{"id":25587,"date":"2026-01-14T17:04:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T22:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T18:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T23:51:59","slug":"groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Kota the Friend 2026 Blue Note Residency: Dates &#038; Live Band"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Kota the Friend<\/strong> will make his return to <strong>Blue Note Jazz Club<\/strong> in 2026 with another residency featuring his live band, sparked by last December\u2019s shows that created a buzz about what unfolds when his sound fills an iconic listening space.<\/p>\n<p>This year\u2019s residency takes place over four NYC dates: January 19, March 2, March 30, and April 20, 2026.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>December Performances That Set the Bar<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Kota&#8217;s December sets set themselves apart from ordinary hip-hop concerts. Bringing a full band onto the Blue Note stage, he merged his lyrical prowess with live musicianship and spontaneous moments that thrived in the club\u2019s intimate acoustics.<\/p>\n<p>A moment everyone talked about afterwards: during his final December performance, Kota picked up a guitar onstage for the very first time. For fans, this unexpected move was historic, and excitement quickly grew for the upcoming 2026 run as stories circulated.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Kota\u2019s Take on This Residency<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluenotejazz.com\/nyc\/shows\/?search=kota+the+friend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Blue Note<\/strong><\/a> is a space where every sound and every emotion feels heightened,\u201d Kota the Friend said. \u201cDecember\u2019s energy was on another level and it left a mark on me. This residency is about creating lasting memories, musically and emotionally. We&#8217;re coming back more refined and ready to give people something unforgettable.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Live Experience for True Music Lovers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_3911\" style=\"width: 885px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3911\" class=\"wp-image-3911 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kota-the-Friend-Playing-Guitar-at-Blue-Note-by-Phearnone-Entertainment-4-copy.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"875\" height=\"583\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-3911\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kota the Friend Playing Guitar at Blue Note photo by Phearnone Entertainment<\/p><\/div>\n<p>For longtime followers, Kota\u2019s respected as a lyricist and self-driven artist, having turned down several record deals to stay independent. The Blue Note gigs highlighted new aspects for casual listeners too: instead of just rapping with a band, Kota is constructing a full-bodied live experience anchored by his songs.<\/p>\n<p>That artistic approach is tied to his roots: Kota, a trained musician, played trumpet from fourth grade at PS 282, JHS 113 in Clinton Hill, and at Brooklyn High School of the Performing Arts. His Brooklyn upbringing shows in his live shows, emphasizing musical interaction, nuance, and room for improvisation.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What 2026 Fans Can Anticipate<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Each night promises a unique experience, not simply a reprise of December. According to details in the press release on <a href=\"https:\/\/nycnewswire.com\/news\/kota-friend-announces-2026-blue-note-residency\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NYC Newswire<\/a>, the residency format means surprises are inevitable.<\/p>\n<p>Kota might pick up the guitar again, or even showcase the trumpet\u2014a potential first. What\u2019s certain is an engaging performance, with the band at the heart of it all.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Musicians Behind the Residency<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Phearnone brings violin, Aja Grant handles keys and piano, Hello OShay lends vocals, Kenny Parker is on drums, and Parker McAllister plays bass.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Fans Are Saying<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve attended plenty of shows here, but that night was like stepping inside the music,\u201d shared an attendee from December. \u201cKota\u2019s guitar moment transformed the whole vibe, it was a \u2018had to be there\u2019 feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another guest added, \u201cThe band is incredible. Violin blending with hip hop, brilliant keys, standout vocals, and a tight rhythm section\u2014it was musical fireworks. I looked forward to hearing about the next run.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A third fan remarked, \u201cKota\u2019s music resonates, but seeing it live elevates it further. It felt close and soulful, like jazz, yet carried all the energy of a hip hop show. Blue Note is the ideal venue for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>2026 Blue Note Residency Schedule<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Monday, January 19, 2026 \u2014 Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City<br \/>\nMonday, March 2, 2026 \u2014 Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City<br \/>\nMonday, March 30, 2026 \u2014 Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City<br \/>\nMonday, April 20, 2026 \u2014 Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tickets: Available via<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluenotejazz.com\/nyc\/shows\/?search=kota+the+friend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Blue Note Jazz Club\u2019s ticketing channels<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kota the Friend will make his return to Blue Note Jazz Club in 2026 with another residency featuring his live band, sparked by last December\u2019s shows that created a buzz about what unfolds when his sound fills an iconic listening space. This year\u2019s residency takes place over four NYC dates: January 19, March 2, March [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,32,2717],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-and-culture","category-top-10-lists","category-bk-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.4 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Kota the Friend 2026 Blue Note Residency: Dates &amp; Live Band - Brooklyn News and Events<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kota the Friend 2026 Blue Note Residency: Dates &amp; Live Band\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Kota the Friend will make his return to Blue Note Jazz Club in 2026 with another residency featuring his live band, sparked by last December\u2019s shows that created a buzz about what unfolds when his sound fills an iconic listening space. This year\u2019s residency takes place over four NYC dates: January 19, March 2, March [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Brooklyn News and Events\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-14T22:04:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-14T23:51:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/01\/Kota-the-Friend-at-Blue-Note-Trumpet-in-Background-by-Phearnone-Entertainment-copy.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"875\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"583\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sam Whitaker\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sam Whitaker\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/\",\"name\":\"Kota the Friend 2026 Blue Note Residency: Dates & Live Band - Brooklyn News and Events\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/01\/Kota-the-Friend-at-Blue-Note-Trumpet-in-Background-by-Phearnone-Entertainment-copy.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-14T22:04:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-14T23:51:59+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/#\/schema\/person\/d7282ce768f17f80726e6d2aefdb1e88\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/01\/Kota-the-Friend-at-Blue-Note-Trumpet-in-Background-by-Phearnone-Entertainment-copy.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/01\/Kota-the-Friend-at-Blue-Note-Trumpet-in-Background-by-Phearnone-Entertainment-copy.jpeg\",\"width\":875,\"height\":583,\"caption\":\"file photo: Kota the Friend at Blue Note Trumpet in Background photo by Phearnone Entertainment copy\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/groove-in-the-heart-of-nyc-kota-the-friends-2026-blue-note-live-journey\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/brooklynbuzz\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Kota the Friend 2026 Blue Note Residency: Dates &#038; 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