Free energetic live jazz music performances in the station’s historic Ticket Concourse will bring art and culture to the heart of downtown LA.
Link to Hi-Res Images & Artist Bios HERE
LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month, Metro Art and KJazz are teaming up for KJazz Tracks at Union Station on Saturday, April 27 from 7:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The free concert is open to all with performances taking place in the station’s historic Ticket Concourse. Hosted by KJazz DJ Rhonda Hamilton, the event will feature three uniquely talented artists, including Kassa Overall as headliner, and Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few and Darynn Dean also on the bill.
“We are thrilled to host these dynamic and talented artists at Union Station. We look forward to hearing their exciting approaches to jazz and sharing it together with fellow music lovers in such a beguiling space,” stated Heidi Zeller, Senior Manager, Cultural Planning with Metro Art.
“I’m extremely excited to be playing in Los Angeles, in a space that’s meant for everyone. I hope our music can be nutrition for somebody out there who needs it. Thank you KJazz and Union Station!” shared Kassa Overall.
About Kassa Overall
Kassa Overall is a Grammy-nominated musician, emcee, singer, producer and drummer who melds avant-garde experimentation with hip-hop production techniques to tilt the nexus of jazz and rap in unmapped directions. He previously released four critically acclaimed projects: I THINK I’M GOOD, Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz, Shades of Flu and Shades of Flu 2. On ANIMALS, his Warp Records debut released in 2023, Overall pushes his kaleidoscopic, subversive vision further. Top-flight jazz improvisation weaves in and out of orchestral string arrangements by Jherek Bischoff. The album’s diverse, all-star roster of collaborators include vocalists Nick Hakim, Laura Mvula, Francis and the Lights, and jazz stars like Theo Croker and Vijay Iyer.
About Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few
Isaiah Collier is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, curator and educator. He is most known for his work as a saxophonist and drummer. Collier’s sound and approach is drawn from the influences of master saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Roscoe Mitchell, Wayne Shorter, Ari Brown and Gene Ammons. His most well-known work is with his group, Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few, with whom he produced The Unapologetic Negro (2019) and Return of The Black Emperor (2017). Collier has performed at the Jazz Showcase, Chicago Jazz Festival, New York Winter Jazz Festival and the White House, to name a few. He is a former fellow of the prestigious Dave Brubeck Institute Stockton, CA.
About Darynn Dean
Darynn Dean is a dynamic vocalist, captivating performer, and composer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, her rich musical legacy originates with her grandfather, Donald Dean Senior (drummer), who toured with Les McCann, Eddie Harris, and Betty Carter. Dean has garnered the attention of audiences across the country, with notable performances at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, and Jordan Hall in Boston MA. In 2019, she created a documentary entitled, “All About Love: Jazz + Gender,” which chronicled her creation of the first ever All-Women’s Cross Big Band between New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music. Dean currently attends The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and Performance at UCLA where she is pursuing a Master of Music degree.
The first 40 visitors to present their @tapgreaterlosangeles cards to the Metro Art info table will receive a free Metro Art book, Los Angeles Through the Eyes of Artists, and Union Station swag bag! To learn more about Los Angeles Union Station, visit unionstationla.com. #Celebrating85Years #UnionStationLA
Go Metro to the event! Union Station is accessible via Metro Rail, Metro Bus and several municipal bus lines. Take the B Line, D Line, J Line or L Line directly to Union Station. Plan your trip using the Transit app, the trip planner at metro.net or by calling 323.GO.METRO.
About Los Angeles Union Station
Since its opening in 1939, Los Angeles Union Station has long been considered one of LA’s architectural gems and a vital portal to the promise of the California Dream. The Station was designed with an innovative blend of Spanish Colonial, Mission Revival and Art Deco architecture now commonly referred to as Mission Moderne. The bustling 52-acre transportation hub sits in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles offering essential connections to destinations throughout Southern California. An iconic landmark, the Station serves as a vibrant symbol of Downtown connecting the historic fabric of the past to the present through arts, culture, transit and community. Conceived on a grand scale, Los Angeles Union Station is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States and is often regarded as “the last of the great train stations.” For more information, visit unionstationla.com or follow @unionstationla on social media.
About Metro Art:
Metro Art enhances the customer experience with innovative, award-winning visual and performing arts programming that encourages ridership and connects people, sites and neighborhoods throughout LA County. A diverse range of site-specific artworks are integrated into the growing Metro system, improving the quality of transit environments, and creating a sense of place. Metro Art Presents showcases an exciting array of arts and cultural programs at historic Union Station. All events are free and open to the public.
Click here for more information about Metro Art. Follow Metro Art on Instagram and #MetroArtLA.
About KJazz
KJazz 88.1, a service of Cal State Long Beach, is the #1 straight-ahead, non-commercial jazz station in the country. In addition to producing free events in the community, KJazz provides four jazz scholarships and paid student internships each year. For more information, visit: jazzandblues.org.
SOURCE Los Angeles Union Station
