Joanne Brackeen©David Sokol

“She has wild ideas and she’s not afraid to try them… But it always sounds right. If I tried it, I’d be in a pickle. Brackeen, like Picasso, broke convention, and she always likely will.”
-- Marian McPartland

A “genuinely exciting pianist, with energy, whimsy, and sheer technical bravado” (Stuart Broomer, Amazon.com), Joanne Brackeen’s talents as pianist and composer have kept her in the forefront of modern jazz for nearly fifty years. Those talents and “wild ideas” will be on full display at the Iridium on February 13th when she is accompanied by Ugonna Okegwo on bass, E.J Strickland on drums, and some surprise guests.

Joanne Brackeen initially studied classical piano from age nine but found herself drawn to jazz as she wanted “to play what I was hearing on the radio.” She modeled herself after pianist/bandleader Frankie Carle, and soon had earned admittance to the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, dropping out soon after to more actively pursue jazz. In the LA area she began playing with Dexter Gordon, Charles Lloyd, Bobby Hutcherson and Billy Higgins. Moving to New York in the early 60s with husband, saxophonist Charlie Brackeen, Joanne caught the ears of Woody Shaw and Dave Liebman. Soon she was playing with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, later with Joe Henderson and Stan Getz. In the 1970s, Joanne began leading her own trios with such supporting musicians as Eddie Gomez, Jack DeJohnette, Cecil McBee, Billy Hart, and Sam Jones.

Ugonna Okegwo

Ugonna Okegwo is one of the most acclaimed bassists of his generation, having played with such illustrious artists as Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Pharoah Sanders and Joseph Jarman. Born in London to a German mother and Nigerian father, Okegwo was raised in Germany but immersed in African music and American jazz. Today his unique approach fuses funk and jazz. Moving to New York in 1989, he found steady work with Jon Hendricks and eventually formed a trio with Jacky Terrasson and Leon Parker. Now a bandleader himself, he continues to play essential sideman roles as well.

EJ Strickland©Andrea Canter

It will be one magical night on February 13th at the Iridium with the Joanne Brackeen Trio (and surprise guest), a multi-generational break with convention.

The Iridium is located at 1650 Broadway (at 51st Street) in Manhattan. Sets at 8:30 and 10:30 pm; www.iridiumjazzclub.com