Kota the Friend is returning to Blue Note Jazz Club for a 2026 residency with his live band, following a December run that sparked fan demand and a steady buzz around what happens when his music meets a true listening room.
The residency includes four NYC dates: January 19, March 2, March 30, and April 20, 2026.
A December Run That Turned Heads
Kota’s December shows landed differently than a typical hip-hop set. With a full band behind him, the performances blended sharp lyricism with live instrumentation and improvisational moments that felt natural inside Blue Note’s close, detailed sound.
One moment, in particular, became the story fans kept repeating afterward: during his last Blue Note show in December, Kota pulled out a guitar, the first time he has ever played guitar live on stage. Fans described the moment as historic, and the excitement only grew as word spread that he would return for multiple dates in 2026.
What Kota Says The Residency Is About
“Blue Note is one of those rooms where you feel every note, every breath, every reaction,” Kota the Friend said. “In December, the energy was unreal. I felt the love in a way that stayed with me. This residency is about giving people something special, musically, emotionally, and in the moment. We are coming back even tighter, even freer, and we are going to make it unforgettable.”
A Live Band Show Built For Real Music Fans
Kota the Friend Playing Guitar at Blue Note photo by Phearnone Entertainment
For longtime listeners, Kota is known as a writer and lyricist, and for carving his own lane as a fiercely independent artist who turned down three major label deals and still built a successful career on his own terms. But the Blue Note run also highlighted something newer for casual fans, he’s not just rapping over a band, he’s building a live musical experience around the songs.
That’s partly rooted in his background. Kota is a trained musician who has played trumpet since the fourth grade, beginning at PS 282 in Park Slope, continuing at JHS 113 in Clinton Hill and then the Brooklyn High School of the Performing Arts in Prospect Heights. That Brooklyn-based training shows up in how he approaches the stage, leaving room for dynamics, tone, and musical conversation, not just performance.
What To Expect In 2026
The residency format opens the door for nights to feel different from each other, and Kota isn’t framing these shows as carbon copies of what happened in December. As the press release on NYC Newswire notes, with the residency format, anything can happen. Blue Note is also known for its great food and drinks, making this residency an easy dinner-and-a-show night in NYC.
Kota may pick up the guitar again, and who knows there might even be a possibility he brings the trumpet on stage for the first time ever. What is guaranteed is an entertaining show, backed by a band that has become central to the Blue Note experience.
The Band Powering The Residency
The residency features Phearnone on violin, Aja Grant on keys and piano, Hello OShay on background vocals, Kenny Parker on drums, and Parker McAllister on bass.
Fans Are Still Talking About It
“I’ve been to a lot of shows in this city, but that night felt like we were inside the music,” said one fan who attended the December run. “When Kota pulled out the guitar the whole room changed, it was one of those ‘you had to be there’ moments.”
Another attendee added after the show, “The band is ridiculous. Violin over hip hop, keys lighting up the room, the vocals, the pocket on drums and bass, it was pure musicality. I’m hoping they would announce the next one.”
A third fan said, “Kota’s music already hits, but live it is a whole other level. It felt intimate, like a jazz show, and explosive, like a hip hop concert. Blue Note is the perfect match.”
2026 Blue Note Residency Dates
Monday, January 19, 2026 — Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City
Monday, March 2, 2026 — Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City
Monday, March 30, 2026 — Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City
Monday, April 20, 2026 — Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City
Tickets: Available through Blue Note Jazz Club’s ticketing channels.
Leave a Reply