Big Ears Festival

[kh1958]

I've worked out my tentative schedule.

March 27:

6-7:15 Tigran Hamasyan (Tennessee)
8:15-9:30 Charles Lloyd: Homage to Zakir Hussain (Tennessee)
10:30-11:45 Bela Fleck, Edmar Castaneda, Antonio Sanchez Trio (Tennessee)

March 28

12-1:15 Immanual Wilkins' Blues Blood (Bijou)
2:45-4 Jeff Parker ETA IVtet (Bijou)
5:30-6:30 Wadada Leo Smith and Red Koral Quartet (St. John's)
7:45-9 Steve Coleman and Five Elements (Bijou)
10:15-11:30 Ambrose Akinmusire: Honey from a Winter Stone (Bijou)

March 29

12-1:15 Kris Davis Trio (Regas Square)
1:30-2:30 Wadada Leo Smith's Revolutionary Fire Love (Bijou)
2:30-3:30 Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith (Bijou)
4:30-5:45 Joe Lovano's Paramount Quartet (Knoxville Civic Auditorium)
6-7:15 Sun Ra Arkestra (Tennessee)
8-9:15 Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Bijou)
10:30-12 Jenny Scheinman's All Spirits Parade (Bijou)

March 29

12:15-1:30 Dan Weiss Even Odds Trio (Standard)
2:45-4 Mary Lattimore (Bijou)
5:15-6:30 Fieldwork (Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, Tyshawn Sorey) (Bijou)
7-8:15 Amaro Freitas (St. John's)
9-10 The Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner (Standard)
 

[BFrank]

On 3/1/2025 at 9:52 AM, kh1958 said:

I've worked out my tentative schedule.

March 27:

6-7:15 Tigran Hamasyan (Tennessee)
8:15-9:30 Charles Lloyd: Homage to Zakir Hussain (Tennessee)
10:30-11:45 Bela Fleck, Edmar Castaneda, Antonio Sanchez Trio (Tennessee)

March 28

12-1:15 Immanual Wilkins' Blues Blood (Bijou)
2:45-4 Jeff Parker ETA IVtet (Bijou)
5:30-6:30 Wadada Leo Smith and Red Koral Quartet (St. John's)
7:45-9 Steve Coleman and Five Elements (Bijou)
10:15-11:30 Ambrose Akinmusire: Honey from a Winter Stone (Bijou)

March 29

12-1:15 Kris Davis Trio (Regas Square)
1:30-2:30 Wadada Leo Smith's Revolutionary Fire Love (Bijou)
2:30-3:30 Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith (Bijou)
4:30-5:45 Joe Lovano's Paramount Quartet (Knoxville Civic Auditorium)
6-7:15 Sun Ra Arkestra (Tennessee)
8-9:15 Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Bijou)
10:30-12 Jenny Scheinman's All Spirits Parade (Bijou)

March 29

12:15-1:30 Dan Weiss Even Odds Trio (Standard)
2:45-4 Mary Lattimore (Bijou)
5:15-6:30 Fieldwork (Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, Tyshawn Sorey) (Bijou)
7-8:15 Amaro Freitas (St. John's)
9-10 The Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner (Standard)
 

Good schedule! I haven't started yet, but I see a lot of possibilities there.

[kh1958]

The App can now be updated.

[BFrank]

37 minutes ago, kh1958 said:

The App can now be updated.

Finally!

[HutchFan]

On 3/1/2025 at 12:52 PM, kh1958 said:

I've worked out my tentative schedule.

March 27:

6-7:15 Tigran Hamasyan (Tennessee)
8:15-9:30 Charles Lloyd: Homage to Zakir Hussain (Tennessee)
10:30-11:45 Bela Fleck, Edmar Castaneda, Antonio Sanchez Trio (Tennessee)

March 28

12-1:15 Immanual Wilkins' Blues Blood (Bijou)
2:45-4 Jeff Parker ETA IVtet (Bijou)
5:30-6:30 Wadada Leo Smith and Red Koral Quartet (St. John's)
7:45-9 Steve Coleman and Five Elements (Bijou)
10:15-11:30 Ambrose Akinmusire: Honey from a Winter Stone (Bijou)

March 29

12-1:15 Kris Davis Trio (Regas Square)
1:30-2:30 Wadada Leo Smith's Revolutionary Fire Love (Bijou)
2:30-3:30 Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith (Bijou)
4:30-5:45 Joe Lovano's Paramount Quartet (Knoxville Civic Auditorium)
6-7:15 Sun Ra Arkestra (Tennessee)
8-9:15 Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Bijou)
10:30-12 Jenny Scheinman's All Spirits Parade (Bijou)

March 29

12:15-1:30 Dan Weiss Even Odds Trio (Standard)
2:45-4 Mary Lattimore (Bijou)
5:15-6:30 Fieldwork (Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman, Tyshawn Sorey) (Bijou)
7-8:15 Amaro Freitas (St. John's)
9-10 The Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner (Standard)
 

Lots of overlap with my tentative weekend schedule. 

