Upcoming Events
David Zavracky Quartet: Jazz @ the Emporium
Join saxophonist David Zavracky and his group for an evening of great jazz. Free admission.
Philip Troutman Quintet: Jazz @ the Emporium
Join trumpeter Philip Troutman and his quintet for an evening of great music at the Emporium. Free admission.
Phil Troutman - trumpet
David Feldhaus - alto saxophone
Mimi Terry - piano
Sky Hatcher - bass
Asher Humphrey - drums
The Core: Jazz @ the Emporium
Join one of the Southeast’s finest working jazz ensembles, The Core, for an evening of great music. Free admission.
The Core is an original improvisational jazz quintet working firmly in the jazz tradition, The Core has spent over a decade composing and performing throughout the Southeast. The group presents selections from their upcoming recording alongside highlights from their existing catalog.
FEATURING
Justin Ray – Trumpet
Jacob Rodriguez – Saxophone
Bill Bares – Keyboard
Zack Page – Bass
Evan Martin – Drums
Silk Jazz Festival
Free outdoor festival on Market Square Mall: Sunday, September 27, 2026.
Miles @ 100 with Marquis Hill
The KJO celebrates the centennial of Miles Davis’ birth with trumpeter Marquis Hill, one of the boldest visionaries of the modern era. Hill cut his teeth in Chicago before winning the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz competition in 2014 and becoming a presence on the global scene virtually overnight. The program will include music from across Davis’ storied career, including selections from his iconic albums Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain and Kind of Blue.
Presented by the Lawson Family Foundation
Evening Under the Stars
Join us for an Evening Under the Stars at the home of Ms. Sherri Lee. Dance the night away to the sounds of the Swing Era featuring the entire Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, and enjoy a sumptuous meal and wonderful wine selection courtesy of by By the Tracks Catering.
Sponsorship options are available here
Dinner tickets are available here
Can’t attend, but still want to support the cause? Info here.
Swingin' Christmas with Patrick Bartley
The hippest concert of the season. Sparkling arrangements of holiday favorites in the style of Ellington, Basie and other jazz greats. Saxophonist extraordinaire Patrick Bartley joins the band along with other special guests. An event guaranteed to make your season bright!
Presented by Wells Fargo Advisors
Jazz is for Lovers with Carmen Bradford
Vocalist Carmen Bradford delights audiences around the globe as the featured vocalist for the Count Basie Orchestra. In addition to world-class pipes, she brings a wealth of sensational big band material, including selections from her latest acclaimed album Carmen Sings Carmen, her tribute to jazz icon Carmen McCrae. Sure to be the perfect Valentine’s treat for your special someone.
Presented by the Lawson Family Foundation
Bianchi, Hamilton, Kovalcheck Meet the Big Band
Drummer Jeff Hamilton first earned an international reputation touring with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Monty Alexander and others. More recently, he’s been known as the leader of a variety of world-class ensembles from his own trios to the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. His latest project finds him paired with Hammond B-3 organist Pat Bianchi and guitarist (and UTK Music alum) Steve Kovalcheck to explore the possibilities of the classic organ trio. The entire trio travels to Knoxville to tangle with the big band in what promises to be an amazing evening of hard-swinging good times.
Presented by the Lawson Family Foundation
Naples to New York with Pasquale Grasso
Italy' s Campania region is renowned for stunning coastlines, mouthwatering cuisine, ancient ruins, incredible architecture and a long history of great art and music. But it was not particularly known as an incubator of jazz greatness, until guitarist Pasquale Grasso arrived in New York and began turning heads with an unprecedented new approach to the instrument. One of the heads that was turned belonged to NEA jazz master Pat Metheny, who called him “the greatest guitar player I’ve ever heard maybe in my entire life.” Pasquale will perform a set of music made famous by his musical heroes: Bud Powell and Charlie Parker, arranged for big band by his older brother Luigi, himself an internationally renowned musician..
Presented by the Lawson Family Foundation
Tom Peron / Mimi Terry Quartet: Jazz @ the Emporium
Join trumpeter Tom Peron and pianist Mimi Terry for an evening of great jazz music at the Emporium Center.
