Big Ears 2025: In My Heart, Still Ringing
A bittersweet farewell to one of my favorite annual musicking rituals
Big Ears is over. The musical event that I most anticipate and long for year-round is gone for now. It lives on in my mind and my heart—and in the hearts of so many fans and musicians, who take part on an annual basis.
Big Ears is a singular beacon on the musical calendar—a sanctuary where genre dissolves or is sublimated to the totality of musical sound and vibration. It calls to the soul of the curious listener, the seeker, and the artist alike.
Trying to move beyond my jazz roots
This year a few weeks before the festival, I made a promise to myself. Go see the acts you don’t know. So often, it’s my wont to gravitate towards the things I already know at these types of events. The path less trodden, but subtly encouraged at a festival like Big Ears is to seek out what you know little to nothing about, trusting in the curatorial vision, exposing oneself to the multitude of sounds available at a boundary-less event of this magnitude - roughly 180 bands, another 20-or-so films and 30 talks.
Limitations this year
As luck would have it, about two weeks before the festival an already hurting knee turned into a very bad injury; one that may reverberate in its effect for years to come. I was running up some steps, heard my knee pop, and was in excruciating pain. I had to go to the ER that night, then waited a few days for an MRI. A day before I was supposed to travel, my orthopedist drained some liquid from my knee so I could walk again. Two days later, I woke up with a terrible sore throat and head cold. Nevertheless, I got on the plane because I would have felt much worse missing the entire thing than having a less-than-ideal weekend with some limitations. I was miserable for the first two days. That, plus the fact that I never sleep well in hotels during festivals—adrenaline is pumping, excitement off the charts. This meant I didn’t catch as much music as I’d hoped.
Big Ears is so special because it brings me in contact with jazz and the jazz-adjacent (Adam Rudolph, Tyshawn Sorey, Ambrose Akinmusire, Nels Cline, Mike Reed, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Fay Victor, Josh Johnson, Steve Lehman), while piquing my curiosity and cementing my broader interest with outliers I have loved for years, but perhaps not kept up with (Anohni & The Johnsons, Anoushka Shankar, Joan As Policewoman, múm, Mivos Quartet, Explosions in the Sky).
Some of the things I enjoyed most this year were completely new to me: the pianist and singer Phil Cook (who also plays a mean banjo), the Pittsburgh-based singer-songwriter Merce Lemon, the Scottish bagpipe player Brigde Chambeuil, and the “freak folk” singer and multi-instrumentalist Michael Hurley (thanks to Jim Macnie and Ashley Capps for their hearty recommendation). Hurley sadly died, just three days after the festival ended.
The FOMO While You’re There
Everybody talks about the FOMO you feel from not coming entirely. But the FOMO that you feel when you’re actually there and even in the days after, is just as bad. It was still plaguing me 3 days after returning home. I’m still kicking myself for missing so many artists I had put down on my own personal schedule. The following were names I’d seen in the media, on playlists, heard from friends—artists who are so special—and given all the factors between my leg injury, my head cold, my poor sleep and just the sheer muchness of music, art and atmosphere, I did not get to. Here are some notes I had written to myself (before my injury and illness).
Kate Soper's Ipsa Dixa (heard the name a dozen times, never heard the music) - Didn’t make it.
Astrid Sonne (keep hearing this name often on New Sounds with John Schaefer, but have not consciously checked out the music) - Scheduling conflict.
Joy Guidry (heard her music on streaming sites, never saw her live) - Missed, but can see her in New York again soon.
DARKSIDE (everyone is talking about this band and about Dave Harrington in general; Grayson Currin picked them on the Critics Roundtable episode that ran several weeks ago) - Saw it, maybe not worth the hype, but I see its appeal as a late night closing act.
Cassandra Jenkins (because Ann Powers talked to her for the podcast and I've heard a lot of buzz these past 3 years, maybe its something that clicks live) - Missed due to a scheduling conflict.
Swamp Dogg (heard some music on a Big Ears fan-generated playlist; been hearing about him for many years and never seen him; I intend to change that) - Missed duo to a scheduling conflict/unplanned hang with a friend.
Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn (I often try to avoid the buzziest acts, as some kind of defense mechanism to my non-commercial roots, but my co-worker told me he saw them at Winter Jazzfest and they brought tears to his eyes, so that's something) - Missed for unknown reason, probably to see something more familiar.
Jessica Pratt (heard the buzz and some of the record on streaming; never seen her live) - Missed for unknown reason.
Michael Hurley (Jim Macnie's highest recommendation; Ashley Capps has talked endlessly about him) - Saw the secret show at The Jig & Reel, enjoyed very much.
