Short Bios – Andrea Brachfeld

Short Bio

Flutist, composer, arranger, producer, educator, and business owner, Andrea Brachfeld, is a graduate of The High School of Music and Art and the Manhattan School of Music. Study with Hubert Laws, Jimmy Heath, George Coleman, and Mike Longo helped her develop her own improvisational style.

Since she began her professional career as a musician at age 16, she has recorded and played many different genres of music including Jazz, Brazilian Jazz, Latin Jazz, Salsa, Charanga, Funk, Country Western, and Devotional Spiritual music. Some of the many artists she has associated with include Tito Puente, Hubert Laws, Paquito D’Rivera, Slide Hampton, Wallace Roney, Wycliffe Gordon, Ray Barretto, Dave Valentín, Wayne Wallace, Bobby Carcassés, Oscar Hernandez, Alfredo de la Fé, Ralph Irizarry, Joe Newman, Nestor Torres, Kenwood Dennard, Hilton Ruiz, Steve Turre, and Bill O’ Connell among many others.

Her breakthrough performance as the flutist for the popular Charanga band Charanga ’76, catapulted her into Salsa history and fame as the first female flutist to play this music in the United States.

As a high school student, she received the “Louis Armstrong Award for Outstanding Student” from Jazz Interactions, an organization created by Joe and Rigmor Newman. Downbeat magazine referred to Andrea as “one of the finest jazz flutists around.” She has twice been the recipient of the Latin New York Music Award. She received the Chico O’Farrill Lifetime Achievement Award from Latin Jazz USA in Oct. 2006 and the “Pionero Award” in 2010 for her contribution to Latin music. She was also awarded the, “Tribute to the Charanga Flutes,” given by Charanga Legends USA, in August of 2012.

While in Venezuela, having been contracted by music impressario, Renato Capriles, she had the honor of opening for Chick Corea and Paco de Lucia with her first Latin Jazz band in 1982.

Her first Latin Jazz CD, “Remembered Dreams” combines original music with jazz harmony and Latin rhythms. Her second CD, “Back With Sweet Passion”, is a dynamic Charanga Jazz recording featuring Grammy-award winner Oscar Hernandez on piano and Alfredo De La Fé on violin. Her third CD “Beyond Standards”, is a collaborative effort with Chembo Corniel, which features jazz greats Hilton Ruiz on piano, Steve Turre on trombone, and Pedrito Martinez on vocals and bata. Her most recent Latin Jazz CD, “Into the World: A Musical Offering” features guest artists Mike Longo, Paul West, and Brian Lynch. Her first jazz CD named, “Lady of the Island,” was released in October of 2012 by ZOHO music featuring Wallace Roney, Wycliffe Gordon, and Bill O’ Connell, longtime musical director for Dave Valentín. Bill produced the record as well as wrote the arrangements.

She has appeared with the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra as a soloist performing her own compositions as well as those of Mike Longo, longtime musical director for Dizzy Gillespie.

Andrea has traveled to Cuba a number of times to perform at the International Havana Jazz Festival and has traveled to Peru to play at the International Flute Festival. She was also an integral part of the Wallace Roney,”Universe” Orchestra playing Wayne Shorter’s long lost music originally written for Miles Davis.

In September of 2015 she was awarded the title of “Best Jazz Flutist” by Hot House Magazine and her CD “Lotus Blossom” came out on Jazzheads Records in October of 2015. The featured performers on the CD include Bill O’ Connell, Rufus Reid, Winard Harper , Chembo Corniel, and special guest appearances by Wycliffe Gordon and Nancy Harms.

Andrea currently tours with her own jazz group, Andrea Brachfeld and Insight, featuring Bill O’ Connell, Harvie S and Jason Tiemann, and The Bill O’ Connell ACE project; Afro Caribbean Ensemble and Bill O’ Connell’s Jazz Latin group featuring Andrea Brachfeld. Her newest group ,”Andrea Y Su Charanga” has reemerged and has been playing concerts in and out of town. Andrea and the Dave Valentin Tribute band recently came back from a tour in Japan playing at the Cotton Club. In June 2017, Andrea was awarded a grant from the prestigious organization, Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, to compose a new jazz work. Her CD, “If Not Now, When? ” was released on the Jazzheads label in May of 2018, and reflects this new music. Andrea’s latest project,”Brazilian Whispers” is a Brazilian Jazz recording which features her band, “Insight”, Bill O’ Connell, Harvie S, and Jason Tiemann, as well as guest artists Portinho on drums, Lincoln Goines on the bass, Roni Ben-Hur on guitar and Chembo Corniel on the congas and percussion. It was released in January of 2020 on Origin Music. She was also recently awarded the Presenters Consortium grant from Chamber Music America which provides funds for three concerts. Her latest recording “Evolution” was released in May, 2022 featuring Bill O’ Connell, Harvie S, and Jason Tiemann, on Origin Records. It has received rave reviews and continues to be on the Jazzweek charts .

