After months of delays that pushed the venue past its planned spring opening, L.A.’s own branch of the Blue Note Jazz Club now has an opening date in Hollywood set for Aug. 14. But beyond that, it has a freshly announced lineup of shows extending from that late summer bow all the way into the beginning of 2026, with an eclecticism that is heavy on jazz but extending into other corners, as well.
The Blue Note will be opening in the same complex that houses the former Arclight Hollywood, in what were restaurant spaces. And while the fate of that adjacent multiplex is still far from clear, the Sunset & Ivar location is soon to be a bustling entertainment hub again, if only as a live music mecca for now.
Jazz crossover artist Robert Glasper (pictured above) is the opening attraction, playing Aug. 14-15. Like everyone being booked for the Blue Note, he will be doing two shows a night, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., as is common with jazz clubs, if not for some of the performers who’ll be taking the stage from other genres.
Also booked between now and the end of the year is an illustrious roster that promises to disrupt the L.A. music scene in a very happy way. The artists front-loaded into the Blue Note include Andra Day, Killer Mike, Ben Folds, Charlie Puth, Branford Marsalis, Esperanza Spalding, Tank and the Bangas, Charles Lloyd, Kamasi Washington, GoldLink, Alex Isley, Ravi Coltrane, Mayer Hawthorne, the Soul Rebels with special guest Too $hort, Terrace Martin featuring Kenyon Dixon, 1500 or Nothin’, the Free Nationals and James Fauntleroy.
Tickets for all these shows are already on sale, with the exception of the Charlie Puth shows set for Oct. 16-19, which will go up at a date TBA. Scroll down to see the full list of dates.
“I’m honored to partner up with Blue Note and open the doors to what will be a significant cultural intersection for the Los Angeles community,” Glasper said in a statement. “Los Angeles has always been a second home to me, and I can’t wait to bring L.A. culture to the Blue Note.”
Said Alex Kurland, director of programming at Blue Note Entertainment Group, “Blue Note LA will focus on curated and consistent, artist-driven programming in that intimate Blue Note Jazz Club vibe that people love. Blue Note New York has a uniquely New York energy, and for Blue Note LA, it’s important to honor what makes this city’s creative energy and spirit so distinctive. Blue Note embraces the space to collaborate and experience those spontaneous moments that are special. We’re thankful to all the artists and their teams who are a part of this opening season of shows. They’re helping set the tone to launch Blue Note LA.”
The advent of the Blue Note is bringing hope to those who hope to see the entire ArcLight complex returned to full usage, although details on when or even whether the ArcLight Hollywood cinemas will be reopened after being dark for five and a half years remain very much TBA.
Earlier this month, Variety reported on a public hearing held by the Los Angeles Office of Zoning Administration that appeared to be the last hurdle to clear before the Blue Note could formally announce its opening. At that time, land use consultant Elizabeth Peterson of the Elizabeth Peterson Group presented the case on behalf of the applicant, Dome Center, LLC /Robertson Property Group, a subsidiary of the Decurion Corp., the family business that has long owned the Dome and ArcLight property.
“I wanted to bring a little bit of the legacy of what the Cinerama Dome stands for, because they’re working very hard to reactivate the entire space,” Peterson said at the hearing. “Robertson Property Groups, now a part of Decurion Corp, has shown a strong commitment to modernizing and maintaining the property.” Peterson did not address the issue of the Dome or former ArcLight multiplex at length but did say: “Obviously, the theater would be next. And all I can tell you is that they have reached out to me to discuss that.”
Restaurants Veggie Grill and Wildbird and the 24-hour Fitness Gym have remained open at the complex, which has not been fully occupied since the theaters and other leasees shut down at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The Blue Note is moving into the former Blue C. Sushi and Stella Barra spaces.
Befitting the fact that it is taking over two spaces in the complex, the Blue Note will actually consist of two rooms — the main showroom, which will be intimate enough, with a 200-person capacity, and then a secondary “B-Side” room holding half that many. Programming for the “B-Side” space has yet to be announced. The space, designed by the Legeard Studio, is said to “blend mid-century elegance with the raw energy of classic jazz.”