Tom Peron - trumpet
Mimi Terry - piano
Daniel Shifflett - bass
Hunter Deacon - drums
Jon Hamar Trio: Jazz on the Square
Join Jon Hamar and his trio for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Donald Brown & Friends: Jazz on the Square
Join pianist Donald Brown for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Mark Boling Trio: Jazz on the Square
Join Mark Boling and his trio for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Denin Slage-Koch: Jazz on the Square
Join Denin Slage-Koch for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Aaron Irwin Trio: Jazz on the Square
Join saxophonist/composer Aaron Irwin and his trio for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Vance Thompson Quartet: Jazz on the Square
Join Vance Thompson and his quartet for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
Vance Thompson - vibraphone
Taber Gable - keys
Taylor Coker - bass
Ken Brown - drums
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Shawn Turner & Pinky Ring: Jazz on the Square
Join Shawn Turner and Pinky Ring for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Taber Gable: Jazz on the Square
Join Taber Gable for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Margherita Fava Quartet: Jazz on the Square
Join pianist Margherita Fava and her quartet for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
In the event of bad weather, this event will move indoors to the Emporium Center, 100 South Gay Street.
Kenneth Brown Quartet: Jazz on the Square
Join drummer Kenneth Brown and his quartet for an evening of great music on Market Square Mall. Free admission. All ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
Larry Vincent Quintet: Jazz on the Square
Join Larry Vincent and his quintet for an evening of great music on Market Square Mall. Free admission. All ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket or sit on one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
Larry Vincent - guitar
Vance Thompson - vibraphone
Sam Adams - piano
Taylor Coker - bass
Joe Wilaniskis - drums
Marsalis Swing Symphony
The Knoxville Symphony celebrates the close of its 90th anniversary season, Aram’s 10th season, and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States with a program celebrating musical and geographic American landscapes. Purchase tickets here for May 14 & 15.
Click here to purchase tickets for May 14
Click here to purchase tickets for May 15
Aram Demirjian, conductor
Michael Rodgers, baritone
Knoxville Jazz Orchestra
MARGARET BONDS: Spirituals
WYNTON MARSALIS: Selections from Swing Symphony
GABRIELLA SMITH: Field Guide
FERDE GROFE: “On the Trail” from Grand Canyon Suite
AARON COPLAND: Finale from Symphony No. 3
Bruno Osega Septet: Jazz on the Square
Join trumpeter Bruno Osega and his septet for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission. All ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
Sam Adams Quartet: Jazz on the Square
Join Sam Adams and his quartet for an evening of great music on Market Square. Free admission, all ages welcome. Bring a chair or blanket, or enjoy the music from one of the restaurant patios lining the Square.
KJO Workshop Semester-End Concert
Join the students and faculty of the Knoxville Jazz Workshop at their semester-ending performance and jam session.
Free and open to the public.
Live at Lucille's: Dawn Clement Trio
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Live at Lucille’s brings the tradition of exciting and innovative PBS music programming right here to East Tennessee. Featuring acclaimed jazz artists performing in an intimate setting, these shows are taped in front of a live audience at the state-of-the-art Regas Square Events space in downtown Knoxville. The shows are later broadcast on PBS stations across the state.
Pianist, vocalist, and composer Dawn Clement is a joyful and formidable force in the landscape of modern creative music. For over two decades, Clement has served as both a torchbearer of the jazz tradition and as a trailblazer in fresh sonic explorations. “In all this world of jazz, there are very few individual voices, no matter what the instrument, but Dawn has come up with a voice that’s unique...” says legendary jazz trombonist Julian Priester.
Clement’s original music is an expansive collection that features her distinctive musical voice in a variety of genres, styles, and settings. Her six albums as a leader showcase her impressive range from master of the jazz piano trio style, to avant garde improviser, to an expressive songwriter and vocalist effortlessly incorporating indie and alternative influences. Downbeat says, “The revelation is Dawn Clement’s piano, always ready with the lyricism or structure the moment needs.”
Clement shines as a collaborator and is highly in demand as a touring and recording artist. She has previously performed with jazz luminaries including Jane Ira Bloom, Ron Miles, Matt Wilson, Rene Marie, and Julian Priester. Dawn recorded with säje on their GRAMMY-nominated debut album, and has toured with the ensemble in the U.S. and Japan. Clement has been busy recording of late with several exciting recent projects, including: trio with guitarist Steve Kovalcheck and bassist Jon Hamar, Esthesis Quartet with Bill Frisell, and a trio project with Buster Williams and Matt Wilson.
Integral in Clement’s relationship with music is her role as an educator and mentor. She currently serves as Associate Professor and Area Coordinator of the Jazz and American Improvised Music Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. In addition, Clement is a sought-after guest artist and clinician for jazz festivals. Most recently Clement was appointed the Artistic Director of the Centrum Jazz Workshop, taking over for the legendary bassist John Clayton.
Dawn holds a Bachelor of Music from Cornish College of the Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts in Music Composition from Vermont College of the Arts. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Denver, Colorado, and maintains strong ties to both the Seattle and Denver music communities. Dawn maintains a rigorous teaching and performing schedule while balancing the ever-fluctuating dance of parenting, composing, and supporting her local art scene.
