Brandee Younger Performs Music From 'Gadabout Season'

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It: Brandee Younger Performs Music From 'Gadabout Season'

Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart (with contributions from producer Luke Green and co-hosts)
Guest: Brandee Younger (harpist, composer, bandleader)
Featured Album: Gadabout Season

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Episode Overview

This episode of "All Of It" spotlights harpist, composer, and bandleader Brandee Younger as she shares music from her new album, Gadabout Season. The episode delves into the album’s inspiration, the creative process behind the music, Brandee’s unique experience as the custodian of Alice Coltrane’s legendary harp, and the joy and challenge of making music on the road. Listeners are treated to live performances from Brandee and her trio, and hear candid insights into her artistic journey.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Uncommon Magic of the Harp in Contemporary Music

[00:41] Producer Pick — Luke Green:

• Luke highlights the rarity and specialness of hearing the harp in modern performance, especially live, calling it “such a beautiful instrument that you don’t necessarily get to hear live all the time or even on actual albums.”
• Calls Brandee “one of the best dressed guests” and enjoys her dynamic with Alison Stewart.

2. Inspiration Behind “Gadabout Season”

[06:43] Album Title Origins:

• The album’s title was inspired by a “word of the day” email Brandee received on tour: "gadabout". She recounts, “It was a word of the day email while we were on tour… I emailed it to Rashawn [her bassist], I said, ‘you’re gadabout’.”
• The word stuck with the band and became a playful motif while traveling. Brandee clarifies her intent: “It's really just about making an intentional decision to find some joy… but really putting the work in to find joy. Because sometimes it takes work.” [07:15]

[07:32] Nuanced Meaning:

• While the word can have negative connotations (aimless, frivolous), Brandee emphasizes the positive, “wholesome, fun” interpretation, likening a “gadabout” to a butterfly flitting joyfully from place to place.

3. The Album as Diary — Creative Process

[08:20] Writing Process:

• Brandee explains the album’s conceptual arc: “I was really thinking of it as like a diary entry… I wanted the tracks to actually fall in chronological order. But I got voted out in terms of track order.”
• The creation of the album was a collaborative and intimate experience, with recording sessions taking place upstate and at Brandee’s home. “Rashawn [Carter, bassist/producer] brought his recording rig and recorded everything up there… Ultimately, I left with a lot, actually most of the album.”

4. Making Space for Creativity

[09:11] On Retreat & Rest:

• Brandee values the mental rest she found upstate: “It gave my brain a rest. It gave… space, really mental space, to just… create, literally.”
• She didn’t expect to be so productive but found that the change of pace and scenery led to a surge of creativity.

[10:14] Recording Process Learnings:

• Brandee admits that the slower, more methodical recording approach initially irritated her, but ultimately helped her process emotions: “It was the process of recording and kind of continuing to dig at it... which is what helped me process.” [10:38]

5. The Alice Coltrane Harp: History and Responsibility

[15:21] Becoming Custodian:

• Brandee reflects on her role: “It means I have that harp…” and details her connection with the Coltrane estate, stating, “I'm also on the board of the John and Alice Coltrane home.”
• On using the harp for Gadabout Season: “I feel very lucky to… have such a wonderful relationship with the family and the estate.” [15:40]

[16:04] Channeling Legacy and Developing Her Voice:

• Brandee describes the spiritual connection she feels to the instrument:

  "This time was different because I had my surreal moment with it pre restoration… I really had ample time… to really now sound woo woo. Become one with the instrument and to find my own voice on it."

• She notes how the home recording process gave her time to bond with the harp:

  “So that it got to a point where it’s like I’m playing Alice Coltrane’s harp. I’m playing this incredible instrument. But now I’m sounding like...” [17:10]

6. Home Studio Recording

[17:36] Intimacy and Logistics:

• The album was recorded largely at Brandee’s apartment, a decision inspired by the success of upstate demos.
• Brandee credits Rashawn Carter: “Rashawn did it all by himself… But because we did it at home, we had the time. We weren’t restricted… so we really had ample time to really lay into the music.”

7. The Meaning Behind “BBL”

[18:19] Song Title Playfulness:

• The group jokes about the song “BBL” — initially just a file name.
• Brandee eventually embraces the alternate meaning:

  “Be back later. I like to think of this one as a confrontational conversation. Like when one person… you ever have a convo with someone, and only one person is getting any words in? Okay, that’s what this one is.” [18:46]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Brandee Younger on finding joy while touring:

  “People only see the finished product of the stage. But we're really just trying to, like, get from point A to point B and maybe take a shower. And it's hard. So it's really just about making an intentional decision to find some joy.” [06:49]

• On the creative process upstate:

  “It gave my brain a rest… space, really mental space, to just… create, literally.” [09:11]

• On her approach to her instrument’s legacy:

  “Become one with the instrument and to find my own voice on it.” [16:22]

• Brandee on recording at home and the value of time:

  "Because we did it at home, we had the time... we really had ample time to really lay into the music." [17:51]

• On “BBL” and its meaning:

  “Be back later… a confrontational conversation… when only one person is getting any words in.” [18:46]

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Key Timestamps

• 00:41 — Producer Luke Green on why Brandee Younger’s sessions are memorable.
• 06:22 — Introduction of Brandee Younger's trio and origin of the album title.
• 08:20 — Brandee describes the album as a “diary entry” and details the process.
• 10:36 — The benefits and frustrations of a drawn-out recording process.
• 15:21 — Discussion on becoming the custodian of Alice Coltrane's harp.
• 16:04 — Spiritual connection with the instrument and how it shaped the album’s sound.
• 17:36 — Recording logistics and the decision to turn her apartment into a studio.
• 18:19 — The playful story behind the track “BBL”.

