The friendship between musical polymath/producer-to-the-legends Adrian Younge (Kendrick Lamar, Ghostface Killah, The Delfonics) and founding member of A Tribe Called Quest, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, began as so many do these days: on Twitter. One fateful day, Muhammad tweeted out some praise for Younge’s music with an @ mention. Being a huge Tribe fan, and coincidentally on a visit to New York City where Muhammad was still living at the time, Younge made quick work of getting a lunch meeting on the books. The two have been practically inseparable ever since.

In 2017, they launched their record label/event series/global movement — Jazz Is Dead. Along with co-founders Andrew Lojero and Adam Block, the duo have helped bring a vast range of crate-digger-approved musicians into new (and perhaps unexpected) chapters of their lives and careers. Gary Bartz, Jean Carne, and Lonnie Liston Smith are just a few of the iykyk musicians they’ve worked with over the past seven years.

Their next big swing finds them setting up camp for three shows across three months at The Ford Amphitheater: Wednesday, Aug. 28 Jazz Is Dead: The Mizell Brothers which will feature one of the brothers himself, Larry Mizell; Tuesday, Sep. 17 Jazz Está Morto: Marcos Valle & Azymuth; Wednesday, Oct. 9 Jazz Is Dead: Ebo Taylor & Pat Thomas.

The Ford has the ideal ratio of intimacy to expanse so we’re already guessing at how special these shows will be, but the only way to really know is to be there. Prime yourself with Younge and Muhammad’s guest DJ set which runs the gamut from Marcos Valle and Mizell Brothers classics, to not one but two(!) world premieres. And for a real taste of just how magical these shows will be, check out Younge and Muhammad’s band The Midnight Hour: KCRW Live From The Basement (MBE, 2018).

Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Jazz Is Dead): Guest DJ Set Tracklist:

1. Donald Byrd – “Think Twice”

2. Marcos Valle – “Não tem nada não”

3. Ebo Taylor & Jazz is Dead – “Obi do Woa (If Someone Loves You)” (KCRW World Premiere)

4. Adrian Younge – “Esperando Por Você” (KCRW World Premiere)