New York’s most storied jazz room is heading west. Blue Note Jazz Club, the Greenwich Village institution that’s hosted everyone from Ray Charles to Sarah Vaughan, will officially open its Los Angeles outpost on August 14, 2025. The venue takes over the former Stella Barra space inside the iconic Cinerama Dome complex at Sunset and Ivar, reimagining the corner of Hollywood into a home for live improvisation and late-night cocktails.
A Global Jazz Legacy Lands in LA
Founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, the original Blue Note was a compact room with an outsized influence. The first night featured cornetist Nat Adderley performing his classic “Work Song,” and within a few short years, the space had become a proving ground for legends. Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles—the names read like a syllabus in American music history.
Today, the brand encompasses not only clubs in Tokyo, Milan, Napa, Waikiki, and Beijing, but also its own record label, Half Note, and sprawling productions like the Blue Note Jazz Festival and Black Radio Experience. Los Angeles, long overdue, is next.
Two Rooms, One Spirit
The Hollywood club will feature two performance spaces: the larger “A” room, designed for marquee names, and the more intimate “B” room, where jam sessions and up-and-coming artists will get their turn under the spotlight.
Food will be part of the draw as well. Chef Asaf Maoz, known for his work at Carmel, is curating menus of “bold” and “internationally-inspired flavors.” Diners can expect dinner service during the week, weekend brunch, and a full bar program of jazz-era-inspired cocktails. Seating, both at the tables and the bar, will be first-come, first-served—a gentle reminder to arrive early.
Robert Glasper to Open
The inaugural night featured Robert Glasper, the Grammy-winning pianist and producer whose collaborations with artists like Kendrick Lamar and Esperanza Spalding have defined a new era of jazz. Following him, the opening season promises performances from Kamasi Washington, Ravi Coltrane, Killer Mike, Dominique Fils-Aimé, and more.
Details
- Opening Date: August 14, 2025
- Address: 6372 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028
- Tickets: Available now through the Blue Note Jazz Club website
With Blue Note’s arrival, Hollywood will finally have a stage worthy of its jazz history—one where the echoes of 52nd Street meet the restless energy of Sunset Boulevard.
