ABOUT

Our Story

Sam First is a leading contemporary jazz venue described by American composer and jazz pianist Billy Childs as “an essential part of the Los Angeles music scene.”

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We are dedicated to supporting and expanding jazz as a musical form and tradition. Our mission is to provide a vibrant center for regional, national, and international practitioners of jazz and to foster the growth and engagement of the jazz community in Los Angeles. As a space designed without an elevated stage, we remove the boundary between performers and audiences to promote in-person collaboration, the formation of new relationships, and the creation of original music that takes risks and pushes boundaries.

Sam First was founded in 2017. It began as a passion project for Paul Solomon: a gift to the community and celebration of his deep love for jazz. He named it after his grandfather, Sam – an old-world tailor who led his family out of the wilderness, and whose luminous smile warmed his grandson’s heart.

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Since its founding in 2017, Sam First has steadily grown in programming and reputation among artists and audiences alike. (“Of all the places to hear live jazz in Los Angeles, Sam First was the spot that people recommended to me the most — and it’s understandable why.” Kailyn Brown, LA Times, February 2024). Inspired by the historic Village Vanguard in New York, and other great jazz venues in the US and abroad, Sam First is focused on the quality of the music, a respect for the musicians, and an intimate listening room ambience.

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Sam First stands today as one of less than five venues in all of Los Angeles – the music capital of the world – that offers regular live jazz programming throughout the week.

Gary Fukushima from DownBeat magazine called Sam First “one of the last remaining bona fide jazz clubs in the entire greater Los Angeles area.” (Jan. 2024).

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In the wake of LA jazz clubs closing their doors, we realized Sam First needed to grow beyond its then structure and capacity to help uphold the local jazz infrastructure and support the community of artists. We began the process of converting into a nonprofit organization and gained our 501(c)(3) status in 2024.

We are proud to be a nonprofit organization supported by a community of artists, individuals, institutions, and corporations who believe in the future of jazz in Los Angeles.