Terrace Martin Celebrates Miles Davis and the Spirit of LA Jazz
LOS ANGELES, CA- There is something going on with jazz music in Los Angeles. Actually, there has been something going on for quite some time. I just don’t think Los Angeles gets enough credit for it. When we talk about the great jazz cities,…
Lindsey Lomis Brings a New Generation to Blue Note Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, CA- There are certain names in music that carry weight before a single note is played. Blue Note is one of them. For anyone who has spent enough time obsessing over music, the words immediately conjure something. Maybe it is the unmistakable…
St. Vincent Reimagines Her Music With the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
LOS ANGELES, CA- There is something uniquely rewarding about seeing an artist you love perform with an orchestra. You already know the songs. You know where the guitar should enter, where the chorus should crest, where a familiar melody should turn. But put those…
2hollis Returns With “Hurt,” a Glitch-Fueled Electronic Banger
LOS ANGELES, CA- I’ll admit it: it took me a while to come around on 2hollis. His music never struck me as immediately accessible, and I wasn’t sure I fully understood the appeal at first. But every so often an artist releases a song…
Meg Lui’s “Elvis Queen” Is a Beautiful Introduction to Instant Validation, Produced by Sufjan Stevens
LOS ANGELES, CA- I wasn’t familiar with Meg Lui until this week. Although she’d already released two singles from her forthcoming debut album Instant Validation, “Gone Girl” and “Dreams,” it was the announcement of “Elvis Queen” that finally caught my attention. The reason was…
Syd’s Beard Is a Soulful Reminder That Authenticity Never Goes Out of Style
LOS ANGELES, CA- There are artists you discover because they’re everywhere, and then there are artists you discover at exactly the right moment. For me, Syd has always been the latter. The first time I saw her perform was with The Internet at UCLA’s…
Meshell Ndegeocello’s Synonym Reimagines Classic Songs with an All-Star Cast
LOS ANGELES, CA- I’ve always been impressed with Meshell Ndegeocello’s music, not simply because of her musicianship, but because she has always seemed to have something meaningful to say. While her first major crossover hit was “Wild Night,” the duet with John Mellencamp that…
St. Paul & The Broken Bones Find Soulful Reflection on New Single “Mess I Made”
AUSTIN, TX- My introduction to St. Paul & The Broken Bones came seven years ago at South by Southwest. Packed shoulder-to-shoulder inside Antone’s, I watched Paul Janeway and the rest of the band deliver one of the most electrifying performances of the festival. When I…
Brandee Younger Brings the Harp to Life at the Skirball
CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN ARTICLE LOS ANGELES, CA- “….Before Terrace took the stage, harpist Brandee Younger offered another example of just how expansive contemporary jazz can be. Her music draws connections between spiritual jazz, classical music, R&B and hip-hop, with…
Nia Archives’ Emotional Junglist Is a Pulse-Raising Ride Through Modern Jungle
LOS ANGELES, CA- Nia Archives first landed on my radar through her collaboration with Jorja Smith, a pairing that immediately showcased how effortlessly she can balance emotionally vulnerable songwriting with propulsive jungle rhythms. So when Emotional Junglist arrived, led by the infectious “There Goes…