Tuesday’s announcement noted the club(s) will have a full-service kitchen and beverage menu and be open for weekend brunches as wel as dinner throughout the week. The food menu will be crafted by chef Asaf Maoz of the L.A.-based restaurant Carmel.
L.A.’s Blue Note Jazz Club is sister to the longstanding mothership club in New York, along with branches in international locations like Milan, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro. A London location is planned for a 2026 opening.
The full lineup announced Tuesday:
August 14-15—Robert Glasper—Blue Note LA
August 16-17—Alex Isley—Blue Note LA
August 18—The Philharmonik—Blue Note LA
August 19-20—Terrace Martin with Special Guest Kenyon Dixon—Blue Note LA
August 21-22—Robert Glasper—Blue Note LA
August 23-24—Emily King—Blue Note LA
August 25—Mayer Hawthorne—Blue Note LA
August 26-27—BJ The Chicago Kid—Blue Note LA
August 28-31—Ravi Coltrane—Blue Note LA
September 2-7—Esperanza Spalding—Blue Note LA
September 8—Isaiah Collier—Blue Note LA
September 9-10—Braxton Cook—Blue Note LA
September 11-14—Kenny Garrett—Blue Note LA
September 15—Fantastic Negrito—Blue Note LA
September 16—Dominique Fils-Aimé—Blue Note LA
September 17-18—GoldLink—Blue Note LA
September 19-21—Killer Mike—Blue Note LA
September 22-24—Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah—Blue Note LA
September 25—Brasstracks—Blue Note LA
September 26—The Soul Rebels & Special Guest—Blue Note LA
September 27—The Soul Rebels & Special Guest—Blue Note LA
September 28—The Soul Rebels & Special Guest Too $hort—Blue Note LA
September 29—Samora Pinderhughes—Blue Note LA
September 30-October 5—Kamasi Washington—Blue Note LA
October 6—Arin Ray—Blue Note LA
October 7-12—Kamasi Washington—Blue Note LA
October 13—Lady Blackbird Residency—Blue Note LA
October 14-15—Kiefer—Blue Note LA
October 16-19—Charlie Puth*—Blue Note LA
October 20—Slum Village—Blue Note LA
October 21-22—Branford Marsalis Quartet—Blue Note LA
October 23—Aja Monet—Blue Note LA
October 24-26—Sid Sriram—Blue Note LA
October 27—Amaro Freitas—Blue Note LA
October 28-November 2—1500 or Nothin’ & Friends—Blue Note LA
November 4-5—Ghost-Note—Blue Note LA
November 6-9—Tank and The Bangas—Blue Note LA
November 10—Emily Bear & Friends—Blue Note LA
November 11-16—Chris Dave / Marcus King / Cory Henry / DJ Ginyard—Blue Note LA
November 17—Julius Rodriguez—Blue Note LA
November 18-19—Keyon Harrold—Blue Note LA
November 20-21—Cimafunk—Blue Note LA
November 22-23—Goapele—Blue Note LA
November 24-25—James Francies / Joel Ross / Blaque Dynamite—Blue Note LA
November 28-30—Andra Day—Blue Note LA
December 1—Lady Blackbird Residency—Blue Note LA
December 2-3—Adam Blackstone—Blue Note LA
December 4—Gallant—Blue Note LA
December 5-7—Derrick Hodge—Blue Note LA
December 8—James Fauntleroy—Blue Note LA
December 9-10—Theo Croker—Blue Note LA
December 11—Ben Folds—Blue Note LA
December 12-14—The Free Nationals—Blue Note LA
December 15—Charles Lloyd Quartet—Blue Note LA
December 16-21—Robert Glasper—Blue Note LA
January 9-11—José James—Blue Note LA
January 26—Lady Blackbird Residency—Blue Note LA
March 23—Lady Blackbird Residency—Blue Note LA
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