Yazmin Lacey
Blue Note131 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Yazmin Lacey takes the late set at Blue Note on November 9. The East London singer-songwriter is billed for the night, though no accompanying lineup or concert formation has been announced. Expect the focus to be on Lacey’s songs and voice, which move through soul, jazz and neo-soul, with elements of reggae, ska, funk and electronica in her recorded work.
Raised in East London, Lacey later made music in Nottingham and has built a body of work around supple, distinctive vocals and detailed songwriting. She has collaborated with Ezra Collective, appearing on “God Gave Me Feet for Dancing,” a track Blue Note calls a “certified festival classic”; Questlove has said, “Looooooves Yazmin Lacey.” Her album Voice Notes was made with Craigie Dodds, JD.REID and Melo-Zed, with Dave Okumu as executive producer. Reviewing it, The Guardian called the record “conceptually and musically accomplished,” highlighting its blend of “jazz, soul and electronica” and Lacey’s “supple vocals.” Clash described her voice on Teal Dreams as “hypnotizingly rich,” and praised the album’s “infectious warmth.”
Blue Note Jazz Club is a dedicated listening room in the heart of Manhattan's jazz district, where the music is the focus and the space is designed to let the sound fill the room. The club features a stage with a small audience area, and the atmosphere is one of quiet concentration on the music. Shows typically begin at 8:00 PM with a second set at 10:30 PM, and the audience sits on chairs close to the stage. The club has a bar, and drinks are available. The experience is primarily about listening to live jazz, with occasional gospel and soul performances, and the audience often stays to talk and enjoy the music after the sets.