 

[kh1958]

2 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Lots of overlap with my tentative weekend schedule. 

 

As well as record collections!

[kh1958]

The Blue Note Lounge has now appeared on the schedule, Sunday morning.

[BFrank]

Apparently there are lots of issues with the new App, but they say they're working to clean it up.

[kh1958]

In the event anyone is arriving in Knoxville on Wednesday, I noticed this concert is occurring at the Knoxville Museum of Art featuring ex-Jazz Messenger pianist Donald Brown.

Boundless

ARTISTS IN THE ARCHIVES: WORKS BY DONALD BROWN

WED   MAR   26   2025 - 6:00 PMKNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART

University of Tennessee Libraries presents internationally renowned jazz pianist, composer, and producer Donald Brown premiering a new composition inspired by the Beauford Delaney Papers in the University of Tennessee Libraries’ archives. This special performance, part of UT Libraries’ Boundless: Artists in the Archives series, will take place at the Knoxville Museum of Art on Wednesday, March 26 at 7:00p. Inspired by Delaney’s rich legacy, Brown’s new work offers a moving tribute to the celebrated Knoxville-born artist and will feature Brown alongside acclaimed jazz musicians, including special guest Greg Tardy. 

 

[HutchFan]

Wish I could see that Donald Brown concert -- but I'm not arriving until Thursday.  

 

[kh1958]

Same here.

[HutchFan]

Big Ears was a gas!  There is NOTHING like live music!!!

For me, the highlight of the festival was Charles Lloyd's tribute to Zakir Hussain with Ganavya and Bill Frisell.  I thought the entire performance was very moving.

Other high points included performances by Steve Coleman, Kris Davis, Fay Victor, Adam Rudolph, and Dan Weiss.

My only disappointment: I was hoping to see Wadada Leo Smith with Vijay Iyer.  But the lines were so long that I didn't get in. 

 

To the others who attended this year, what were your impressions?

 

Edited Monday at 03:29 PM by HutchFan

[kh1958]

I thought it was a great festival this year.

Thursday:

Sunny War: I enjoyed the set from this intense folk rocker/songwriter. Jackson Terminal.

Charles Lloyd, Tribute to Zakir Hussain. As noted above, this set was absolutely great. Stunningly beautiful. With Eric Harland, Harish Raghavan, Ganavya, and Bill Frisell. Tennessee Theater.

Bela Fleck, Antonio Sanchez, Edmar Castaneda. The unusual combination of Columbian harp, drums and banjo somehow worked, featuring miraculous harp virtuosity. Tennessee Theater.

Friday:

Immanuel Wilkins Blues Blood: Another outstanding set. With three vocalists. Ganavya returns and is great. Bijou Theater.

Jeff Parker ETA IVtet: The quartet featured on the International Anthem release, The Way Out of Easy, performs an excellent set. Bijou Theater.

Wadada Leo Smith and Red Koral Quartet: Wadada Leo Smith performs two solo pieces, then performs with a string quartet. Beautiful set. St. John's Cathedral.

Steve Coleman and Five Elements: I had never seen Steve Coleman before and enjoyed this interesting set. Bijou Theater.

Ambrose Akinmusure: Honey From a Winter's Stone: Mixed reactions from me. Some beautiful trumpet playing. Could have done without the rapper. Bijou Theater.

Saturday:

The overall best day of the festival for me. However, I did oversleep and miss the Kris Davis Trio.

Wadada Leo Smith's Revolutionary Fire Love: A very interesting piece and and band. Featuring the leader, two pianos (one was Vijay Iyer), Yosvany Terry on saxophone, cello, and the great Andrew Cyrille on drums. Bijou Theater.

Vijay Iyer and Wadada Leo Smith: Magnificant duet performance. Bijou Theater.

Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet: I'm not that big of a Joe Lovano fan, but this was literally the best playing I'ver ever heard from him, backed by a fabulous band (Julian Lage on guitar, Santo Dibriano on bass and Will Calhoun on drums). Knoxville Civic Auditorium.

Sun Ra Arkestra: Led by Knoel Scott, the Arkestra sounded great. Their 75 minute set went by in a flash, and as Mr. Scott, said near the end, we are just getting warmed up. (Marshall Allen, now 101, no longer travels with the band.). It was great to hear Michael Ray again after many years. Tennessee Theater.

Tyshawn Sorey Trio: With Aaron Diehl on piano and Harish Raghavan on bass, the trio took awhile to get unleashed but was a freight train once rolling; they played an uninterrupted and inspired nearly 90 minute set, exceeding their allotted time. Bijou Theater.

