October 4, 2021
The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra will start its 2021-22 season at the Bijou Theatre in October with the “Buy Local” concert, a celebration of the sounds of Knoxville musicians with the debut of original compositions.
Tickets for the Tuesday, Oct. 12, concert are on sale now, and Knoxville Jazz Orchestra (KJO) subscribers can reserve the full season at a 10% discount over single-ticket pricing through new signups or renewals at knoxjazz.org/2122-big-band-concert-series.
Sponsored by Lexus of Knoxville, the season opening show at 8 p.m. will feature performances by homegrown and transplant talent, including Donald Brown; Mark Boling; Eric Reed; Jack Roben; Kenny Brown; Jon Hamar; Taber Gable; Bill Swann; Sam Adams; Larry Vincent and Kelle Jolly. It will be the audience’s first opportunity to hear new arrangements by the artists.
“Knoxville has a long history of great jazz musicians, but the number of talented musicians calling Knoxville home has grown exponentially in recent years,” said Vance Thompson, founder and director of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. “ ‘Buy Local’ will bring familiar favorites and fresh sounds to the stage. We are thankful to have Lexus of Knoxville as a partner that can help us put on this performance. You will not want to miss it.”
KJO subscriber benefits include preferred seating accommodations and the opportunity to attend a special preview party at 6:30 p.m. before the season opener with local makers, KJO board members and musicians. Artist Cynthia Markert, Beauty in the Beads owner Pat Bolan and photographer Dr. Jeff Slavin will sell their creations at the subscriber-only champagne reception at the Arcade Building at 618 S. Gay St.
“At Lexus of Knoxville, we are focused on driving this community forward,” said Nordehl Unbehaun, general manager at Lexus of Knoxville. “The ‘Buy Local’ concert is an innovative approach to bringing together artists of all kinds with those who want to see them succeed. We are eager to host supporters of the arts for a fabulous night and start to the season.”
Doors open at the Bijou Theatre at 7:15 p.m., and the venue requires all audience members to present a verified, negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours prior to events or a valid COVID-19 vaccination card, demonstrating complete vaccination at least two weeks prior to the day of the event.
The 2021-22 Knoxville Jazz Orchestra season will continue Dec. 14 with “A Swingin’ Christmas,” featuring Warren Wolf. Other performances in 2022 include “Jazz Is for Lovers with Ken Peplowski and Charles Turner” on Feb. 14 and “The Great Ladies of Song with Camille Thurman” on April 12.
For more information about the KJO, visit knoxjazz.org.
About the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra
The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra was founded in 1999 by trumpeter, arranger and composer Vance Thompson. Since that time, the band has appeared on jazz festivals in the United States and Europe, released four critically acclaimed CD recordings and presented scores of concerts, many featuring world-renowned guest artists. Visit knoxjazz.org to learn more.
