Big Ears Festival

[kh1958]

HENRY THREADGILL’S VERY VERY CIRCUS

HENRY THREADGILL’S ZOOID

THREADGILL, IYER, & PRIETO

HENRY THREADGILL’S MAKE A MOVE

[randyhersom]

Things can change, but browsing the blurbs behind the artist list suggest that Kris Davis will be in Julian Lage's band and Mary Halvorson will be in Myra Melford's with Tomeka Reid and Ingrid Laubrock.  Dave Holland New Quartet will feature Kris Davis, Jaleel Shaw, and Arooj Aftab.

[BFrank]

3 hours ago, randyhersom said:

Things can change, but browsing the blurbs behind the artist list suggest that Kris Davis will be in Julian Lage's band and Mary Halvorson will be in Myra Melford's with Tomeka Reid and Ingrid Laubrock.  Dave Holland New Quartet will feature Kris Davis, Jaleel Shaw, and Arooj Aftab.

Those ALL sound great! Looking forward to ALL the Threadgill shows, too.

[kh1958]

Next Tuesday, October 10th, Big Ears will unveil more than a dozen exciting additions to the 2024 festival lineup. Stay tuned via our newsletter, website, and social media channels for more details!

[BFrank]

12 hours ago, kh1958 said:

Next Tuesday, October 10th, Big Ears will unveil more than a dozen exciting additions to the 2024 festival lineup. Stay tuned via our newsletter, website, and social media channels for more details!

I figured the release of their "full schedule" wouldn't hold  😎

[kh1958]

NEW ADDITIONS FOR 2024

Today, Big Ears unveils an array of over a dozen artists who will be joining the 2024 festival lineup, including the Grammy Award-winning Jon Batiste, a special and rare trio performance by John Medeski, Joe Russo, and Marc Ribot, and the soulful and introspective storytelling of Bonnie “Prince” Billy. These latest additions add a dynamic new element to the festival’s deepest and most diverse lineup yet, offering fans even more opportunity for sonic exploration and discovery at Big Ears 2024.

Jon Batiste, the dazzlingly gifted member of the legendary New Orleans musical Batiste dynasty, brings his irrepressible spirit to Big Ears. Having garnered five 2022 Grammy Awards (out of 11 nominations) – including Album of the Year for We Are –along with an Oscar, Golden Globe, and more for his score for Pixar's animated film Soul, Batiste released his latest album, World Music Radio, in August and is the subject of a soon-to-be released documentary film, American Symphony.

Building on the festival’s celebration of Marc Ribot’s 70th birthday, the guitarist joins forces for a rare trio performance with keyboardist John Medeski and drummer Joe Russo. In addition to his appearance with the trio, Russo will also treat festival-goers to the mesmerizing sounds of his newly formed ensemble, the Selcouth Quartet featuring Stuart Bogie, Jonathan Goldberger and Jon Shaw.

The 2024 Big Ears adventure expands further with the soulful and introspective storytelling of Bonnie “Prince” Billy, the multi-dimensional folk stylings of Our Native Daughters co-founder Leyla McCalla who will share new music from her forthcoming album, and a performance from Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses fame in celebration of the 30th anniversary of her beloved solo record, Hips and Makers.

Co-founder of the Lounge Lizards Evan Lurie is set to perform with his quintet featuring Greg Cohen, Jill Jaffe, Marc Ribot, and the enchanting sounds of the bandoneon from Julien Labro. Together they will present a rare performance of songs from Lurie’s first two albums, Pieces for Bandoneon and Selling Water By the Side of the River.

The Chinese American pipa master Min Xiao-Fen collaborates with River Guerguerian for a program of original live scores to Chinese silent film classics Romance of the Fruit Peddler and Romance of the Western Chamber; Grammy award-winning multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi presents a program of solo piano; and Paul Lazar performs the critically acclaimed spoken-word and movement solo Cage Shuffle based on texts from composer John Cage with choreography by Annie-B Parson.

Rounding out the additions, the duo of prolific new age artist Laraaji and world-renowned tabla player Suphala perform a program of ambient and world music blending celestial sounds and rhythmic beats as part of the King Britt-curated Blacktronika program; Slauson Malone 1 (the musical project and performance piece of Jasper Marsalis) explores the intersections of pop music and performance art; Ka Baird weaves together experimental electronic and folk elements into a captivating sonic tapestry; and Jana Horn coaxes listeners into introspection with her jewel-cut lyrics.

[AllenLowe]

Sounds more like Shrinking Ears. With some exceptions, they are really stuck in a rut, as is most of what we used to call the "New Music" scene.

Jon Batiste? Is he going to do one of his awful pop things?

 

[kh1958]

The additions are a bit underwhelming, except I like Leyla McCalla, but the previously announced line-up seems strong to me.