Jenny Scheinman's All Species Parade: this was an unexpected delight. Violinist Jenny Scheinman has a recent album filled with interesting compositions, and for this concert she had an alll star guitar section, with Bill Frisell, Julian Lage and Nels Cline. Bijou Theater.

Sunday:

Dan Weiss Even Odds Trio: With Miguel Zenon and Matt Michelll. The Standard.

Kahil El Zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. This set was fantastic. A quartet of tenor sax, trumpet (Corey Wilkes), cello and the leader/percussionist. Included the very beautiful composition, A Time for Healing. The Point.

Amaro Freitas: Solo piano performance by this Brazilian jazz pianist. He's an overwhelming virtuoso, who adds some percussion and string altering effects. Closing with a favorite Milton Nascimento composition, Clube de Esquina No. 2. A perfect conclusion to the festival. St. John's Cathedral.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 05:30 AM by kh1958

[BFrank]

A great time, for sure! So much music, so little time.

Top picks in no particular order: Axiom 5, Nels Cline Singers, Jamaaladeen's 101 Audio Odyssey, Ambrose Akinmusire, Sorey/Britt/Melz/Ndegeocello, Sorey Trio, Scheinman’s All Species Parade, Fieldwork, Consentrik Quartet
Most intense experience: Fieldwork with Iyer/Lehman/Sorey was something I'll never forget. Those 3 were on fire!

All the conversations were excellent, too. And there were several that I wasn't able to attend, like the ones with legendary producer Joe Boyd

THURSDAY
Critics Picks - Ann Powers, Nate Chinen, Ashley Kahn, And Marcus J. Moore
Yo La Tengo w/Wm Tyler + 2nd drummer (McIntyre)
Charles Lloyd - Homage To Zakir Hussein (Bill Frisell, Ganavya, Eric Harland, And Harish Raghavan)
Axiom 5 - Barry Altschul w/(John Irabagon (saxophone), Uri Caine (piano), Mark Helias (bass)

FRIDAY
Philip Glass Ensemble "Music In Twelve Parts (Parts 1-3)"
The Nels Cline Singers - Skerik (sax), Cyro Baptista (perscussion), Trevor Dunn (bass), Scott Amendola (drums) 
Sun Ra Arkestra & Yo La Tengo
Wadada Leo Smith & RedKoral Quartet
Squanderers - David Grubbs, Wendy Eisenberg, Bonner Kramer
Jamaaladeen Tacuma: "101 Audio Odyssey" w/ Nels Cline, Immanuel Wilkins, King Nol, Braxton Bateman
Ambrose Akinmusire: "Honey from a Winter Stone" w/Rapper/Producer Kokayi, Sam Harris (piano), Justin Brown (drums), 'synth sorceress' Chiquita Magic, Mivos Quartet [yes - all that including the strings!]

SATURDAY
Conversation: Bill Frisell, Nels Cline & Don Was
Kris Davis Trio (Robert Hurst & Jonathan Blake)
Tyshawn Sorey, King Britt & Friends (Melz (guitar), Meshell Ndegeocello (bass)
Sylvie Courvoisier: Chimaera
133 Years of Reverb (composed by Johnny Greenwood) - Performed By James Mcvinnie & Eliza Mccarthy (Cathedral pipe organ)
Tyshawn Sorey Trio (Aaron Diehl, Harish Raghavan)
Jenny Scheinman’s All Species Parade w/Julian Lage, Bill Frisell, Nels Cline, Carmen Staaf, Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen

SUNDAY
Conversation: Wadada Leo Smith & Vijay Iyer with Ashley Kahn
Magic Tuber Stringband
Susan Alcorn Tribute - Mary Halvorson, Bonnie Lander, Ryan Sawyer, yuniya edi kwon, and Lester St. Louis
Fieldwork (Vijay Iyer / Steve Lehman / Tyshawn Sorey)
Nels Cline: Consentrik Quartet - Tom Rainey, Chris Lightcap, Ingrid Laubrock
Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner | The Music of Anthony Braxton - Matt Brewer (bass) and Damion Reid (drums)

Edited yesterday at 05:21 AM by BFrank

[rostasi]

If any of you saw Michael Hurley at Big Ears, he just died.

[BFrank]

7 hours ago, rostasi said:

If any of you saw Michael Hurley at Big Ears, he just died.

Didn't see him, but I saw the news today. Kind of shocking.

Made me think of Susan Alcorn, who was scheduled to play this year but died a couple of months ago.

[rostasi]

It seems that every year we went, there would be a death of a performer soon afterwards too. It started getting kinda creepy. I suppose you could tie it into their devotion to older, very well-established artists being booked for the festival.