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Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, joyful, and candid. Brandee’s openness about the joys and struggles of artistry, combined with humorous banter about wardrobe and track titles, makes the episode approachable and insightful. There is a reverence for musical legacy, yet a strong sense of creative individuality.

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For more culture, music, and deep-dive interviews, tune in to All Of It with Alison Stewart, weekdays on WNYC.

Transcript

[Sam Sanders]

Foreign.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Harpist, composer, and bandleader. Brandi Younger is back with new music. In June, she dropped a new album called Gat About Season. You'll hear Brandy perform on a harp once played and owned by Alice Coltrane. Brandi is now the harp's custodian. We'll hear what that means in just a moment. But first, I've got producer Luke Green in the studio today. He's up first for our producer pick series. Luke, why did you want to revisit the segment with Brandy that you produced?

[Luke Green]

Yes. So harp is such a beautiful instrument that you don't necessarily get to hear live all the time or even on actual albums. And to hear Brandy, you know, bring a harp into our performance studio here and play live is such a special time. I think we've had her a few times, and she's also just a really nice person. It's an enjoyable experience to always get to work with her. And not gonna lie, she's also one of the best dressed guests we always have on.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes, that's true.

[Luke Green]

So I feel like having one of our best dressed hosts with one of our best dressed guests together in the studio creates a real power combination. And she also has one song on this album that with the initials bbl. And when I was first looking at the album, I was like, there's no way. She's made a harp jazz interpretation called bbl and we talk, she performs it later. You'll hear about it. We'll hear our discussions about it. But that made me laugh, and I was like, well, I want to play that again.

[Alison Stewart]

So Gat About Season is out now. The first song we heard from Brandi and her band was the title track.

[Sam Sanders]

Sam Sa.

[Host/Interviewer]

That was Brandy Younger performing the title track from her new album Gadabout Season. She's here with her trio. You want to introduce us to everybody?

[Brandi Younger]

On drums, Queen's finest, Alan Mednard.

[Sam Sanders]

Hey, Alan.

[Brandi Younger]

And on bass's Reshawn Carter.

[Host/Interviewer]

Nice to meet you as well. The word gat about season. When did you first hear the word gat about?

[Brandi Younger]

It was a word of the day email while we were on tour.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's so funny.

[Brandi Younger]

That's really what happened.

[Host/Interviewer]

So you said gat about gadabout.

[Brandi Younger]

I emailed it to him to Rashawn. I said, you're gat about. But a few months later, it came back and it sort of just became this thing while we were on the road. You know, being on the road is hard People only see the finished product of the stage. But we're really just trying to, like, get from point A to point B and maybe take a shower. And it's hard. So it's really just about making an intentional decision to find some joy. Is that going for a meal somewhere, going for a walk, experiencing where we are, but really putting the work in to find joy. Because sometimes it takes work.

[Host/Interviewer]

So you were looking at the upside of gadabout. Cause gadabout could be negative.

[Sam Sanders]

Or.

[Host/Interviewer]

Or you can decide, like, I'm gonna experience this as a positive thing.

[Brandi Younger]

I'm not gonna lie. I wasn't sure because the word wasn't so common. I kept asking people while we were in Europe about it too, in the uk. And some people were like, oh, we don't know that word. We don't use that word. And then some people, like, it could mean, like, you little, like, risque. And I'm like, oh, no, no, no. We wanna use this as, like, wholesome. Yes, Wholesome, fun.

[Host/Interviewer]

Like, I always think about a butterfly as a gadabout. Like, it goes from flower to flower. Not. Not that kind of butterfly. But you know what I'm talking about.

[Brandi Younger]

Yes. No, no. Wholesome over here, guys. Wholesome.

[Host/Interviewer]

We're talking about when you were. Let's talk about the album as a whole. When you were thinking about album as a whole, were you thinking about a story you wanted to tell as an album? Were you thinking about tracks as each story? Or were they all different chapters in a story?

[Brandi Younger]

Yeah, I was really thinking of it as like a diary entry. When I went to write the music, I went upstate to my cousins, and they met me upstate, and we worked the music out. Rashawn brought his recording rig and recorded everything up there, which is how we ended up recording the album at home so we could take our time with it. But I essentially saw it as a diary entry, and I wanted the tracks to actually fall in chronological order. But I got voted out in terms of track order. But absolutely. And then it was intentional to not have words because I really wanted these feelings and emotions to be conveyed sonically.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

What did being upstate outside of your own element, how did that contribute to your creativity, to your songwriting?

