
- 1976 New True Illusion (Timeless)
- 1977 Tring-A-Ling (Choice)
- 1978 Trinkets and Things (Timeless)
- 1978 Prism (Choice)
- 1978 Mythical Magic (MPS)
- 1979 Keyed In (Tappan Zee Records-Columbia)
- 1979 Aft (Timeless Muse)
- 1980 Ancient Dynasty (Tappan Zee Records-Columbia)
- 1981 Special Identity (Antilles)
- 1985 Havin' Fun (Concord Jazz)
- 1986 Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven (Concord Jazz)
- 1989 Live at Maybeck Recital Hall (Concord Jazz)
- 1991 Breath of Brazil (Concord Jazz)
- 1991 Is It Really True (Konnex)
- 1991 Where Legends Dwell (Ken Music)
- 1992 Turnaround [live] (Evidence)
- 1993 Take a Chance (Concord)
- 1995 Power Talk (Turnipseed)
- 1999 Pink Elephant Magic
- 2000 Popsicle Illusion
As sideman
With Arkadia Jazz All Stars
- Thank You, Duke!
With Art Blakey
- Jazz Messengers '70 (Catalyst, 1970)
With Freddie McCoy
- Funk Drops (Prestige, 1966)
- Peas 'n' Rice (Prestige, 1967)
- Beans & Greens (Prestige, 1967)
- Soul Yogi (Prestige, 1968)
References
External links
- Joanne Brackeen on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on NPR
- Joanne Brackeen discography
- Joanne-Brackeen web site
- Berklee profile
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