by Ken Laster
Bassist Dezron Douglas and harpist Brandee Younger released a duet album, Force Majeure, from material excerpted from their Friday morning “brunches” during this pandemic. These live-streamed performances from their apartment were a window into the uncertainty, anxiety, inspiration and spirituality that pushed these artist to overcome adversity and continue creating their music.
Force Majeure had been a factor, as club dates and summer jazz festivals were cancelled due to COVID-19. Jazz venues were being shut down, limiting not only the ability to earn a living, but also the ability to perform and create improvised music. It was (and is) a time of high anxiety for the New York jazz scene, already facing challenges to keep this art form thriving.
Dezron Douglas and Brandee Younger have been in a long term relationship, currently living together in Harlem. As graduates of University of Hartford’s Jackie McLean Institute for Jazz, this couple is well respected in the Hartford jazz scene. They are both successful musicians based in New York City and touring and recording throughout the world with the likes of Ravi Coltrane, Cyrus Chestnut, Louis Hayes, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, and many more.
This album is much more than a collection of music. It is a documentary of this unique time in our history. The conversations threaded within these tunes expresses the optimism and faith that keeps this couple creating at such a high level. The Harp/Bass duet makes for a gorgeous, lush, comforting sound. The song selection crosses genres from Coltrane to Michael Jackson to Sesame Street along with originals. The finale on many of their “brunches” and on this album is Toilet Paper Romance; an homage to the difficulty in obtaining this essential item when this lockdown first took hold. The duet format is a challenging one, requiring each musician to push themselves beyond the normal roles for their instrument and to fulfill the sound usually accomplished by a full ensemble. Dez and Brandee do just that, taking turns creating rhythms, harmonies and expressing the melodies as one mind and one instrument.
This album is available for purchase in streaming digital, CD or Vinyl. I chose to purchase the limited edition Mimosa Vinyl Album as a keepsake and remembrance of these difficult times. Purchasing music on platforms like Bandcamp helps to support jazz musicians at a time it is most needed.