[Brandi Younger]

It gave my brain a rest. It gave. You know, there's just nothing going on up there. And so I had time and space, Space, really mental space, to just. I hate to use this word, but create, literally.

[Host/Interviewer]

Did you have to find the time to create? I mean, like, sometimes people get upstate and they suddenly have to look for Things to keep them busy. Were you that kind of person or were you able to be like, oh, I'm relaxed. I understand I don't have to do anything right now?

[Brandi Younger]

Well, no, I went with the goal of I have to leave with. Yeah, I actually didn't intend to leave with as much as I left with.

[Host/Interviewer]

Oh, interesting.

[Brandi Younger]

Because I just wasn't being. I wasn't being creatively productive for such a long period of time. So I said, all right, maybe if I leave it, like, two things, I'll be satisfied. But I left with a lot, actually, most of the album, ultimately.

[Host/Interviewer]

So you had a lot built up inside of you, I guess. So you really didn't get a chance to let out because you were busy, because you were touring or.

[Brandi Younger]

Yeah, busy. Always on the road, always touring. Rashaun recorded the album and he produced the whole thing. But his process is very different than the process that I'm used to, which is like, one and done one and done onto the next, onto the next. It became a really long process, which annoyed me at the time.

[Host/Interviewer]

Oh, my gosh, I wish you could see his face.

[Brandi Younger]

But ultimately I could. You know, in. What do they say, 2000-20s hindsight or whatever the saying is I could see now that the long process of taking forever to finish the album actually helped me to process. You know, it wasn't really. Someone was like, is writing music? Are you able to process your feelings and thoughts? It actually was the process of recording and kind of continuing to dig at it and dig at it and revisit it, which is what helped me process.

[Host/Interviewer]

My guest is Brandi Younger. Her new album is called Gadabout Season. We're going to hear another song. What are we going to hear this time?

[Brandi Younger]

We are going to hear new Pinnacle.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

This is Brandy Unger.

[Sam Sanders]

Sam. It sa sa.

[Host/Interviewer]

That's Brandy Younger. The new album is called Gadabout Season. You are the custodian of Alice Coltrane's harp. What does that mean?

[Brandi Younger]

It means I have that harp and.

[Host/Interviewer]

Use the harp on the album.

[Brandi Younger]

Yes. I feel very lucky to. To not just to have such a wonderful relationship with the family and the estate. I'm also on the board of the John and Alice Coltrane home.

[Host/Interviewer]

But yeah, the harp without sounding too woo woo. Does it speak to you? Do you hear her on it?

[Brandi Younger]

We'll allow the woo woo in this instance. You know, this wasn't my first time playing the harp. I'd played it before for a tribute in la. However, this time is different. The harp was restored in Chicago at Lyon and Healy. And then after it was restored, it was shipped for me to play in Detroit. It was the premiere of the harp. You know, it was a whole year of Alice. A wonderful. Actually, two years of all of these wonderful Alice Coltrane events and talks and everything. So this time was different because I had my surreal moment with it pre restoration note. I say pre restoration because restoration, things change. You know, the sound changes a little bit different. We have the original soundboard. I really had ample time in this album making process because we did it at home instead of doing a one and done in the studio. I had ample time to play the harp. Just literally scales warm up and to really now sound woo woo. Become one with the instrument and to find my own voice on it. So that it got to a point where it's like I'm playing Alice Coltrane's harp. I'm playing this incredible instrument. But now I'm sounding like.

[Host/Interviewer]

You recorded in your apartment. Yeah, your apartment. Is it made to be recorded in? Or was that just something you decided you were gonna do?

[Brandi Younger]

So it's something that I just decided to do. You know, I told you how we were upstate and Rashawn recorded what we did upstate, and listening back to the quality of that, he said, you know what? We could do this. We could do this back at your place, because I already do my overdubs at home anyway. But this was the first time basically having a full band with the drums, you know, so it was. It was a bit of an undertaking. Rashawn did it all by himself. I'm not even going to lie. Literally all of it. But because we did it at home, we had the time. We weren't restricted to three days in the studio, so we really had ample time to really lay into the music.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

The last song you're gonna play for us is bbl. What does that stand for?

[Brandi Younger]

It's just the file name that we never changed. You're not buying that?

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Not really. But I'll go with you on it. That's okay.

[Brandi Younger]

But I like to think of the.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

Song Be Back Later.

[Brandi Younger]

That's what we'll call it. Oh.

[Host/Interviewer]

Oh.

[Brandi Younger]

Why did I think about that? All right. Be back later. I like to think of this one as a confrontational conversation. Like when one person. You ever have a convo with someone, and only one person is getting any words in. Okay, that's what this one is.

[Co-host/Interviewer]

This is Brandy Younger.

[Sam Sanders]

Sam Sa.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Brandi Younger and her trio performing live from her new album, Gat About Season.

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