Brandee Younger is one of the most celebrated jazz artists of the 21st century – a harpist, composer, and bandleader whose music combines spiritual jazz and classical training with the rhythmic soulfulness of R&B and hip-hop. Born in 1983, the American musician has established herself as a pioneer: in 2022, she became the first Black woman to receive a Grammy nomination in the category Best Instrumental Composition. In 2024, she won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album for her album Brand New Life.

Younger has collaborated with artists such as Common, Lauryn Hill, and The Roots, skillfully blending classical harp tradition with contemporary jazz styles. Her album Gadabout Season, released in 2025, is a reflective and personal work that focuses on Younger's own original music.

The hr-Bigband is the big band of Hessischer Rundfunk, the public broadcasting service of the German state of Hesse. The Frankfurt radio big band stands for innovation and diversity and unfolds its activities across a broad spectrum of styles – from classical big band jazz to avant-garde jazz and from popular to classical music.