Emily Bear
Blue Note Los Angeles1492 Ivar Avenue, Los Angeles 90028
Emily Bear plays Blue Note Los Angeles on November 11. The listing bills Bear alone and gives no supporting performers, guest, release theme, or other night-specific program, so the format of the set has not been announced. What is clear is that this is a chance to hear a pianist and composer whose work moves between jazz, classical, pop, R&B, and cinematic writing.
From Rockford, Illinois, Bear is known for her piano playing and composing across those styles. She has led the Emily Bear Trio with Peter Slavov on bass and Mark McLean on drums, though that lineup is not confirmed for this date. Her credits range from the Grammy-winning The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, made with songwriting partner Abigail Barlow, to film work and songs for Disney's Moana 2. Quincy Jones mentored her and produced Diversity, and Bear was a featured pianist on Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour. JazzTimes called her “a gifted (if not quite virtuosic yet) pianist,” praising her understanding of the instrument in “both solo and group capacities”; on Diversity, it found that “there’s nothing childlike about Bear’s music.”
A small, dimly lit basement club tucked into a Hollywood corner, Blue Note Los Angeles is a dedicated jazz and live music space with a long-standing reputation for intimate, high-quality performances. The room is modest, with a few rows of seats facing a stage where the music is the focus. It's a place to listen, not to socialize, with the audience often quiet, absorbed in the musicians. Drinks are available, but the atmosphere is centered on the music. Shows are ticketed, with multiple sets each night, and the evening unfolds with a steady rhythm of live music, not casual conversation.