Joanne Brackeen (born Joanne Grogan; July 26, 1938) is an American jazz pianist and music educator.
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 (1972âÂÂ75) and Stan Getz (1975âÂÂ77) 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.
With Arkadia Jazz All Stars
With Art Blakey
With Toots Thielemans
With Stan Getz
With Bob James
With Freddie McCoy
With Makanda Ken McIntyre
With Buddy Terry
With Freddie Hubbard