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Big Ears Festival 2025

Courtesy Andy Feliu
Knoxville, TN
March 27-30, 2025
This year's festival again featured several spotlighted events (but none of them required special ticketing, as was tried last year). "Across the Horizon" was a series of concerts combining Americana and ambient music, curated by Bob Holmes and the band SUSS. "Age of Reflections" hosted ambient music with a light show at Church Street United Methodist. "Blacktronika" celebrates the pioneering electronic artists of color. There were two residencies: drummer/composer

Tyshawn Sorey
drumsb.1980

Wadada Leo Smith
trumpetb.1941

Philip Glass
composer / conductorb.1937
Thursday, March 27
Tigran Hamasyan
Armenian composer/pianist/keyboardist
Tigran Hamasyan
pianoCharles Lloyd: Homage to Zakir Hussain
The festival schedule originally included a performance by Sangam, a trio led by saxophonist
Charles Lloyd
saxophoneb.1938

Zakir Hussain
tablas1951 - 2024

Eric Harland
drumsb.1976

Bill Frisell
guitar, electricb.1951

Harish Raghavan
bassGanavya
vocalsAxiom 5 (Barry Altschul)
Drummer
Barry Altschul
drumsb.1943

Uri Caine
pianob.1956

Mark Helias
bass
Jon Irabagon
saxophone, tenor
Cecil Taylor
piano1929 - 2018
Friday, March 28
Immanuel Wilkins' Blues Blood
Alto saxophonist
Immanuel Wilkins
saxophone, altob.1997

Micah Thomas
pianob.1997

Ryoma Takenaga
bass
Kweku Sumbry
drumsGanavya
vocalsJune McDoom
guitar and vocalsYaw Agyeman
vocalsBrandon Seabrook
Guitarist
Brandon Seabrook
guitarb.1984

Bob Moses
drumsb.1948
Tyshawn Sorey's Monochromatic Light (Afterlife)
Drummer/pianist/composer
Tyshawn Sorey
drumsb.1980
Davone Tines
vocals
Kim Kashkashian
violab.1952
Steve Coleman & Five Elements
Steve Coleman & Five Elements has always been alto saxophonist/composer
Steve Coleman
saxophone, altob.1956

Jonathan Finlayson
trumpet
Anthony Tidd
bass
Sean Rickman
drums
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
Saturday, March 29
Philip Glass Ensemble: Music in Twelve Parts (Pts 7-12)
Composer
Philip Glass
composer / conductorb.1937

Peter Hess
saxophone, tenor
Mick Rossi
piano
Sam Sadigursky
clarinetb.1979
Wadada Leo Smith: Revolutionary Fire-Love
Gardens of Peace was a continuous five-part piece performed by an ensemble including trumpeter/composer
Wadada Leo Smith
trumpetb.1941

Yosvany Terry
saxophoneAshley Walters
cello
Vijay Iyer
pianob.1971

Erika Dohi
piano
Andrew Cyrille
drumsb.1939
Joel Harrison: Free Country
Free Country explores country music, broadly defined to encompass traditional Country and Western, Americana and bluegrass. Jazz guitarist
Joel Harrison
guitar, electricb.1957

Greg Tardy
saxophoneb.1966

Gary Versace
piano
Darol Anger
violin
David Grisman
mandolin
Stephan Crump
bass, acousticb.1972

Rudy Royston
drumsSteve Roach
Composer/synthesistSteve Roach
trumpetJenny Scheinman's All Species Parade
Violinist
Jenny Scheinman
violinb.1979

Bill Frisell
guitar, electricb.1951

Julian Lage
guitar, electric
Nels Cline
guitar, electricb.1956

Carmen Staaf
pianob.1981

Tony Scherr
bass
Kenny Wollesen
drumsSunday, March 30
Susan Alcorn Tribute
Adventurous pedal steel guitarist
Susan Alcorn
guitar, steel1953 - 2025

Yuniya Edi Kwon
violin
Mary Halvorson
guitarLester St. Louis
cello
Ryan Sawyer
drumsWadada Leo Smith's Radio Light & Orange Wave Electric
Trumpeter/composer
Wadada Leo Smith
trumpetb.1941


Andrew Cyrille
drumsb.1939

Bob Moses
drumsb.1948

Brandon Ross
guitarLamar Smith
guitar, electricHardedge
electronics
Melvin Gibbs
bassGreg Saunier
drumsNels Cline Consentrik Quartet
Guitarist/composer
Nels Cline
guitar, electricb.1956


Ingrid Laubrock
saxophoneb.1970

Chris Lightcap
bassb.1971

Tom Rainey
drumsb.1957
A terrific festival, as always. So much great music! For the record, my regrets included missing trumpeter Ambrose Akiminsure; Joel Harrison's Alternate Guitar Summit; Darkside; Nels Cline Singers; Suss Across the Horizon; 101 Audio Odyssey; Free Form Funky Freqs; Tortoise; Fieldwork; Adam Rudolph (multiple shows); Squanderers; Wendy Eisenberg; Michael Rother; SML; and Anoushka Shankar.
Tags
Live Review
Wadada Leo Smith
Mark Sullivan
Pitch Perfect PR
United States
Tennessee
Knoxville
Big Ears Festival
Tyshawn Sorey
Philip Glass
Tigran Hamasyan
Yessa? Karapetian
Marc Karapetian
Matthew Garstka
charles lloyd
Bill Frisell,
Harish Raghavan
Ganavya
Barry Altschul
Uri Caine
Mark Helias
Jon Irabagon
Cecil Taylor
Immanuel Wilkins
Micah Thomas
Ryoma Takenaga
Kweku Sumbry
June McDoom
Yaw Agyeman
Brandon Seabrook
Ra-Kalam Bob Moses
Davone Tines
Kim Kashkashian
Steven Schick
Sarah Rothenberg
Steve Coleman
Jonathan Finlayson
Anthony Tidd
Sean Rickman
Thelonious Monk
Michael Riesman
Lisa Bielawa
Peter Hess
Mick Rossi
Sam Sadigursky
Andrew Sterman
Yosvany Terry
Ashley Walters
Seiyoung Jang
Vijay Iyer
Erika Dohi
Yvette Janine Jackson
Andrew Cyrille
Joel Harrison
Greg Tardy
Gary Versace
Darol Anger
David Grisman
Evelyn Jack
Stephan Crump
Rudy Royston
Steve Roach
Jenny Scheinman
Bill Frisell
Julian Lage
Nels Cline
Carmen Staaf
Tony Scherr
Kenny Wollesen
Susan Alcorn
Bonnie Lander
Mary Halvorson
Lester St. Louis
Ryan Sawyer
Min Xiao-Fen
Martin Walker
Brandon Ross
Lamar Smith
Hardedge
Melvin Gibbs
Greg Saunier
Wilco
Ingrid Laubrock
Chris Lightcap
Tom Rainey
Zakir Hussain
Yuniya Edi Kwon
Big Ears Festival 2025
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