Merce Lemon (keep hearing her name on critics lists and I think she's on a label I like, but have not checked out the music) - Saw it, one of my favorite acts on the festival.
Lara Somogyi (interesting name and interesting bio; I know nothing else) - Missed it, due to exhaustion.
Lankum (Ann Powers highest recommendation) - Missed it, due to exhaustion
[Ahmed] (top album of the year in the WIRE, recommended by three members of the Critics Roundtable) - Saw them at Regas Square. Good show and intense industry hang. But a bit overrated.
Mabe Fratti (heard about her on WNYC New Sounds, such an intriguing name) - I missed this one Sunday, due to exhaustion; later was told she was one of the best acts on the festival. Kicked myself.
What I did see…
All that said, I did see a lot of amazing music, and I feel grateful for that. My cold kept me out of the game most of Thursday night, but I make it out around 10 PM to see the following.
Barry Altschul’s Axiom 5 @ The Bijou Theater - Standard fare free-bop; very much enjoyed Uri Caine, Jon Irabagon and Mark Helias contributions, particularly the latter’s completely-alone bass solo late in the set.
Phil Cook @ First Presbyterian Church - This former Megafaun member was unknown to me before poring over the Big Ears fan-generated playlist on Spotify. I heard Phil’s music and it touched me deeply. Then I saw my friends at Big Fish are booking him so I felt an extra obligation to go. I was not disappointed. I especially loved how he broke out with almost a stand-up set mid-set talking to the widely dispersed audience, answering their questions with good humor.
DARKSIDE @ The Mill & Mine - noted above
Friday March 28, 2025
Conversation: Ambrose Akinmusire & Nate Chinen @ Blue Note Lounge - a true highlight; a Big Ears: Conversations About Music podcast is forthcoming
Conversation: Barry Altschul & Ashley Kahn @ OCPAC - I learned a lot about Barry’s early years. Probably also will be a mini podcast episode.
Kelly Moran @ St. John’s Episcopal Church - a bit tepid for my taste, though a pleasant interpretation of Ryuichi Sakamoto at St. John’s Episcopal Church.
Adam Rudolph: Hu Vibrational @ Jackson Terminal - I lay down on the cool ground of Jackson Terminal and blissed out to the therapeutic sounds of a band I have long admired but never seen live.
Jeff Parker ETA IVtet @ The Bijou Theater - This was the second or third best set of my festival, it began super minimalist and later progressed into one of the most dramatic arcs I saw; Josh Johnson on alto and Jay Bellerose on drums were particular highlights in addition to the classic Blue Note and CTI-inflected guitar riffs from Parker. My first time seeing Anna Butterss in person.
esperanza spalding @ Knoxville Civic Auditorium - One of my most disappointing shows. Many unfortunate artistic decisions including gratuitous booty-shaking.
Mike Reed’s Separatist Party featuring Ben LaMar Gay, Bitchin Bajas & Marvin Tate @ Jackson Terminal - After two previous festival misses, I finally caught the set from this ecstatic declaration of musical and social subversion. You can always count on Chicago musicians to go against the grain with something totally fresh. Marvin Tate was particularly on one this evening.
Ambrose Akinmusire: Honey from a Winter Stone @ The Bijou Theater - easily the best set of the entire festival for me. It had all the elements. Melody. Harmony. Rhythm. It reflected a lifelong immersion in so many sound worlds and a deep dedication to compositional
Saturday March 29, 2025
Kokayi @ The Standard - Only saw a few minutes, before getting sidetracked by a call from my daughter. Kokayi is one of a small number of hip-hop auteurs actively creating in the creative music space for the last 30 years with the likes of Steve Coleman, Dafnis Prieto, Jason Lindner and Akinmusire.
Carla Kihlstedt & Present Music: intO tHe WiLd! Featuring Carla Kihlstedt's 26 Little Deaths @ Knoxville Civic Auditorium - That typical whimsy that Carla brings to all her projects, this set was long but fulfilling, despite the subject material being just a tad macabre.
Brìghde Chaimbeul @ Boyd’s Jig & Reel - I guess I needed some ancient drone because this set from the Scottish bagpiper had me rapt.
Joel Harrison’s Free Country @ The Standard - This super-band didn’t disappoint bringing reminders that jazz and country come from the same root - Black music. Saxophonist Greg Tardy, organist Gary Versace, electric bassist Stephan Crump, drummer Rudy Royston and especially violin soloist Darol Anger plus the local Knoxville singer Evelyn Jack raised an hour-long hootenanny.
