Biography
Jaimie “Breezy” Branch (stylized as jaimie branch) was an American trumpeter, composer, and bandleader whose work fused free jazz, punk, noise, and electronic experimentation. Born on June 17, 1983 in Huntington, New York, she began playing trumpet at age nine and performed her first improvised solo with her middle-school jazz band at 11.[2][3] In her early teens she transcribed Miles Davis’s solo on “On Green Dolphin Street,” played in jazz, classical, and rock ensembles, and at 14 moved with her family to Wilmette, a suburb of Chicago, where exposure to the city’s rich creative-music scene became foundational to her artistic identity.[2][3] From 2001–2005 she studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, earning a Bachelor of Music in jazz trumpet performance and studying with figures such as Joe Morris, Steve Lacy, John McNeil, and Charles Schlueter.[2][3][4]
After returning to Chicago, Branch worked as a musician, organizer, sound engineer, and presenter, holding a job at the Jazz Record Mart, booking punk and free-jazz shows, and immersing herself in Fred Anderson’s Velvet Lounge community.[2][3] She became an in-demand collaborator, recording with Jason Ajemian, Keefe Jackson’s Project Project, Tim Daisy’s New Fracture Quartet, and others, while leading projects like her trio Princess, Princess and the group Bomb Shelter.[1][2][3] In 2012 she moved to Baltimore to pursue a master’s degree in jazz performance at Towson University and founded the label Pionic Records, before relocating to New York to address heroin addiction and ultimately settling in Brooklyn in 2015.[2][3] There she launched her acclaimed quartet Fly or Die and the electro-acoustic duo Anteloper with drummer Jason Nazary, issuing a run of boundary-pushing albums on International Anthem, including her debut “Fly or Die” (2017), “Fly or Die II: Bird Dogs of Paradise” (2019), and the posthumously released “Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (World War)” (2023).[2][3]
Branch’s music is marked by a fierce, vocal-like trumpet sound, long sustained tones, timbral experimentation with mutes and electronics, and a compositional language that balances groove, melodic hooks, and open-form improvisation.[3] She cited Don Cherry, Axel Dörner, Booker Little, Miles Davis, and Evan Parker among her key influences, and her bands often folded song forms, political commentary, and punk energy into an avant-garde jazz framework.[2][3] Deeply embedded in community-oriented scenes in Chicago, Baltimore, and Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood, she collaborated with a wide spectrum of artists—from free-jazz elders like William Parker and David Murray to noise group Wolf Eyes, Brazilian singer Elza Soares, Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra, and British poet-saxophonist Alabaster dePlume—helping redefine the boundaries of contemporary improvised music.[3] Branch died at home in Red Hook, Brooklyn, on August 22, 2022, at age 39 from an accidental drug overdose, leaving behind a compact but widely celebrated body of work that has become a touchstone for a new generation of experimental jazz musicians.[2][3]
Fun Facts
- Branch intentionally stylized her professional name in all lower-case (“jaimie branch”) as an aesthetic choice aligned with her underground and DIY sensibilities.[3]
- As a teenager she was the youngest member of a ska-punk band at her high school while simultaneously playing in the school’s jazz and classical orchestras, foreshadowing her later fusion of punk, jazz, and experimental music.[3]
- For one of her senior recitals at New England Conservatory, she arranged a song by the experimental rock band Mr. Bungle, reflecting her comfort crossing between avant-rock and jazz worlds.[3]
- She was deeply involved in community-building in Brooklyn’s Red Hook, helping produce the Brackish music series and becoming, in the words of her label, one of the neighborhood’s informal “mayors” thanks to her presence at venues like Bait & Tackle and 360 Record Shop.[3]
Associated Acts
- Anteloper
- Medicine Singers - trumpet
- The Band of Guardian Angels - original, trumpet
- Galactic Unity Ensemble - trumpet
- New Fracture Quartet - trumpet
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Steve Lacy - Faculty mentor at New England Conservatory, shaping her early identity as an improviser and composer. (Guided her studies leading up to projects like Bomb Shelter and Fly or Die (via concept and approach rather than a specific shared recording).) [2001–2005]
- Joe Morris - Improvisation and guitar/bass mentor at New England Conservatory, influencing her approach to free improvisation and ensemble interaction. (Conceptual influence audible in her small-group work such as Fly or Die and Anteloper.) [2001–2005]
- John McNeil - Trumpet teacher at New England Conservatory, contributing to her technical and stylistic trumpet development. (Influence reflected in her trumpet tone and phrasing across the Fly or Die recordings.) [2001–2005]
- Charles Schlueter - Principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony and her primary orchestral trumpet instructor at NEC. (Helped refine the full-bodied sound and control heard in her long-tone statements on Fly or Die.) [2001–2005]
- Don Cherry - Cited stylistic influence, especially his open, global, and lyrical approach to free jazz trumpet. (Influence evident in the melodic freedom and folk-like themes of Fly or Die and Fly or Die II.) [Cited influence throughout career]
- Miles Davis - Major early influence; she transcribed his solo on “On Green Dolphin Street” at age 12. (Transcription study shaped her sense of phrasing and space, later heard across her discography.) [Early teens onward]
- Axel Dörner - Influential figure for extended trumpet techniques and timbral experimentation. (His influence can be heard in her use of noise, breath, and unconventional sounds in live performance and recordings.) [Cited influence throughout career]
