Flea Releases Debut Solo Jazz Album 'Honora' at Age 63

Michael Peter Balzary, known as Flea, has released his first solo album, 'Honora,' on March 25, 2026, focusing on jazz trumpet. The Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, now 63, returned to his childhood instrument after a three-year dedicated practice period, inspired by contemporary Los Angeles jazz artists like Kamasi Washington and Thundercat. The album features original compositions and covers, with collaborations including Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Nick Cave, saxophonist Josh Johnson, guitarist Jeff Parker, bassist Anna Butterss, and drummer Deantoni Parks. Recorded at Silverlake Conservatory of Music, which Flea co-founded in 2001, the project reflects his personal journey and addresses themes of social harmony, as seen in the single 'A Plea.' Flea plans to tour the album starting in May 2026, while continuing work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album's title honors his great-great-grandmother, and its cover features a vintage photo of his mother-in-law. Flea's memoir 'Acid for the Children' provides context for his early life and musical influences, including his stepfather, jazz bassist Walter Urban Jr. A recent Netflix documentary on the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which the band did not creatively endorse, has not deterred Flea from focusing on new creative endeavors.