As if one needed more reasons to grab a pass and attend the 2018 Big Ears Festival, festival programmers have just announced some additional performers and performances for the festival that make it virtually impossible to miss. And, the day-by-day lineups have also been announced ahead of day passes going on sale Wednesday, January 24, at 10am ET. BIG EARS 2018: March 22 – 25 in Downtown Knoxville
Guitarist Marc Ribot is now confirmed for two different shows — a duo with singer/guitarist David Hidalgo of Los Lobos in a performance that will cover a border-rock sensibility, as well as a few classics from the Los Lobos songbook. Then, Ribot’s punk/funk band Ceramic Dog will bring a performance ahead of a new album release, their first in four years.
Meshell Ndegeocello—R&B singer, songwriter, bassist, and rapper—is making her Big Ears debut. She has a new recording appearing soon, Ventriloquism, which features her always unique approach to classic tunes by Prince, George Clinton, Force MD’s and Sade, among others.
There will be solo performances from improvisers Okkyung Lee, Ikue Mori, and Ned Rothenberg—but they’ll also join with British saxophonist Evan Parker in his Electro-Acoustic Ensemble.
In addition to presenting her solos show, Eucademix, Yuka C. Honda will also appear as a special guest on celeste and electronics for Nels Cline’s big band opus, Lovers, which will feature the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Drummer Billy Martin of Medeski, Martin & Wood will also offer one of his special solo works.
The timeless Jon Gibson, saxophonist, flutist, and an original member of the Philip Glass Ensemble in the early 1970s, will present his Visitations, and perform solo works for saxophone and flute during the weekend.
Johnny Gandelsman, violinist and a member of the acclaimed string quartet Brooklyn Rider, will present his recently recorded program of J. S. Bach’s complete Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin. In addition, Brooklyn Rider will have their own separate slot, as well as collaborating with Béla Fleck.
Composer and saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell will offer the four interactive TRIOS that recorded Bells for the South Side, his 2017 ECM release, and will add Trio Five, a separate concert with a fifth interactive trio, joined by Junius Paul and Vincent Davis.
Aine O’Dwyer has added a second concert of her own compositions in addition to performing the live world premier of William Eggleston’s MUSIK.
Saxophone powerhouse Mats Gustafsson, of the Scandinavian jazz trio The Thing, will join in a performance with Kieran Hebden of Four Tet.
Drummer Paal Nilssen-Love of The Thing will collaborate with guitarist Arto Lindsay.
Here is the latest day-by-day lineup from Big Ears 2018. By now, we all know that there will be more to come, including an announcement of the film program schedule with Public Cinema.
Thursday, March 22
Nels Cline: ‘Lovers’ with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and Guests
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
David Hidalgo & Marc Ribot
Anna Thorvaldsdottir: ‘In the Light of Air’ Performed by International Contemporary Ensemble
Kid Koala’s ‘Satellite’ Turntable Orchestra
Jaga Jazzist Featuring Ståle Storløkken & Jon Balke
Meshell Ndegeocello
Susanna
Brooklyn Rider
Jenny Hval
Kid Koala (DJ)
Duet for Theremin & Lap Steel
Susan Alcorn
Friday, March 23
Medeski Martin & Wood
Bang on a Can All Stars: Field Recordings
GAS (Wolfgang Voigt)
Milford Graves
Jason Moran presents ‘Fats Waller Dance Party’
Béla Fleck & Brooklyn Rider
Jon Gibson’s ‘Visitations’
Susanna feat. Giovanni Pessi, Frode Haltli & Cheyenne Mize
Trio Five feat. Roscoe Mitchell, Junius Paul, & Vincent Davis
International Contemporary Ensemble
nief norf & Wordless Music: ‘Brimstone & Glory’ Live Score
Arto Lindsay
Rocket Science (Evan Parker, Peter Evans, Craig Taborn, Sam Pluta)
Kid Koala’s ‘Satellite’ Turntable Orchestra
Cyro Baptista Presents ‘Vira Loucos’
Evan Parker
Rova: The ‘Sound in Space’ Project
The Thing
Tal National
Steve Gunn
Algiers
Jenny Scheinman ‘Mischief & Mayhem’ with Nels Cline and Scott Amendola
Aine O’Dwyer
Jaga Jazzist
Innov Gnawa
The Black Twig Pickers
Okkyung Lee
Ned Rothenberg
Yuka C. Honda ‘Eucademix’
Ikue Mori
Laurel Halo (DJ set)
Jon Balke
Saturday, March 24
Anoushka Shankar ‘Land of Gold’
Roscoe Mitchell Trios
Bang on a Can All-Stars: Julia Wolfe’s ‘Anthracite Fields’
Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda: The Ashram Experience
Diamanda Galás
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Rova Channeling Coltrane: ‘Electric Ascension’
Four Tet
Jon Gibson
Aine O’Dwyer Performs William Eggleston’s ‘Musik’
Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog
Evan Parker Electro-Acoustic Ensemble
Laurel Halo Live with Eli Keszler
The Jerry Douglas Band
Jason Moran & Milford Graves
Cyro Baptista and Banquet of the Spirits
Jenny Scheinman Presents ‘Kannapolis: A Moving Portrait’
Kid Koala’s ‘Satellite’ Turntable Orchestra
Arto Lindsay & Paal Nilssen-Love
Steve Gunn & the Black Twig Pickers
Kelly Lee Owens
John Medeski
Wu Fei & Friends: Improv Game
Peter Evans
Billy Martin
Cleek Schrey & David Behrman
Johnny Gandelsman plays Bach
Anna & Elizabeth
Sunday, March 25
Bang on a Can All Stars Celebrate Their 30th Anniversary Performing Works by David Lang, Michael Gordon, and Julia Wolfe
Bangs (Jason Moran, Mary Halvorson, and Ron Miles)
Craig Taborn Quartet
Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda: The Ashram Experience
Lightning Bolt
Knoxville Symphony Strings Performs ‘Were You There’ with Baritone Davóne Tines
Abigail Washburn & Wu Fei
Tyshawn Sorey Trio
Peter Evans Ensemble
Lucius
Mats Gustafsson & Kieran Hebden
Suuns
Rostam
Julie Byrne
Cleek Schrey
St. John’s Passion: A Meditation on Suffering
