The Fearless Flyers
Blue Note Los Angeles1492 Ivar Avenue, Los Angeles 90028
The Fearless Flyers bring their instrumental funk quartet to Blue Note Los Angeles for a late set. The core band is Cory Wong and Mark Lettieri on guitar, Joe Dart on bass, and Nate Smith on drums, built around the original idea of covering standard guitar, baritone guitar, bass and a bare-bones drum setup. Expect tightly organized, groove-led pieces rather than a vocalist-fronted show, with the compact room putting the emphasis on the players’ interplay.
The Los Angeles group became widely noticed through performance videos, including “Ace of Aces,” in which the members appeared in jumpsuits. Their Vulf Records catalog has also made room for guests: Blake Mills and Sandra Crouch appeared on the 2018 debut; Joey Dosik and Chris Thile joined The Fearless Flyers II; and Tailwinds used a horn section featuring Grace Kelly, Kenni Holmen and Alekos Syropoulos. Writers have described the band’s work as “filled to the brim with funky energy and metronomic precision.” All About Jazz called the debut “a brief but rewarding collection of funk jams performed with impeccable chemistry,” while WRUV praised the “complex yet familiar grooves” of The Fearless Flyers V.
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.