Joanne Brackeen

Joanne Brackeen studied at California Institute of the Arts. Sarah McKenzie and Daniel García Diego are recorded as having studied under Joanne Brackeen. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are jazz and jazz fusion. Employment is recorded with Berklee College of Music and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. Distinctions recorded are NEA Jazz Masters.

• Name — Joanne Brackeen • Birth Name — Joanne Grogan • Born — 26 July 1938 • Birthplace — Ventura, California, U.S. • Genre — Jazz • Occupation — Musician, educator • Instrument — Piano • Years Active — 1969–present • Website — joannebrackeenjazz.com

Brackeen was born in Ventura, California, United States, and attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. She was a fan of pop pianist Frankie Carle before she became enamored of the music of Charlie Parker. In the 1950s she performed with Dexter Gordon, Teddy Edwards, and Charles Brackeen. She and Brackeen married and moved to New York City in 1965. She performed with Chick Corea, Freddie McCoy, and Ornette Coleman. She was also the only woman hired to perform with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. She played with Joe Henderson (1972–75) and Stan Getz (1975–77) before leading her own trio and quartet. She established herself as a cutting-edge pianist and composer through her appearances around the world, and her solo performances also established her reputation as an innovative and dynamic pianist. Her trios have featured noted players such 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 recorded over 20 albums as a lead musician. She is a professor at the Berklee College of Music and at The New School.

• Year recorded — Title — Label — Personnel/Notes • 1975 — Snooze — Choice — Trio, with Cecil McBee (bass), Billy Hart (drums); also released as Six Ate by Candid • 1976 — Invitation — Freedom — Trio, with Clint Houston (bass), Billy Hart (drums) • 1976 — New True Illusion — Timeless — Duo, with Clint Houston (bass) • 1977 — Tring-a-Ling — Choice — Some tracks trio, with Clint Houston (bass), Billy Hart (drums); some tracks quartet, with Michael Brecker (tenor sax), Cecil McBee (bass), Hart (drums) • 1977 — AFT — Timeless — Trio, with Ryo Kawasaki (guitar), Clint Houston (bass) • 1978 — Trinkets and Things — Timeless — Duo, with Ryo Kawasaki (guitar) • 1978 — Prism — Choice — Duo, with Eddie Gómez (bass) • 1978 — Mythical Magic — MPS — Solo piano • 1979 — Keyed In — Tappan Zee/Columbia — Trio, with Eddie Gómez (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) • 1980 — Ancient Dynasty — Tappan Zee/Columbia — Quartet, with Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Eddie Gómez (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) • 1981 — Special Identity — Antilles — Trio, with Eddie Gómez (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) • 1985 — Havin' Fun — Concord Jazz — Trio, with Cecil McBee (bass), Al Foster (drums) • 1986 — Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven — Concord Jazz — With Terence Blanchard (trumpet), Branford Marsalis (alto sax, soprano sax), Cecil McBee (bass), Al Foster (drums) • 1989 — Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume 1 — Concord Jazz — Solo piano • 1991 — Breath of Brazil — Concord Jazz — Quartet, with Eddie Gómez (bass), Duduka da Fonseca (drums), Waltinho Anastácio (percussion) • 1991 — Is It Really True — Konnex — Trio, with Walter Schmocker (bass), Billy Hart (drums) • 1991 — Where Legends Dwell — Ken — Trio, with Eddie Gómez (bass), Jack DeJohnette (drums) • 1992 — Turnaround — Evidence — Quartet, with Donald Harrison (alto sax), Cecil McBee (bass), Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums) • 1993 — Take a Chance — Concord Jazz — Quartet, with Eddie Gómez (bass), Duduka da Fonseca (drums), Waltinho Anastácio (percussion, vocals) • 1994 — Power Talk — Turnipseed — Trio, with Ira Coleman (bass), Tony Reedus (drums); in concert • 1999 — Pink Elephant Magic — Arkadia Jazz — One track solo piano; some tracks trio, with John Patitucci (bass), Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez (drums); some tracks quartet, with Chris Potter (soprano sax) added; some tracks quintet, with Nicholas Payton (trumpet) added; one track sextet, with Jamey Haddad (percussion) added; one track quartet with Patitucci (bass), Hernandez (drums), Dave Liebman (soprano sax); one track quintet with Kurt Elling (vocals) added • 2000 — Popsicle Illusion — Arkadia Jazz — Solo piano

With Arkadia Jazz All Stars • Thank You, Duke! With Art Blakey • Jazz Messengers '70 (Catalyst, 1970) With Toots Thielemans • Captured Alive (Choice/Candid, 1974) With Stan Getz • Getz/Gilberto '76 (Resonance, 1976 [2016]) with João Gilberto • Live at Montmartre (SteepleChase, 1977) With Bob James • All Around The Town (Tappan Zee/Columbia, 1981) With Freddie McCoy • Funk Drops (Prestige, 1966) • Peas 'n' Rice (Prestige, 1967) • Beans & Greens (Prestige, 1967) • Soul Yogi (Prestige, 1968) With Makanda Ken McIntyre • A New Beginning (Passin' Thru, 2001) With Buddy Terry • Pure Dynamite (Mainstream, 1972) With Freddie Hubbard • Sweet Return (Atlantic, 1983)