Brandee Younger on playing Alice Coltrane’s harp and the historic Indiana harpist Myrtle Hart

September 10, 2025

Brandee Younger is a groundbreaking harpist who has redefined the instrument’s place in contemporary music. Younger will perform at Indy Jazz Fest on September 17. 

A classically trained musician, Younger has cultivated a unique sound that fuses her classical training with elements of jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. Younger has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Common, John Legend, Kanye West, Meshell Ndegeocello and many others.

In 2021, Younger released “Somewhere Different” on the historic Impulse! label, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition — the first Black woman ever recognized in that category. Her 2023 album “Brand New Life” celebrated the legacy of harp pioneer Dorothy Ashby and won the 2024 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. Throughout her career, Younger has worked to promote and celebrate the work of jazz musician Alice Coltrane and on her new album “Gadabout Season” Younger is performing on Coltrane’s harp.

Listen to Younger’s interview with WFYI’s Kyle Long this week on Cultural Manifesto.