Pink Elephant Magic is her twenty-second release as a leader, the first with her new record label, Arkadia Jazz. And she reports that it was "an exciting adventure. Lots of work, yet lots of fun." Not surprisingly, this exuberant, adventurous set reflects the confidence of a seasoned veteran.

A series of sessions energized by an invigorating personnel, this latest documentation of Joanne’s creativity includes seven of her compositions. Like her improvisations, Joanne’s highly original songs are energetic as well as harmonically and melodically fresh. An idiosyncratic pianist who can play with thunder or tender grace, Joanne’s compositions are uniquely her own. In fact, after Joanne played in his group for two years, Stan Getz wrote that "I found Joanne Brackeen to be an extremely talented performer and one of the most original composers ever to work in my group."

Joanne has a number of influences as a composer but notes that she "spent many long hours discussing music from every possible point of view with Ornette Coleman. I am eternally grateful to him for being my mentor and teaching me so much music. He helped me compose my first string quartet.''

Born in Ventura, California, Joanne has been serious about jazz piano since her late teens, when she became part of the LA jazz scene. She worked with Teddy Edwards, Dexter Gordon, Harold Land and Charles Lloyd before moving to New York. After arriving in the jazz mecca, she became the first woman to fill the distinguished piano chair with Blakey’s Jazz Messengers for any significant time. She proudly admits that Art called her his "adopted daughter." Before she put together her own group, she also worked with Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw and Joe Henderson. Recalling her extended gig with Henderson, Joanne remembers he "insisted on creativity, both in music and life."

Because Joanne’s own music is so challenging, she chose her collaborators carefully for this recording. The basic trio here includes John Patitucci on bass and Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez on drums. Joanne heard Patitucci at Zinno’s with Mulgrew Miller, and of course with Chick Corea. She believes the bassist’s concept, clarity and versatility allow him "to supersede his instrument." Producer Bob Karcy suggested drummer Hernandez, which turned out to be the perfect choice. She’d heard Hernandez before, but when they played together, she realized "what an amazing drummer he really is. I was really impressed with what he did with my music."

Chris Potter, on tenor and soprano, continues to amaze. One of the best young saxophonists on the New York scene today, his abilities seem limitless. Joanne explains that "at times the music I write is a little hard for the horn players. Chris picked it up immediately. We’d never done anything together before but of course I’d heard him a lot. It turns out he was really one of the most amazing people I’ve ever seen as far as hearing into the roots of the music. He got things so fast."

Young lion Nicholas Payton is one of Joanne’s favorite trumpeters. "I’ve heard him at the Village Vanguard and in New Orleans, sitting in with Ellis Marsalis. Also with Hank Jones and everything I’ve heard Nicholas play, I thought was great."

Kurt Elling, who sings Joanne’s whimsical "What’s Your Choice, Rolls Royce," was another Bob Karcy suggestion. "Bob sent me several of Kurt’s CDs and after I heard them a few times, I knew Kurt would be just perfect for this tune."

Soprano saxophonist Dave Liebman, also an Arkadia Jazz artist, guests on two tracks and is "an old friend. We’ve worked together a lot. I could hear him playing on my tunes and he’s just unbelievable. In the late 60s, we played together in a band that Pete La Roca led that also included Dave Holland."