Inglewood Business Magazine August 2018

The Jacques Lesure Trio
Makes 5 Years At
Lavender Blue Lounge
By Jacques Lesure
There are some people and some places that simply “ do it right”
Marsha Tekeste and Lavender Blue fit the bill
100%. As a professional jazz musician and
recording artist, I have played in venues all
around the world. Some of the most wonderful
places to play, are neighborhood lounges. . This
mean you can always count on a regular schedule
of activities and group of regular patrons. Also
there is usually a house band of local favorites
that hold the bandstand down. Lavender Blue is
all the above and some, however there is a unique
twist.
You see, I LIVE in Inglewood. My career takes me to the top places for jazz in
California, the US and abroad. However, when I would come home, I could not
find the same world class entertainment IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
That was until Marsha Tekeste opened Lavender Blue on Manchester. Ms. Tekeste
is a seasoned restaurateur and proprietor who has had other establishments in the
area and in Palm Springs.
Marvin “Smitty” Smith has been
featured on more than 45 albums,
additional performances and
recordings augmented with Terence
Blanchard and Donald Harrison,
Ray Brown and Phineas Newborn,
George Shearing, Emily Remler,
Peter Leicht, Kevin Eubanks, Donald
Byrd, Monty Alexander, Diane
Reeves, Michel Camilo, and Grover
Washington Jr. Currently he’s a
member of Steve Coleman’s Five
Elements, and The Dave Holland
Quartet.
I approached her with the idea of live jazz on Sundays. She was on the same page
with me, and we made it happen.
Now, five years later, Lavender Blue is host to some of the best music to be found.
The house band “ The Jacques Lesure Trio” is affectionately called “Roland’s Band”
for one of the regular patrons who is a supporter of the band.
The band consists of myself; Jacques Lesure (opposite page), drummer Marvin
“Smitty” Smith (top right), and organist Mikal Majeed (bottom right). Marvin
Smith is one of the top musicians in the world and a 15 year veteran of the Tonight
Show with Jay Leno. Mikal Majeed has played with major acts around the country
and has been a first call musician in LA for many years. JL
You can find out more about me at www.jacqueslesure.com
Lavender Blue Restaurant & Lounge
3310 W. Manchester Blvd.
Inglewood, California 90305
(424) 227-6712
events@lavenderbluela.com
www.lavenderbluela.com
For over 40 years Mikal Majeed has
been the master at the Hammond B
organ .
His unique left handed bass style
came easy to Mikal and soon made
him the “first call” keyboardist in
L.A.
He has performaned with Grammy
award winning artists such as Gladys
Knight , DeBarge and Miki Howard .
18 Inglewood Business Magazine Aug - Sept 2018