Uniquely LA

Presenting unique experiences in unexpected places, Arts Brookfield invites you to take a break from the daily grind and join us for an LA take on world music at Uniquely LA . Curated by local DJ, music mastermind, and event producer, Aaron Byrd , this series will include a free coffee for all attendees and a selection of bites by Convene! Chris Pierce is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, officiant and wine producer born in California. At 15 years old, Pierce was playing sets in clubs around Los Angeles and had been a repeat guest on the television show Big Break, hosted by Natalie Cole. Still in high school, he began playing gigs with Grammy-nominated rock musician Jon Butcher. At 19 years old he performed on a road tour with Sonia Dada and in 2005, Pierce met Seal and joined Seal as his opening act on a world tour. Post touring, Pierce came home to Southern California to work on his degree in Jazz studies at USC. Since USC, he has been recording and doing independent road tours playing up to 150 shows a year. He grew up on classic soul, rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel and rock and roll recordings. ABOUT THE CURATOR: Aaron Byrd has always had a desire and curiosity to seek out new experiences, people, places and, most of all, music. Having visited 17 countries (so far) and spending at least three hours a day listening to new music, it’s safe to say music and travel are his biggest passions in life. His attraction to the unknown and thirst for discovery has fueled an eclectic and expansive taste in music, from the underground hip hop scene the LA native explored as a teenager to his love of Guaguanco from Cuba. An Engineering major at UCLA, it’s not surprising that he likes to dig into the roots of where things begin, from tango to trip hop. He fuses musical connections across all borders, boundaries and timelines because what he looks for is more than a catchy beat. Since his start at KCRW in 2007, Byrd has appeared on the front page of the New York Times and in both the LA Times and LA Weekly. He is called on to curate a wide range of events around town, from post-performance events at the LA Opera to a weekly live performance series at a boutique West Hollywood hotel. As a DJ, Byrd has opened for Groove Armada, James Blake, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Little Dragon, and Jose James and is regularly featured at clubs around town.