Vance Thompson Quartet @ the Emporium
Vibraphonist Vance Thompson brings his quartet featuring pianist Taber Gable, bassist Taylor Coker, and drummer Kenneth Brown to the Emporium for an evening of music from his latest album, Lost and Found, which The Times of London heralded as “a joyous, jubilant portrait of musical rebirth,” and an “irresistible album.” Thompson enjoyed a successful career as a trumpeter for many years before a medical issue forced him to change course. Discovering the vibraphone provided a new lease on musical life.
Jack Bowers, writing for All About Jazz, had this to say: “what is most remarkable is that Thompson sounds like he has been playing the vibraphone all his life….While regret for what Thompson lost is understandable, delight in what he found is even more appropriate, especially in light of this remarkable illustration of his composure and endurance. As Sinatra once sang, there are times when things can be ‘even lovelier, the second time around.’”
Nothin' But Soul with Kirk Whalum
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The soulful saxophone of Grammy winner KIRK WHALUM is heard on Whitney Houston’s mega-hit “I Will Always Love You,” as well as recordings by Barbara Streisand, Luther Vandross and others. He has earned 12 Grammy nominations and fans internationally for his own music which blends Memphis R&B, gospel, rock and jazz. Add the sizzle of the KJO big band and you have all the ingredients for a spectacular evening of soul-stirring good times.
Made possible by the Lawson Family Foundation.
KJYO and KJO Middle School Band Year-End Concert
Join our Youth Bands for their year-end performance at The Emporium Center downtown.
Free and open to the public.
Nels Cline and Knoxville Jazz Orchestra at Big Ears 2026
Nels Cline: Lovers
Conducted by Michael Leonhart with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra
Purchase Big Ears passes here.
Nels Cline is widely regarded as one of the most versatile and creative guitarists of his generation. Over the course of a career spanning more than 200 recordings, he has led numerous groups, collaborated across genres from jazz to rock to experimental music, and been a full-time member of Wilco for over two decades.
One of Cline’s most ambitious works is Lovers, a project first envisioned in the 1980s, and conceived of as a darker take on atmospheric “mood music”. The album weaves together jazz standards with works by Sonic Youth, Annette Peacock, The Ambitious Lovers, and Cline himself, and is an expansive exploration of some less-traveled aspects of romance, love, and sex.
Longtime friend/poet/producer David Breskin, championed the idea for years before helping secure funding to make this project possible. When Cline met composer/arranger Michael Leonhart, he found a co-conspirator who shared his vision, and through hard work and inspiration they brought the project to life.
The team of Cline, Breskin, and Leonhart assembled a 23-piece ensemble and recorded over five days, with an additional day for strings and harp. What began as an almost overwhelming concept became an 18-track double album that unfolds like a musical memoir, moving from Nels’ early jazz influences to later experimental inspirations, honoring friends, mentors, and personal milestones.
In 2026, Lovers celebrates its tenth anniversary. Nearly a decade ago, a planned Big Ears performance was canceled when a snowstorm kept Cline grounded in New York City, making a return especially poignant. The large ensemble, conducted by Leonhart, will feature Chris Lightcap (bass), Alex Cline (drums), Guitarist Gregg Belisle-Chi (2nd guitar), members of Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, and Cline himself.
Margherita Fava Quartet @ the Emporium
Join pianist Margherita Fava and her band for an evening of great music. Free and open to the public.
Margherita Fava - piano
Alan Wyatt - tenor saxophone
Matt Nelson - bass
Nolan Nevels - drums
The Brown Family Get-Down with Keith Brown
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Knoxville native KEITH BROWN is a leading jazz pianist of his generation. He has toured and recorded with Kenny Garrett, Stefon Harris and Jazzmeia Horn, and he’s released his own acclaimed albums. This concert features Keith’s original compositions as well as music by his father Donald Brown, Knoxville’s patron saint of jazz.
Made possible by the Lawson Family Foundation.
Live at Lucille's: Pasquale Grasso Trio
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Live at Lucille’s brings the tradition of exciting and innovative PBS music programming right here to East Tennessee. Featuring acclaimed jazz artists performing in an intimate setting, these shows are taped in front of a live audience at the state-of-the-art Regas Square Events space in downtown Knoxville. The shows are later broadcast on PBS stations across the state.
Itallian-born guitar phenom Pasquale Grasso brings his trio to Live at Lucille's for a very special evening of music. In his interview for Vintage Guitar magazine’s February 2016 cover story, Pat Metheny was asked to name some younger musicians who’d impressed him. “The best guitar player I’ve heard in maybe my entire life is floating around now, Pasquale Grasso,” said the jazz-guitar icon and NEA Jazz Master. “This guy is doing something so amazingly musical and so difficult.
