Yazmin Lacey
Blue Note131 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Yazmin Lacey is billed for a Blue Note appearance in Manhattan on November 9. The London-born singer-songwriter is the sole named act on the listing, with no supporting performers or guest musicians announced. No exact lineup or performing formation has been specified for this date, so the night is presented simply as a set from Lacey rather than a billed band performance, collaboration, release event, tribute, or residency.
Born in East London and later moving to Nottingham, Lacey has described her music as difficult to pin down: “In some ways I would call it soul because that’s where it comes from, my own soul.” Her work has been described as drawing on soul, ska, lover’s rock and indie, with jazz, funk and reggae also heard in the mix. She has worked with Dave Okumu, Melo-Zed, Craigie Dodds and JD.REID, while her Morning Matters EP includes contributions from Femi Koleoso, Ife Ogunjobi, Sarah Tandy and Moses Boyd. Her vocals also feature on Ezra Collective’s “God Gave Me Feet For Dancing.” Clash calls her voice “hypnotizingly rich” and praises Voice Notes as “a work of remarkable unity.”
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.