Creative Music at Motivo: Sam Hirsh
Motivo LA3549 Casitas Avenue, Los Angeles 90039
Sam Hirsh brings his Creative Music at Motivo concert to Motivo LA in Atwater Village. The billed ensemble is still to be announced, but the evening is set as a single concert set, with Hirsh leading the music. Expect the pianist and composer in a focused presentation rather than a multi-act bill.
Born in Kyoto, Japan, Hirsh moved with his family to Portland, Oregon, at four, began piano soon after, and later received classical training before turning to jazz in high school. He moved to Los Angeles in 2009 to study at USC Thornton, mentored by Alan Pasqua, Russ Ferrante and Otmaro Ruiz. An active figure in the city's jazz community for more than a decade, he leads his own trio and quartet and has worked as a sideman with John Clayton, Willie Jones III, Charles McPherson, Terrace Martin, Gilbert Castellanos, Ralph Moore, Chuck Redd and John Holiday. His debut, Quite Frankly (2020), featuring Ralph Moore and John Webber, reached the JazzWeek Radio Chart top 20; Quarantine Dreams followed in 2022 with Los Angeles-based artists. He also teaches at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music and has accompanied UCLA jazz vocal classes since 2017.
Motivo LA’s distinctive mix is creative live music and social dance under one roof: its concert program features adventurous improvisers, while the same ballroom hosts tango, salsa and swing gatherings. The main room has hardwood floors and mirrors, with a separate studio, a reception seating area and a full kitchen with bar seating. For a concert, expect a multipurpose dance space adapted for performance, rather than a dedicated concert hall; the available information does not confirm whether a particular show is seated or standing, or whether food and drinks are served. Events are listed and ticketed through event platforms, with current listings showing advance tickets for some concerts. Motivo is in Atwater Village, near Glendale Boulevard. Its current event listings and scheduled concerts indicate it is operating at its listed Casitas Avenue address.