New York’s legendary Blue Note Jazz Club is expanding to Los Angeles with a location in Hollywood, opening August 14 in the Cinerama Dome complex. The jazz club takes over the former Stella Barra on the corner of Ivar Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, where it will transform into a sleek venue with multiple performance spaces. In addition to the original Blue Note in New York, the club has locations across the globe in Tokyo, Milan, Napa, Waikiki, Beijing, and more.
Danny Bensusan founded Blue Note Jazz Club in 1981 in New York’s Greenwich Village. Nat Adderley, who composed the jazz standard “Work Song,” took the stage the first night with a quartet. Blue Note has grown to one of the most famous jazz clubs in the world over the last four decades, hosting performances from musicians like Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughn, and more. Blue Note has since expanded far beyond just being a club, encompassing record label Half Note, the Blue Note Jazz Festival, and the Black Radio Experience.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Blue Note’s Los Angeles location will have two performance rooms: a larger “A” room for headliners, and a “B” room for smaller artists and jams. Alongside the live music, Blue Note will offer menus from chef Asaf Maoz of Carmel. The full offerings have not been announced yet, but are slated to include “bold” and “internationally-inspired flavors” alongside jazz-era-inspired cocktails. The club will serve dinner throughout the week and weekend brunch. Seating at the tables and bar area is first-come, first-served; arriving early is encouraged.
Blue Note Jazz Club will open on the evening of August 14 with a performance from Grammy Award-winning musician Robert Glasper. So far, the rest of the inaugural season includes artists like Kamasi Washington, Ravi Coltrane, Killer Mike, Dominique Fils-Aime’, and more. Tickets are available to purchase in advance from Blue Note’s website.
Blue Note Jazz Club opens on August 14 at 6372 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028.