“Mostly what I hear now are guitar players who sound a little bit like me mixed with a little bit of [John Scofield] and a little bit of [Bill Frisell],” he continued. “What’s interesting about Pasquale is that he doesn’t sound anything like that at all. In a way, it is a little bit of a throwback, because his model—which is an incredible model to have—is Bud Powell. He has somehow captured the essence of that language from piano onto guitar in a way that almost nobody has ever addressed. He’s the most significant new guy I’ve heard in many, many years.”
KJYO in concert with Ryan Middagh
The KJYO is pleased to present guest artist Ryan Middagh for its February 12 concert at Pellissippi State Community College, Hardin Valley campus, in the Clayton Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m.. This concert is free and open to the public and supported by the Mark Hulsether McKee Memorial Jazz Endowment Fund (see more below).
Middagh will perform with the group and the program will also feature his arrangements and compositions. This performance is part of the Spring 2026 PSCC Music Department Concert Series.
Middagh’s work and performance with the Knoxville Jazz Youth Orchestra is made possible by a generous gift from the Mark Hulsether McKee Memorial Jazz Endowment Fund. Mark was a trumpet player and member of the KJYO and the endowment honors his memory and love of jazz music. Click here to make a contribution to the endowment. Your gift supports a professional musician educating and performing with the KJYO annually.
Jazz is for Lovers with Camille Thurman
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Saxophonist and vocalist CAMILLE THURMAN has burst on to the international jazz scene in recent years with profiles in the New York Times, BET’s Future 40, NPR’s All Songs Considered, and Downbeat Magazine’s Rising Star Award. For this program, Camille performs music made famous by Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and others.
Made possible by the Lawson Family Foundation.
KJO's Swingin' Christmas with Simon Moullier
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Join us at the hippest concert of the season! Enjoy sparkling arrangements of holiday favorites in the style of Ellington, Basie and other jazz legends. Vibraphonist SIMON MOULLIER joins the band, along with other special guests. An event guaranteed to make your season bright!
Live at Lucille's: Dave Potter and Retro Groove
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Live at Lucille’s brings the tradition of exciting and innovative PBS music programming right here to East Tennessee. Featuring acclaimed jazz artists performing in an intimate setting, these shows are taped in front of a live audience at the state-of-the-art Regas Square Events space in downtown Knoxville. The shows are later broadcast on PBS stations across the state.
Dave Potter, who is on speed-dial in the phones of Jason Marsalis, Greg Tardy, Eric Reed, Marcus Roberts and many others recently released his third album as a leader, Retro Groove 2. The album finds the drummer once again leading his band through clever arrangements of 80’s classics by Whitney Houston, Rush, The Isley Brothers, Toto, and more. Blended with an infectious mix of swing and blues the album makes a compelling case to both the jazz purist andthe casual pop fan alike!
Live at Lucille's: Roland Barber Quintet
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Live at Lucille’s brings the tradition of exciting and innovative PBS music programming right here to East Tennessee. Featuring acclaimed jazz artists performing in an intimate setting, these shows are taped in front of a live audience at the state-of-the-art Regas Square Events space in downtown Knoxville. The shows are later broadcast on PBS stations across the state.
Trombonist Roland Barber enjoys a career full of diverse and exciting musical pursuits at the highest level. Roland has achieved a powerful, soulful and spiritual artistry as a jazz performer, so much so that Curtis Fuller (John Coltrane’s only trombonist) exclaimed upon hearing him, “Now THAT’s what jazz trombone is all about!” Roland’s style is a synthesis of jazz’s finest elements – sporting a keen, fluent command of the bebop language, tempered with a compelling sense of melodic “voice” that’s rooted in the swagger and soul of the blues and swing traditions. Roland employs a warm, personal tone that is lyrical and full, yet ready to burn with heat and intensity when the moment presents itself. Roland is also known for his masterful plunger-mute playing – a gem in the music of jazz that goes back to Tricky Sam Nanton of Ellington’s orchestra and a study has been passed down the generations, most directly to Roland through mentors Steve Turre and Al Grey.
Satchmo Swings with Byron Stripling
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BYRON STRIPLING is known around the world for his electrifying and heartfelt tributes to the legendary ‘Satchmo’ himself, Louis Armstrong. With his engaging rapport, jazzy vocals and virtuosic trumpet sounds, Byron dazzles audiences wherever he goes. He kicks off the 2025-2026 season with the KJO big band.
Made possible by the Lawson Family Foundation.