Gadabout Season

October 1, 2025

IM  -  

Brandee Younger

Sound Recording Labor Agreement

Grammy-nominated harpist Brandee Younger of Local 802 (New York City) has released her third major-label album, Gadabout Season. Known for her unique interpretations of harp legends Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby, Younger steps out boldly with new compositions drawing from jazz, classical, R&B, and hip-hop. This CD showcases Younger’s evolving use of electronic textures and extended harp techniques, culminating in what producer Rashaan Carter describes as an “Afrofuturist sonic palette.”

The dreamlike title track “gadabout” refers to “a carefree pleasure-seeker who is always in motion.” “Surrender” was written for and features pianist Courtney Bryan. “To me, this is the most revealing piece on the album,” says Younger. “It’s about seeking solace in quiet surrender.”

“The recording process was slow and intentional, allowing the sound of the album to reveal itself over time and mirroring a journey of discovery,” Younger says. The musicians dedicated time at the end of each session to sketching out ideas and improvising, which led to the tracks “Reckoning,” “Discernment,” and “End Means.” 

When Younger was a teenager, her father introduced her to Alice Coltrane’s music—a “life-changing” moment that defined her trajectory. She has collaborated with John and Alice Coltrane’s son, saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, and others in the Coltrane legacy, like the late Pharoah Sanders. Last year, she became custodian of the harp that once belonged to Alice Coltrane, after it had been restored as part of “The Year of Alice,” a series of releases, events, and exhibits spearheaded by the Coltrane family.

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