Photo provided by Andrew Joseph Woomer
Summer sunsets in Santa Monica are one of the best things about Los Angeles. But a summer sunset on the rooftop of The Proper Hotel, listening to Leon Bridges and Jungle, might top that.
I found myself there on Saturday evening, July 11th. The elevator doors opened to a rooftop bar sitting underneath the pink and orange clouds. A small stage with mics and a DJ deck had been set up, and behind that deck were two people, grooving to the unique mix of beats that came from their speakers. They, of course, were Jungle.
Jungle is a neo-soul funk band founded in London in 2013. Known for both their music and the artwork involving their music, like their music video, “Happy Man,” their sound blends modern synths with traditional percussion and keyboard as well as ethereal backing vocals.
Jungle’s set incorporated many of their best hits, including “Back on 74,” which hit the top 5 on the US Billboard during its release in 2023. They also played “I’ve Been In Love,” another song from their album Volcano.
Enter Leon Bridges. He wore a yellow, orange, and black striped shirt, dark glasses, and a rockstar hairstyle, complementing his music. With him came the rest of his band: a trumpeter and saxophonist followed by three backup singers, the latter of whom were all clad in vibrant pink dresses.
Leon Bridges is a unique artist in that he is rapidly evolving in his music genre. His first album, Coming Home, explored sounds from the soul genre. His debut album brought him rapid recognition and was nominated at the 58th Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album. Since then, he has delved further into the R&B genre, exploring neo-soul and contemporary R&B. Now, in his upcoming collaboration, Happiness Anytime, with Jungle, he makes his foray into synth–backed R&B.
With Jungle accompanying him, Bridges sang his way through the 12-song track, a performance filled with choreography from his backup singers and some improvisational moves from himself. The music itself draws not only on the aforementioned synth and funk, but also brings inspiration from Brazilian and Latin music. Bridges played through the entirety of his album and then extended his performance by gifting the audience with some of his greatest hits, such as “River,” a heartbroken song from his debut album.
A DJ set began in the twilight following Bridges’ final bow, and many of the event-goers stayed to converse and dance in the warm LA night. Later, on the first floor of the hotel, people gathered at the bar, enjoying a post-show performance from Jungle, who had made their way downstairs following their set with Bridges.
Happiness Anytime releases September 25th. You can listen to the first four tracks here:
