Big Ears Festival

[mjazzg]

I hope the Fieldwork listing hints at an album and accompanying tour to include the UK of course.

Otherwise it's my annual "if only" comment, another enticing list

[clifford_thornton]

I dunno. Some friends & people I have great love for are playing, but overall it seems like an elephant gun approach to curation, kind of like Pitchfork. I'm sure it'll be fun for anyone who goes, but I wish these big festival lineups didn't read like overstuffed Spotify playlists. This is just my observation and I'm not trying to poop in the punch bowl, so take my opinions with a dose of salt.

[Hoppy T. Frog]

There is a lot more that is interesting to me this year, compared to last year, but passes are getting expensive...$750 for a premier pass at the early bird rate is a lot...The headliners are very "Pitchfork/NPR" as someone on another music message board described it. 

Edited September 13, 2024 by Hoppy T. Frog

[clifford_thornton]

That's a chunk of change. Yeah, I remember it being a lot more left-field than the festival has become in recent years. Obviously it is expensive as hell to put on something like this so one has to bet on some "sure things," but as an observer, to me it hits the middle of the road.

[BFrank]

I've been to the last 5 Big Ears. Always have a great time and get to see amazing music. For example, last year's series of Henry Threadgill shows were spectacular. Some with him performing, and some without.

I also try to go outside my comfort zone and see artists I haven't heard before.

Many more artists have been added since that list, BTW

 

[kh1958]

Wadada Leo Smith at Big Ears Festival 2025

Full details will be revealed in the coming weeks, but programs will include:

 

Reflections and Meditations on Monk

Wadada Leo Smith (Solo Trumpet & Piano)

 

Masnavi: A Sonic Meditation and Reflections on Light

Wadada Leo Smith (Solo Trumpet & Piano)

 

String Quartet No. 19, Central Parks: Sunset, Seneca Village, 

A Nature Sanctuary, Women’s Rights Statue, and The Obelisk (World Premier)

Wadada Leo Smith & RedKoral Quartet

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Shalini Vijayan (Violin), Mona Thian (Violin), 

Andrew McIntosh (Viola), and Ashley Walters (Cello) 

 

Gardens of Peace, in Five Parts

Wadada Leo Smith’s Revolutionary Love

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Yosvany Terry (Alto Saxophone, Chekere), 

Ashley Walters (Cello), Vijay Iyer (Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electronics), 

Erika Dohi (Piano), Seiyoung Jang (Electronics), and Andrew Cyrille (Drums)

 

Symphony No. 1, Fall (Ankhrasmation Music)

Wadada Leo Smith’s Radio Light

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Min Xiao-Fen (Pipa), 

Andrew Cyrille (Drums), and Ra Kalam Bob Moses (Drums)

 

Fire Illumination / Obama at the Bridge

Wadada Leo Smith and Orange Wave Electric

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Brandon Ross (Electric Guitar), 

Lamar Smith (Electric Guitar), Melvin Gibbs (Electric Bass), 

Greg Saunier (Drums), and Hardedge (Electronics)

[mjazzg]

23 minutes ago, kh1958 said:

Wadada Leo Smith at Big Ears Festival 2025

Full details will be revealed in the coming weeks, but programs will include:

 

Reflections and Meditations on Monk

Wadada Leo Smith (Solo Trumpet & Piano)

 

Masnavi: A Sonic Meditation and Reflections on Light

Wadada Leo Smith (Solo Trumpet & Piano)

 

String Quartet No. 19, Central Parks: Sunset, Seneca Village, 

A Nature Sanctuary, Women’s Rights Statue, and The Obelisk (World Premier)

Wadada Leo Smith & RedKoral Quartet

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Shalini Vijayan (Violin), Mona Thian (Violin), 

Andrew McIntosh (Viola), and Ashley Walters (Cello) 

 

Gardens of Peace, in Five Parts

Wadada Leo Smith’s Revolutionary Love

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Yosvany Terry (Alto Saxophone, Chekere), 

Ashley Walters (Cello), Vijay Iyer (Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electronics), 

Erika Dohi (Piano), Seiyoung Jang (Electronics), and Andrew Cyrille (Drums)

 

Symphony No. 1, Fall (Ankhrasmation Music)

Wadada Leo Smith’s Radio Light

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Min Xiao-Fen (Pipa), 

Andrew Cyrille (Drums), and Ra Kalam Bob Moses (Drums)

 

Fire Illumination / Obama at the Bridge

Wadada Leo Smith and Orange Wave Electric

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Brandon Ross (Electric Guitar), 

Lamar Smith (Electric Guitar), Melvin Gibbs (Electric Bass), 

Greg Saunier (Drums), and Hardedge (Electronics)

Wow! If I had the wealth and the health to get there I'd be there in a flash

[BFrank]

16 hours ago, kh1958 said:

Wadada Leo Smith at Big Ears Festival 2025

Full details will be revealed in the coming weeks, but programs will include:

 

Reflections and Meditations on Monk

Wadada Leo Smith (Solo Trumpet & Piano)

 

Masnavi: A Sonic Meditation and Reflections on Light

Wadada Leo Smith (Solo Trumpet & Piano)

 

String Quartet No. 19, Central Parks: Sunset, Seneca Village, 

A Nature Sanctuary, Women’s Rights Statue, and The Obelisk (World Premier)

Wadada Leo Smith & RedKoral Quartet

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Shalini Vijayan (Violin), Mona Thian (Violin), 

Andrew McIntosh (Viola), and Ashley Walters (Cello) 

 

Gardens of Peace, in Five Parts

Wadada Leo Smith’s Revolutionary Love

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Yosvany Terry (Alto Saxophone, Chekere), 

Ashley Walters (Cello), Vijay Iyer (Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electronics), 

Erika Dohi (Piano), Seiyoung Jang (Electronics), and Andrew Cyrille (Drums)

 

Symphony No. 1, Fall (Ankhrasmation Music)

Wadada Leo Smith’s Radio Light

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Min Xiao-Fen (Pipa), 

Andrew Cyrille (Drums), and Ra Kalam Bob Moses (Drums)

 

Fire Illumination / Obama at the Bridge

Wadada Leo Smith and Orange Wave Electric

Wadada Leo Smith (Trumpet), Brandon Ross (Electric Guitar), 

Lamar Smith (Electric Guitar), Melvin Gibbs (Electric Bass), 

Greg Saunier (Drums), and Hardedge (Electronics)

Just when you think they're done adding new acts, THIS shows up!

[kh1958]

Also added to the lineup: Charles Lloyd Sangam with
Zakir Hussain & Eric Harland

[Hoppy T. Frog]

Well, you can scratch Hussain :(. Glad I saw him earlier this year!

[kh1958]

My wristband arrived this week. The detailed schedule is coming next week.

[HutchFan]

8 minutes ago, kh1958 said:

My wristband arrived this week.

I got mine too.    

 

9 minutes ago, kh1958 said:

The detailed schedule is coming next week.

Looking forward to seeing it!

 

[kh1958]

If this is your first time, there's also a handy Big Ears phone app (also to be updated next week).

41 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

I got mine too.    

 

Looking forward to seeing it!

 

 

On 11/19/2024 at 8:30 AM, kh1958 said:

Also added to the lineup: Charles Lloyd Sangam with
Zakir Hussain & Eric Harland

Now: Homage to Zakir Hussain with Eric Harland and special guests Bill Frisell Frisell, Harish Raghavan, and ganavya

[HutchFan]

6 minutes ago, kh1958 said:

If this is your first time, there's also a handy Big Ears phone app (also to be updated next week).

Yep.  First time for me.  Will look out for the updated phone app.  

 

[mjazzg]

You lucky people!

[BFrank]

Mine arrived, too 👍

[kh1958]

The detailed schedule is online.

https://bigearsfestival.org/lineup/?view=schedule&meta_date=20250327

[HutchFan]

For those of you who have gone to Big Ears before: Do you have any advice for a newbie/first-time attendee like myself?

I just have a "general admission" pass, so I'm assuming that I'll be in for some waiting in line.  I'm OK with that -- but do headliner events usually sell out/reach capacity? 

Any suggestions or festival strategies are most welcome!

Thanks.

 

[kh1958]

I attended on the general admission pass the first two years I went and only recall being shut out from a concert I tried to attend one time.

In general, I would advise getting to the venue ten or fifteen minutes early.You can get a rough idea of the concert's popularity from the app, which will show the number of people scheduling the concert.

My favorite venue is the Bijou Theater. The Tennessee Theater is also nice, a larger and more opulent theater. The Knoxville Civic Auditorium is okay. Those are the three largest venues.

I don't like standing room only venues, so the three worst venues for me are the Mill and Mine, the Standard, and Jackson Terminal.

For me, the best plan is to have a schedule worked out in advance and stick to it. I prefer complete sets, so I rarely go to a concert that has already begun before I arrive. 

They do clear the venue after every set, so you cannot plant yourself in one place for two or three sets in a row. You have to pass through their fairly minimal security every time.

 

 

[HutchFan]

3 minutes ago, kh1958 said:

I attended on the general admission pass the first two years I went and only recall being shut out from a concert I tried to attend one time.

In general, I would advise getting to the venue ten or fifteen minutes early.You can get a rough idea of the concert's popularity from the app, which will show the number of people scheduling the concert.

My favorite venue is the Bijou Theater. The Tennessee Theater is also nice, a larger and more opulent theater. The Knoxville Civic Auditorium is okay. Those are the three largest venues.

I don't like standing room only venues, so the three worst venues for me are the Mill and Mine, the Standard, and Jackson Terminal.

For me, the best plan is to have a schedule worked out in advance and stick to it. I prefer complete sets, so I rarely go to a concert that has already begun before I arrive. 

They do clear the venue after every set, so you cannot plant yourself in one place for two or three sets in a row. You have to pass through their fairly minimal security every time.

Many thanks! 

 

[kh1958]

Big Ears Festival is thrilled to announce a special partnership with the legendary Blue Note Records for our 2025 edition!

This collaboration brings an exciting new dimension to the festival with the creation of a dedicated Blue Note Records Pop-Up Store & Lounge—a vibrant gathering space where music, conversation, and discovery come together. Throughout the festival weekend, the Blue Note Lounge will host a dynamic lineup of talks, panels, conversations, pop-up performances, and other surprises, including special appearances and events featuring musician, producer, and Blue Note President, Don Was.

[BFrank]

12 hours ago, HutchFan said:

For those of you who have gone to Big Ears before: Do you have any advice for a newbie/first-time attendee like myself?

I just have a "general admission" pass, so I'm assuming that I'll be in for some waiting in line.  I'm OK with that -- but do headliner events usually sell out/reach capacity? 

Any suggestions or festival strategies are most welcome!

Thanks.

 

Definitely make a plan and have backups in mind, even if it's rough. It will help if you get shut out of a venue.

Also, logistics are very important. The big theaters (Bigou, Tennessee, Civic Auditorium) and some of the churches are clustered downtown. Most of the smaller venues (Standard, Mill & Mine, The Point) are in the uptown area. The town is very walkable, but the trek up and down Gay St (the main artery though town) can take 15 minutes or more to go from one end to the other. They have a shuttle, but it's not very efficient.