[Steve Reynolds]

I’m not a traveler but I can see anything exciting that is scheduled except Henry Threadgill here in NYC or Brooklyn from much closer up. Seems to me the schedule in 2019 had me salivating but 5 years later it’s turning into mush. In fact the live shows I see on a very regular basis in the small rooms here are much more inspiring than what seems like the more of the same. That trio with Ribot, Medeski & Russo played in NY recently but I had a previous more exciting gig to go to. 

Tomorrow night Fred Frith. Did they book him? In fact none of the old school or next or current generation free radicals seem to have a voice. Instead it’s Herbie Hancock to drive attendance. Ugh. 

then again last year or the year before I believe you had Ches Smith with Craig Taborn & Mat Maneri. I don’t see anything like that on the list of artists. 
 

Ceramic Dog & Tomeka Reid’s quartet look like the highlights to me as well as Henry Threadgill, of course. Maybe I’m too close to the current NYC avant scene and wonder why the great young exciting musicians don’t get noticed except in Europe. And the exciting newish or older European brilliant improvisers are absent from the schedule. 

[rostasi]

Every year that we've gone to it, we've thought it was a good mix of performers.
It was just frustrating trying to get to everything in only 4 days.

Still, we averaged 1 to 2 days worth of listening in such a short time each year.
I also think that they try to bring these performers to a more centralized,
less hectic, part of the country. It's why you won't find my wife or I
going to that "Long Play" festival no matter who shows up.

Edited October 10, 2023 by rostasi

[randyhersom]

Fred Frith is on the list.  Fourth line middle.

Four Threadgills plus multiple Mary Halvorson is enough for me.

 

[BFrank]

There are several good things on the list, as well as lots of unknowns that I need to research. Many times those are the ones that ultimately stand out for me.

King Britt's curated program could be very interesting. I've seen him a couple of times and been impressed.

[Steve Reynolds]

12 hours ago, randyhersom said:

Fred Frith is on the list.  Fourth line middle.

Four Threadgills plus multiple Mary Halvorson is enough for me.

 

Thanks / sorry for my typical overreaction! Glad I’m seeing Fred Frith tonight for the second time in a week. And yes non-NYC area listeners should be thrilled to see and hear Mary. She is always wondrous. 
 

Maybe I’m a bit jaded (if that’s the correct descriptor) as I’m fortunate to see so much exciting new idea music hear locally. 

[randyhersom]

And James Brandon Lewis returns, plus David Virelles.  Charles Lloyd I missed this year because of conflict, hope to see him next year.  Likewise Shabaka Hutchings.  Christian McBride's New Jawn was a good show this year and returns.  Rhiannon Giddens, Dave Holland, Kirk Knuffke ...

[kh1958]

According to his website, Herbie Hancock will be performing at Big Ears on Saturday, March 23. There are no adjacent tour dates or indication of the nature of the performance. How about a solo performance?

[kh1958]

On 10/11/2023 at 6:49 AM, randyhersom said:

And James Brandon Lewis returns, plus David Virelles.  Charles Lloyd I missed this year because of conflict, hope to see him next year.  Likewise Shabaka Hutchings.  Christian McBride's New Jawn was a good show this year and returns.  Rhiannon Giddens, Dave Holland, Kirk Knuffke ...

According to his website, Charles Lloyd is performing opening night.

March 21, 2024 – Big Ears – Knoxville, TN

“THE SKY WILL ALWAYS BE HERE” featuring Jason Moran, Larry Grenadier, and Eric Harland

[kh1958]

A couple of nice additions...

Daily line ups, single day passes, and, yes, a few more surprises coming soon after the holiday weekend.

The Harvest Time Project:

A Tribute to Pharoah Sanders

 

Pioneering jazz saxophone icon Pharoah Sanders departed this earthly realm in the fall of 2022, but his luminous and deeply spiritual music lives on. The recent rediscovery of his iconic 1977 recording, 𝓟𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓪𝓱 — thanks to Luaka Bop records — has inspired many and led to The Harvest Time Project, a powerful and vibrant tribute to the master led by Josh Abrams of Natural Information Society, along with Tisiji Muñoz, whose ecstatic guitar fuels the original recording. At Big Ears, they will be joined by a variety of very special guests for what is sure to be a singular, unforgettable, loving tribute to the jazz master, Pharoah Sanders.

The Official 1977 LP Reissue Playlist 

Tomas Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio

A familiar face behind the drum kit at Big Ears — notably with Mary Halvorson’s bands — Tomás Fujiwara returns this year with his own group, 7 Poets Trio. Initially debuting at a Stone Residency in 2017, Fujiwara is joined by cellist Tomeka Reid and bassist Patricia Brennan to create music that “moves far beyond the jazz realm” (The Guardian), with a palette that recalls spy movie soundtracks, Latin rhythms, meditative minimalism, and urgent Kraftwerk beats. It’s a rare treat to catch 7 Poets Trio live, but Big Ears will be your chance.

