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Posted
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!

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Posted
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!

 

Posted

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

Posted
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.  

 

Posted

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.

 

Posted

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.

 

 

Posted
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!  :tup

 

Posted

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.

Posted
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.

Posted
7 hours ago, BFrank said:

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.

Very helpful.  Thanks.  :tup

 

Posted

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)
 

Posted
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.

Posted
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.  ;)

 

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