Fay Victor: Herbie Nichols SUNG (feat. Michael Attias, saxophones; Anthony Coleman, piano; Ratzo Harris, double bass; Tom Rainey, drums) @ Regas Square - Slamming but I’m biased. I’ve been listening to and promoting this music for over a year now, having worked the album on TAO Forms. Anthony Coleman is a national treasure who is far more deserving of acclaim and gigs. Tom Rainey swung his ass off. Fay has really done something historic with this music that I hope to elaborate on at a future date.
Tyshawn Sorey Trio (feat. Aaron Diehl, piano; Harish Raghavan; double bass) @ The Bijou Theater - Truly transcendent music for piano trio with tons of liberties taken in time, structure and harmony. I have some history with this trio that I’ll detail at a later time. One of my favorite sets.
[Ahmed] - I was happy I got to see this group, of whom so much has been made of late - including much chatter on the Big Ears podcast from Grayson Currin, Peter Margasak and Vanessa Ague. I am super into the concept and appreciate it, but Thomas, Wright & co. might be the most over-hyped group in jazz at the moment. Their records are cool but not quite as transcendent as everyone is making it seem. Better in theory than in practice. Still grateful to have had a chance to hear them at Big Ears, realizing this was their first ever U.S. tour.
Free Form Funky Freqs (feat. Jamaaladeen Tacuma, electric bass; Vernon Reid, electric guitar and G. Calvin Weston, drums) - By this point in the night, I was truly exhausted, and the Mill and Mine is somewhere I usually enter oblivion, but this group carries a special place in my heart. I was just finishing my college radio era when their one and only album came out on Thirsty Ear, as I recall, worked by my friend Kevin Calabro. I remember this record and that period vividly and it was a sweet reminder of more innocent times almost twenty years prior. I have personal history since with Mr. Tacuma, whom I helped get on Jazz Night in America in 2022, and with Mr. Weston through my good pal, Stephen Buono, who exposed me to much of Calvin and Jamaaladeen’s music in the years between that recorded debut and now.
Sunday March 30, 2025
1965: Sound, Fire & Revolution with Nels Cline, Melvin Gibbs, Chad Taylor and Nate Chinen - My last festival day started off with this amazing panel I helped logistically to convene. It was my great pleasure to see Messrs. Cline, Gibbs and Taylor come together at once, as their collective musical and life wisdom could fill a vast library. (This conversation will come out very soon as a podcast on Big Ears: Conversations About Music).
Conversation: Wadada Leo Smith & Vijay Iyer with Ashley Kahn - An equally riveting talk as the first and almost immediately, a more heightened sense of purpose, given how quickly their talk went the the sitation in Gaza and the responsbility of artists to speak honestly about current events and war. Not sure this will come out as a podcast due to extreme political nature, but the festival did record it. Masterfully handled and moderated by Mr. Kahn.
took a 6-7 hour break due to total exhaustion
Josh Johnson - I dug deep and found renewed energy to see Mr. Johnson again after his wonderful set with Mr. Parker earlier in the weekend. His solo set and albums, which I had seen and heard before, are a curious mix of harmonic and rhythmic layering. It can initially sound deceptively simple but when he combines his extended production techniques with ingenious post-bop influenced solos and staccato loop patterns (including multiple chordal stacks), the sonic possibilities become dizzyingly engulfing and you lose yourself deep in trance-inducing sound world.
Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet - I left the Johnson set somewhat wistfully, but knew I had to catch a bit of my old friend and longtime client, Nels Cline, whom I had missed otherwise all weekend. I knew this group with saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Tom Rainey had gotten together at least 5-6 years ago, and perhaps I’d heard about them during or just before the pandemic but their debut album had dropped on Blue Note Records either the week before or the week of Big Ears. I knew I had to see/hear this and I am so glad I made the extra effort to walk over. This was easily Nels’ jazziest conglomeration, aside from 2016’s Lovers. The sympatico between band members was astonishing with Laubrock giving Lester Young vibes and Lightcap offering his trademark thick and woody tone, as Tom Rainey’s idiosyncratic Brooklyn freebop beat kept things spry. They played a beautiful piece called “Allende” that I intend to return to. And then I thought… “What if I’d made that decision to go see Julia Holter? Or Astrid Sonne? Or Beth Gibbons?” That’s the agony of Big Ears. You’re right there, but split-second decisions are everything. And this year, with my leg, my cold, and low energy, I couldn’t always pivot like I wanted to. Here, thankfully I could.
múm - I really only saw 20 minutes; barely enough to have a strong impression but it was a treat to finally see this Icelandic band, whom I began listening to in college two decades ago. As luck would have it, some of the band and their team were on my flight home so I got to connect with them a bit more at the airport.