[kh1958]

For those unable to experience all four days of Big Ears, we’ll be offering a limited quantity of single-day passes to each day of the 2024 festival. These passes will be available to purchase beginning Tuesday, December 5 at 9:00 AM Eastern. Ahead of December 5, we’ll be sharing the festival’s daily lineups. Beginning this Thursday, we’ll share Thursday, March 21, then on Friday, we’ll share March 22, and so on. 

[BFrank]

Kronos Quartet has now been added to the program.

Looking over the lineup, I can tell already that there will be MANY conflicts that I'm going to have trouble making decisions about. But I guess that's a GOOD problem 🤷‍♂️

[kh1958]

Henry Threadgill Celebration Expands with Air  (Repertory Ensemble)

Marty Ehrlich

Hilliard Green

Pheeroan akLaff

Air – Henry Threagill’s celebrated trio with bassist Fred Hopkins and drummer Steve McCall – emerged from the fertile collective of Chicago’s AACM in the mid-1970s to become one of the most thrilling ensembles of the following decade, ultimately disbanding in mid-1980s.

 

Shortly after we began making plans to celebrate the legacy of Henry Threadgill, the idea of an Air “repertory” band emerged. Henry himself recommended his multi-instrumentalist colleague Marty Ehrlich to step into his role in the trio, along with drummer Pheeroan akLaff, who filled the late Steve McCall’s shoes in the last edition of Air in the mid-1980s. They turned to bassist Hilliard Greene for the big sound and creative interplay that characterized Hopkins’ work.

 

With Threadgill’s compositions, this dynamic trio will bring the music of Air to life at Big Ears 2024, adding a fifth dimension – with Very Very Circus and Make a Move, plus Threadgill’s own performances with Zooid and his trio with Vijay Iyer and Dafnis Prieto – to Big Ears’ presentation of Henry Threadgill’s magical musical universe.

Threadgill’s Magical Musical Universe

Ches Smith: Laugh Ash

Master drummer, percussionist, and composer Ches Smith has long been a candidate for Big Ears’ Most Valuable Player award and 2024 is no exception: he’s drumming with Ceramic Dog and Secret Chiefs 3, with Trevor Dunn’s Trio Convulsant, and likely in other surprise settings. He’ll also unveil Laugh Ash, an extended composition in multiple parts, laced with musical touchstones from

John Zorn to Nels Cline, Mr. Bungle, Xiu Xiu, Steve, Reich, Terry Riley and beyond.

 

Laugh Ash is performed by an all-star ensemble, with vocalist Shara Lunon, flutist Anna Webber, clarinetist Oscar Noriega, tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, trumpeter Nate Wooley, violinist Jennifer Choi, violist Kyle Armbrust, cellist Michael Nicolas, and bassist/keyboardist Shahzad Ismaily joining Smith in this wild and riveting musical journey.

[kh1958]

Thursday Lineup:

Thursday, March 21

ADRIANNE LENKER

CHARLES LLOYD

UNWOUND

FRED FRITH: DRAWING SOUND

MARY HALVORSON

NIK BÄRTSCH’S RONIN

TORD GUSTAVSEN TRIO

KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS

SECRET CHIEFS 3

ANGELIC BROTHERS (JOHN MEDESKI & KIRK KNUFFKE)

ANSSI KARTTUNEN

FRANCESCO TURRISI

HENRY THREADGILL’S VERY VERY CIRCUS

JLIN

THIRD COAST PERCUSSION

ZSELA

 

[kh1958]

Friday lineup is online: Includes Christian McBride, Brad Mehldau, Jason Moran and the Harlem Hellfighters, Henry Threadgill's Zooid, Darcy James Argue, Tomeka Reid Quartet, Helen Gillet, Wayne Horwitz, Brandon Ross, and Anna Weber & Matt Mitchell.

[kh1958]

Saturday lineup features, Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Shabaka Hutchings, Marc Ribot, Brad Mehldau, Dave Holland Quartet, Myra Melford, Cedric Burnside, David Virelles, Kokoroko, Henry Threadgill Make a Move, and Leyla McCalla.

[BFrank]

Going to try very hard to see EVERY Threadgill show.

It's nice to see the daily lineups, but until the start times and venues are listed it's not that helpful.

[kh1958]

10 hours ago, BFrank said:

Going to try very hard to see EVERY Threadgill show.

It's nice to see the daily lineups, but until the start times and venues are listed it's not that helpful.

I believe he only plays himself at two of the five Threadgill shows--the trio with Vijay Iyer and Zooid.

Very Very Circus has Yosvany Terry on saxophone, Make a Move features Darius Jones. AIR features Marty Ehrlich.

Still I'd like to see all of them.

Sunday features: Henry Threadgill with Vijay Iyer; Air; Julian Lage; Harvest Time Tribute; Fatoumata Diawara; Cyro Baptista.

Edited December 3, 2023 by kh1958