Joanne Brackeen

by Scott Yanow
A brilliant pianist flexible enough to play free, modal music, and standards, Joanne Brackeen has been a major player for decades. She taught herself to play jazz piano. During 1958-1959, Brackeen worked in Los Angeles with Teddy Edwards, Harold Land, Dexter Gordon, and Charles Lloyd. After marrying Charles Brackeen (they later divorced), she took time off to bring up their four children. Brackeen moved to New York in 1965, worked with Woody Shaw and David Liebman, and became the first female member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1969-1972). After working regularly with Joe Henderson (1972-1975) and Stan Getz (1975-1977), Brackeen (an original stylist) has mostly performed as a leader of her own trios, making numerous records for such labels as Choice, Timeless, Tappan Zee, and Concord.