Steve Lehman Trio + Mark Turner: The Music of Anthony Braxton (with Matt Brewer, bass and Damion Reid, drums) - For this set, I was about 10 minutes late and the clock on my proverbial parking meter was quickly running out. For most of the set, I sat on a chair in the adjoining room at The Standard listening while resting my leg, but hearing Lehman and company tackle my favorite Braxton composition, “23b” was a thrill, in and of itself. Very interesting to hear Lehman and Turner together. Both are now Angelenos and have been playing gigs together with increasing frequency.
The Hangs
A good amount of time was spent hanging. Mike Reed, my oldest independent client and now friend of 15+ years and I sat for almost 2 hours at the Jig & Reel talking about career and life. I had a beautiful, spur-of-the-moment hang with Joe Lovano, backstage at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium during Carla Kihlstedt’s set and subsequently another with his tour manager, an old acquaintance, Danny Schwartz, who used to general manage The Hamilton in DC and has acted as a tour manager and front-of-house sound man for acts like Jerry Douglas and Aoife O’Donovan. He was there tour managing Lovano’s Paramount Quartet. I had not laid eyes on him in 20 years. Only possible at Big Ears, apparently.
Ambrose’s masterpiece
Probably not surprisingly to those who know me, my favorite Big Ears performance was Ambrose Akinmusire’s honey from a winter stone. I had been thinking along these lines this well before
& posted their notable Substack two days ago. This was actually a common refrain I heard from more than one person; that one of Akinmusire’s two shows was among or the most compelling show of the festival. None of the festival’s official photographs of the set due it justice, so I’ve linked above to and ’s gorgeous photo essay collab. (Hey JB, when are we gonna team up, bruh?)During the show, I texted Ashley Capps to convey my excitement and to get him there: “No one is creating work on this level with this amount of intricacy, complexity, attention to detail and social relevance.” The only artists I can think of who come close are Julia Wolfe, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Cécile McLorin Salvant with Darcy James Argue, Sorey and Wadada Leo Smith.
In this set, the composer and ringleader was channeling the creative legacies of Brian Eno, Steve Reich, Don Cherry, Terence Blanchard and Kendrick Lamar—while powerfully integrating strings via the (seemingly-de-facto-Big-Ears-quartet-in-residence) Mivos Quartet, with stunning solo cadenzas from pianist Sam Harris, powerful synth work from electronics artist Chiquitamagic, and Justin Brown on drums.
honey is already one of my favorite albums of the year—and has been since they dropped the first 13-minute single in November 2024. As discussed, a conversation between Nate and Akinmusire will be coming soon on the Big Ears podcast.
Starstruck in the Airport Shuttle
On the way to the airport, I ran into old friends Cline and his partner Yuka Honda (who performed at Big Ears as eucademix and with The Nels Cline Singers) in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where we had all stayed. As it were, we were on the same shuttle. Chris Lightcap joined soon after. Then, we picked up Gen Z music journalist/influencer Margeaux, whom I had been informed was coming via internal talks, but hadn’t seen all week. She has a very distinctive look. Then we picked up the legend, Andrew Cyrille at the Courtyard Marriott. A Big Ears tradition on the LGA→TYS→LGA Delta route, it was avant-jazz star-spotting at the airport. I saw Blake Leyh, Brandon Ross, Ashley Kahn, and others before our flight was thrice delayed, then canceled. Luckily most of us were able to rebook for early the next morning. Stranded out-of-town Big Ears folk caught a few hours of shut-eye at one of the several airport hotels, woke ass early and made our way back to NYC by 8:30 AM. I grabbed my luggage, got in a Lyft, and went straight to my orthopedic surgeon… for a cortisone shot.
Eternal Gratitude
That was my Big Ears 2025. So many others had a different one, but this was mine.
I’m sure I’m leaving things out, but I have to extend eternal gratitude to festival founder and creative director, Ashley Capps and festival director and producer Bryan Crow, who with their incredible team run this festival like a well-oiled machine. By meeting members of the team over the course of the weekend, I came to understand how intricate the many parts were to this festival together—and I feel so honored to be part of it; not just as a fan, but in a professional sense, I feel like I’m going to grow so much from this. More on that in my next post.
See you next year, Knoxville.
I really enjoyed reading this. I was watching from the sidelines this year but I hope to make it back to Knoxville in 2026.
Spending some time catching up on reading and finally got to check out all of your dispatch. I feel your FOMO big time. I also liked how you were able to write about the sets in a very concise but detailed way. Nice brevity skills there!