Review: Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few Bring Fire and Love to the Blue Note LA
The grand opening of the Blue Note Jazz Club in Hollywood has been a significant event for the city’s jazz scene. As an offshoot of the legendary New York City flagship location, this new venue aims to bring a similar intimate atmosphere and world-class programming to the West Coast. With last night’s performance, featuring Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few, the venue proves it can indeed deliver on this promise.
Blue Note Isaiah Collier
Stepping into the club, the atmosphere immediately grabs you. Dim lighting, a cool-toned decor and tightly packed tables create a shared communal experience. The state-of-the-art acoustics and high ceilings are perfectly engineered to capture every nuance of sound. This makes the space a vital character in the evening’s performance.
At only twenty-six years old, Grammy-nominated Collier is widely recognized as a rising star in the spiritual jazz tradition, drawing comparisons to and inspiration from giants like John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders. His music is a deep sonic exploration, blending consciousness and activism, with a clear focus on addressing pressing social and political issues. His intention to inspire change is evident in album and song titles like The World Is on Fire,””Amerikkka the Ugly,” and “Ahmaud Arbery.”
On stage, Collier moved with a compelling mix of youthful abandon and an old soul’s wisdom. Within the intimate confines of the Blue Note, he wove “sheets of sound” with cascading arpeggios. Thus creating a mesmerizing sonic waterfall. The venue’s impeccable acoustics capture his tone, full of raw honest. We were mesmerized as it shifted from a gentle whisper to a furious, roaring torrent within a single work. This was all accomplished without losing its clarity.
The Chosen Few
The band’s collective energy was equally remarkable. Featuring Liya Grigoryan on piano, Dr. Emma Dayhuff on bass, and Tim Regis on drums, they were not merely a backing band but active collaborators who contributed their own unique voices. The performance often felt like a group conversation, with each musician supporting the collective sound while also pushing it forward.
This show at the Blue Note cemented Isaiah Collier & the Chosen Few’s reputation as one of the most vital and powerful forces in contemporary jazz. It was an intense, spiritual, as well as a deeply cathartic experience. It honored the legacy of jazz while pushing its boundaries into a new socially-conscious era. The club’s perfectly calibrated atmosphere amplified the profound experience, as we all witnessed creative musical expression in its purest form.
Check the website of the Blue Note Jazz Club Los Angeles for their upcoming list of exceptional artists. https://www.bluenotejazz.com/la/