Bio – 200 Words

Flutist, composer, arranger, producer, educator, business owner, Andrea Brachfeld, is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art and the Manhattan School of Music.

She has recorded ten CDs as a leader with music spanning from Latin Jazz to Charanga Jazz, to Jazz and devotional music. Some of the guest artists who have recorded on her CDs include Wallace Roney, Rufus Reid, Wycliffe Gordon, Mike Longo, Paul West, Winard Harper, Bill O’ Connell, Oscar Hernandez, Steve Turre, Pedrito Martinez, and Hilton Ruiz among others.

Andrea currently tours with her own group, Andrea Brachfeld and Insight, Santi Debriano and Arkestra Bembe, and Santi Debriano and Flash of the Spirit. In June 2017, Andrea was awarded a grant from the prestigious organization, Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, to compose a new jazz work. Her CD, “If Not Now, When? ” was released on Jazzheads in May of 2018 and reflects this new music. Andrea’s CD,”Brazilian Whispers” , released in January, 2020 features Bill O’ Connell, Harvie S,Jason Tiemann, Roni Ben-Hur, Lincoln Goines, Portinho and Chembo Corniel. Her latest CD, “Evolution” was released in May, 2022 and is a combination of straight- ahead jazz and world music.

Bio – 100 Words

Flutist Andrea Brachfeld, a graduate of Manhattan School of Music, and recipient of the “Best Jazz Flute“ award from Hot House Magazine in 2015, began her musical career at 16 and has associated with Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Hubert Laws, Nestor Torres, Dave Valentín, Paquito D’Rivera, Wycliffe Gordon and Wallace Roney, among many others.

In June 2017, Andrea was awarded a grant from the prestigious organization, Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, to compose a new jazz work. Her newest CD,” Evolution” was released in May,2022 featuring Bill O’ Connell, Harvie S and Jason Tiemann.

Bio – 400 Characters

Andrea Brachfeld, recent recipient of the “Best Jazz Flute “ award from Hot House Magazine, has associated with Hubert Laws, Tito Puente, Paquito D’ Rivera, Wallace Roney. Wycliffe Gordon, Dave Valentin, and Ray Barretto, among others. She received the New Jazz Work grant from Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in 2017. Her newest CD, “Evolution” was released in May, 2022.

Bio – 85 Words

Andrea Brachfeld, recent recipient of the “Best Jazz Flute “ award from Hot House Magazine in 2015, has associated with Hubert Laws, Slide Hampton, Tito Puente, Paquito D’ Rivera, Wallace Roney. Wycliffe Gordon, Dave Valentin, and Ray Barretto, among many others. In June of 2017, Andrea was awarded a grant from the prestigious organization, Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, to compose a new jazz work. Her new CD, “Evolution” was released in May of 2022.

Awards

Received the “New Jazz Grant from Chamber Music America and the Doris Duke Foundation” 2017
Received an Artist Residency from the Millay Colony for composition 2015
“Best Jazz Flute” from Hot House Magazine 2015
“Official Hall of Fame Artist”, Salsamagazine.com Salsa Awards 2012
“Tribute to the Charanga Flutes”, given by Charanga Legends USA presented in August of 2012
“Pionero” Award for my contribution in Latin Music – Mario Torres Productions
Nominated as “Best Latin Jazz flutist” – Chip Boaz – Latin Jazz Corner
“Tribute to Women in Salsa” – Salsation Productions, Washington DC
“Chico O’Farrill Lifetime Achievement Award” – Latin Jazz USA
“Latin New York Music Award” – Twice the recipient for flutist
“Louis Armstrong Award” for Outstanding Student from Jazz Interactions

Career Highlights

Was a member of the Universe Orchestra led by Wallace Roney
First woman to receive the “Pionero” Award in November, 2010 for her contribution to Latin Music from Mario Torres Productions.
Received the Chico O’ Farrill Lifetime Achievement Award
First woman to play with a Charanga (Salsa) Band in the United States, Charanga ‘76
Released, produced four Latin Jazz CD’s and one meditation and yoga CD as a leader
Performed with Hubert Laws and David Fathead Newman – Cape May Jazz Festival
Played the JVC Jazz Festival with the International Women in Jazz at St. Peter’s Church
Played at Madison Square Garden with Charanga America
Played with Conjunto Libre- Andy Gonzales, Jerry Gonzales, Manny Oquendo
Opened for Chick Corea, Paco Lucia and Gary Burton- Caracas, Venezuela
Guest artist with Nestor Torres, Dave Valentin, Jon Lucien
Invited by Chucho Valdéz and Bobby Carcasses to perform at the Havana Jazz Festival
Invited and appeared on the Bill Bogg’s Show with Karen Joseph