Terrace Martin
Blue Note Los Angeles1492 Ivar Avenue, Los Angeles 90028
Terrace Martin is billed for a Blue Note Los Angeles appearance on November 21. The listing names Martin alone and gives no details of a backing band, guests, or the shape of the set, so this is presented simply as an evening with the Los Angeles musician and producer. The club's room keeps the focus on the performance, with table and bar seating available on a first come, first served basis.
Martin comes from LA's Crenshaw District and is a five-time GRAMMY-nominated artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist. His work connects jazz, hip-hop and soul in what his Bandcamp calls a distinct West Coast sound; he plays saxophone, keyboards, piano and vocals. He has worked extensively with Kendrick Lamar, including on good kid, M.A.A.D city and To Pimp a Butterfly, and has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Travis Scott and Snoop Dogg. His projects include the protest anthem “PIG FEET,” DRONES, and Dinner Party, the group with Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder. Rolling Stone wrote that his music builds from funk, hip-hop and R&B into “lush tapestries,” calling DRONES “fantastic.”
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.