Saturday open house celebrates new location of Leimert Park arts incubator the World Stage

A hub of jazz, art and creation since its founding in Leimert Park in 1989, the World Stage is alive and in a new location. And this weekend, it hopes to reintroduce itself to the city with an open house and fundraiser.

Since its founding by late jazz drummer Billy Higgins and activist/poet Kamou Daáood, the not-for-profit community space has been a linchpin of the improvised music scene with weekly music and literature workshops and performances.

In addition to hosting nationally touring acts, the venue’s jam sessions nurtured a community of young musicians who came to dominate the Los Angeles jazz conversation, including Terrace Martin, Thundercat and Kamasi Washington, who used to walk to the venue.

“I think what Higgins and Kamou Daáood did there opening that place ... the point is what it can do,” Charles Lloyd said of the World Stage in 2013, a time when its future was very much in doubt amid concerns about rising rents as its surrounding area continued to gentrify. “I’ve just seen little kids come in there and all kinds of folks come in there, and they light up. It’s food for the soul.”

After 26 years in its previous home, the performance gallery moved to a new and bigger location across the street and sounds as vibrant as ever, having already hosted concerts by Bobby Bradford, Azar Lawrence and Bennie Maupin. (On Friday night, genre-skipping local vocalist Mia Doi Todd performs.)

In addition to a meet-and-greet with board members and instructors that kicks off at 4 p.m. Saturday, the World Stage will host performances by its executive director and vocalist, Dwight Trible, as well as the S.H.I.N.E. Muwasi’s Women’s African Drum Circle and the Billy McCoy Band.

The suggested donation for the evening’s events is $30 and will go toward the further renovation of the space, including a new sign. May it eventually light L.A.’s way to the Stage for many years ahead.

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