- Booker Little - Influence on harmonic and melodic sophistication on trumpet. (Reflected in the more intricate harmonic contours of compositions on Fly or Die II.) [Cited influence throughout career]
- Evan Parker - Influenced her interest in extended improvisational forms and circular, textural playing. (Conceptual influence on the long-form improvisation and layering heard in Anteloper.) [Cited influence throughout career]
Key Collaborators
- Tomeka Reid - Cellist in the original Fly or Die quartet, central to Branch’s breakthrough recordings. (Fly or Die (2017); live performances of the Fly or Die project.) [Circa 2016–2019]
- Jason Ajemian - Longtime collaborator and bassist in Fly or Die; earlier partner in Chicago projects. (The Art of Dying (2006); Fly or Die (2017); other Chicago scene recordings.) [Mid-2000s–late 2010s]
- Chad Taylor - Drummer in Fly or Die and earlier Chicago ensembles, helping define the rhythmic core of her bandleading work. (Tim Daisy’s New Fracture Quartet – 1000 Lights (2008, same scene); Fly or Die (2017).) [Late 2000s–late 2010s]
- Lester St. Louis - Cellist who replaced Tomeka Reid in later versions of Fly or Die. (Later Fly or Die tours and the posthumously released Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die (World War) (2023).) [Late 2010s–early 2020s]
- Jason Nazary - Drummer and co-leader of the electro-acoustic duo Anteloper; former NEC classmate. (Anteloper (duo project; multiple recordings on International Anthem).) [2017–2022]
- Keefe Jackson - Bandleader who featured Branch in his large ensemble Project Project. (Just Like This (2007) with Keefe Jackson’s Project Project.) [Mid-2000s]
- Tim Daisy - Chicago drummer who worked with Branch in trios and in New Fracture Quartet. (Tim Daisy’s New Fracture Quartet – 1000 Lights (2008); various trio performances.) [Mid-2000s–2010s]
- Ken Vandermark - Prominent Chicago reedist with whom Branch performed on the local creative music scene. (Various Chicago ensemble performances (documented in scene histories).) [Mid-2000s]
- William Parker - Legendary bassist; Branch recorded and performed with him after moving to New York. (Collaborative performances documented via International Anthem and scene accounts.) [Mid-2010s–early 2020s]
- David Murray - Veteran saxophonist; Branch appeared with him in cross-generational collaborations. (Collaborative performances mentioned in International Anthem artist bio.) [Mid-2010s–early 2020s]
- Rob Mazurek - Cornetist/composer; Branch participated in his electronic big band Exploding Star Orchestra. (Recordings and performances with Exploding Star Orchestra.) [2010s]
- Alabaster dePlume - British poet and saxophonist; Branch recorded and performed in collaborative, genre-blurring contexts. (Sessions noted by International Anthem involving cross-Atlantic collaborations.) [Late 2010s–early 2020s]
- The Bug (Kevin Martin) - British dub producer; Branch contributed trumpet in experimental dub/noise contexts. (Collaborative tracks cited in International Anthem’s artist biography.) [Late 2010s–early 2020s]
- Medicine Singers - First Nations rock collective; Branch appeared on collaborative projects blending indigenous music, rock, and experimental jazz. (Medicine Singers-related recordings referenced by International Anthem.) [Early 2020s]
- Local H - Independent rock band; Branch guested on recordings, highlighting her crossover into rock contexts. (Album appearances with Local H listed in biographical notes.) [2010s]
- Never Enough Hope - Independent rock/experimental ensemble; Branch appeared as a guest trumpeter. (Recordings with Never Enough Hope mentioned in her bios.) [2010s]
- Wolf Eyes - Noise group; Branch recorded and performed with them, reflecting her deep engagement with noise and experimental scenes. (Collaborations cited by International Anthem.) [2010s–early 2020s]
- Elza Soares - Legendary Brazilian samba singer; Branch took part in cross-genre collaborative work. (Sessions with Elza Soares mentioned by International Anthem.) [Late 2010s]
Artists Influenced
- Younger Chicago and Brooklyn free-jazz/improv trumpet players (various) - Branch is widely cited in obituaries and scene commentary as a galvanizing model for trumpeters bridging free jazz, punk, and electronics, though specific named protégés are not consistently documented in major reference sources. (Her Fly or Die series and Anteloper recordings are frequently referenced as touchstones by emerging artists in interviews and scene writing.) [Late 2010s–present]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem | 2025-06-17 | Album |
| FLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise | 2019-10-11 | Album |
| FLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise | 2019-10-11 | Album |
| Fly or Die | 2017-05-05 | Album |
| Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) | 2023-08-25 | Album |
| Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) | 2023-08-25 | Album |
| FLY or DIE LIVE | 2021-05-21 | Album |
| Fly or Die | 2017-05-05 | Album |
| FLY or DIE LIVE | 2021-05-21 | Album |
| Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem | 2025-06-17 | Album |
| Medicine Singers | 2022-07-01 | Album |
| Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) | 2023-08-25 | Album |
| The Art of Dying | 2008-05-29 | Album |
| Gilles Peterson presents International Anthem | 2025-06-17 | Album |
Top Tracks
- birds of paradise (FLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise)
- simple silver surfer (FLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise)
- simple silver surfer (FLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise)
- Theme 001 (Fly or Die)
- Theme 001 (Fly or Die)
- birds of paradise (FLY or DIE II: bird dogs of paradise)
- theme 001 (FLY or DIE LIVE)
- borealis dancing (Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)))
- birds of paradise (FLY or DIE LIVE)
- Theme 002 (Fly or Die)
External Links
Tags: #free-jazz, #jazz
References
Heard on WWOZ
Jaimie Branch has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8, 2025 | 07:41 | Theme 001 - Livefrom Fly or Die LIVE | The Morning Setw/ Stuart Hall |