A quarter into the century, and we’re finally treating genres the way they were always meant to be treated – as suggestions.

On a rainy March night in Brooklyn, Adrian Younge brought his signature genre-blurring sound to The Sultan Room, painting the space with the warmth of analog instrumentation and the deep resonance of soul. The LA-born composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist has spent decades crafting a sonic universe where hi hop, jazz, and cinematic soul collide. His treatment of chords as characters and his meticulous, orchestral approach to arrangement make his music feel more like a film score than a setlist.

His sound is layered, built with the patience of someone who understands the way history folds into itself. It’s hip hop jazz lasagna: rhythm stacked over melody, analog warmth cradling electronic grit, tradition intertwined with rebellion. Each piece is deliberate, yet there’s room for improvisation, for space between the notes to breathe.

We found ourselves lost in the irony of his label’s name: Jazz Is Dead. A title that, if taken at face value, would seem almost sacrilegious, considering how alive jazz felt in that room. Younge’s ensemble – featuring a saxophonist, trumpeter, violin, viola, keyboard, drums, bass, and guitar played by Mr. Younge himself – crafted a performance that pulsed with life, proving that jazz isn’t dead; it’s evolving, shapeshifting, reclaiming its space in the contemporary soundscape.

Adrian Younge’s journey started with sampling in 1996. What began as an attempt to “pretend” to play soon evolved into a full-fledged mastery of over four instruments, making him a true autodidact. His 2012 album Something About April showcases this range, melding live instrumentation with a DJ’s ear for arrangement.

One of Younge’s greatest fascinations is the year 1969. He refers to the artists and sounds of that era as guideposts, anchoring his music in the warmth of vintage recording techniques while pushing it into the future. Drawing inspiration from artists like Marvin Gaye, Younge doesn’t just recreate nostalgia – he repurposes it, using it to tell new stories, often ones rooted in Black history and liberation.

His work extends beyond albums. As the founder of Jazz Is Dead and the mastermind behind Linear Labs, a studio, record label, and cultural hub in LA, he’s built an ecosystem where analog recording and storytelling thrive.

The Sultan Room was packed; standing room only, filled with fans who clearly knew what they had come for. Beanies and scally caps dotted the crowd, drinks in hand. The energy was a slow-burn groove: a sip, sway, and settle-in type of show.

The eight-piece ensemble took the stage, filling the room with textured arrangements that felt both deliberate and loose, structured yet fluid. Moments of tight orchestration melted into raw, open improvisation. The interplay between musicians was hypnotic, sometimes syncopated, sometimes sprawling, but always intentional.

Midway through, Younge welcomed Loren Oden to the stage. The band played a track Jay-Z once sampled – a nod to the intersection of hip hop and jazz that has long defined Younge’s work. Throughout the night, sound waves faded into moments of silence, allowing the weight of each note to linger.

His upcoming album, Something About April III, set for release on April 18, 2025, leans heavily into Brazilian influences. This was unmistakable in the closing moments of his set, as a bossa nova sway moved through the crowd like a slow tide. His music exists in a space where cultures overlap, where hip hop meets orchestral soul, where past and future blur into something timeless.

As the final notes faded from the encore and the crowd lingered, reluctant to step back into the cold, one thing was certain: jazz isn’t dead. It’s just learning how to time travel.

Connect with Adrian Younge on Instagram, Spotify, and their website.