May 16, 2022
World-class jazz talent will perform for Knoxville audiences during the 2022-23 season of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra Big Band Concert Series. Performers include Grammy Award winner John Beasley, Tony Award recipient and multiple Grammy winner Dee Dee Bridgewater, along with Victor Provost, Eric Reed and some of the city’s finest musicians and artists.
Season tickets are available starting Monday, May 16, and include five concerts for $195.50 with four at the Bijou Theatre and one at the Tennessee Theatre. Subscribers also will receive a 10% discount over single ticket pricing and have preferred seating accommodations.
New subscriptions for season tickets can be purchased online through this link from the Bijou Theatre. Subscribers who wish to renew now should call 865-684-1200, ext. 2. Additional information about the five shows is available at knoxjazz.org.
All performances begin at 8 p.m., and the lineup includes:
Lexus of Knoxville presents
Ellington and Strayhorn with pianist Eric Reed
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, Bijou Theatre
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn are towering figures in jazz music specifically and American music in general. The pair are responsible for some of the most enduring music of the 20th century. We’ll explore their vast library of masterworks for big band with Eric Reed, one of the modern era’s great pianists.
Thermal Label Warehouse presents
A Swingin’ Christmas with Victor Provost
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, Tennessee Theatre
Don’t miss the hippest concert of the season with sparkling arrangements of holiday favorites in the style of Ellington, Basie and other jazz greats. Special guests include Victor Provost, one of the world’s greatest practitioners of the steelpan, plus vocalist Kelle Jolly.
Bistro by the Tracks presents
Jazz is for Lovers with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, Bijou Theatre
Legendary vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater joins the KJO for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day celebration. Make this the perfect treat for your special someone.
The Diva Next Door
Tuesday, March 7, 2023, Bijou Theatre
Knoxville is home to more than its fair share of outstanding musicians. We turn the spotlight to our amazing vocalists in this special program, featuring Robinella Bailey, Kayley Farmer, Jeanine Fuller, Evelyn Jack, Kelle Jolly, Cait Lunsford, Stina Nesbit and Brent Thompson.
Bird Lives with John Beasley and Charles McPherson
Tuesday, April 4, 2023, Bijou Theatre
Conductor, arranger and pianist John Beasley marked the centennial of Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker’s birth by reimagining some of Parker’s music for big band with string orchestra. The program also will feature Charles McPherson, one of the most celebrated alto saxophonists working in jazz today.
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.
