KNOXVILLE – The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra will open its 2022-23 concert season with a tribute to the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn featuring acclaimed pianist Eric Reed on Tuesday, October 18 at 8 p.m. at the Bijou Theatre.
Tickets are $42 adult / $19 student and are available at http://www.knoxjazz.org or by calling the box office at 865-684-1200. Season passes are also available.
“Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn represent the pinnacle of American musical achievement,” says conductor Vance Thompson. “Their music is as hip, relevant and exciting today as it was almost 100 years ago when Duke started making a name for itself in Harlem.”
The orchestra will perform a mix of music from Ellington’s library, covering popular hits like Take the A Train and Satin Doll as well as lesser-known masterpieces.
Pianist Eric Reed will perform alongside the orchestra and will be master of ceremonies.
Besides being one of the most acclaimed jazz pianists of the modern era, Reed is an astute historian and a captivating storyteller. Reed was a founding member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, a group formed by Wynton Marsalis in part to continue the legacy of Duke Ellington and his music. He is now a jazz piano artist-in-residence at the University of Tennessee School of Music.
The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra is a big band made up of 17 professional musicians from across the region. Since its inception in 1999, the orchestra has given dozens of concerts in East Tennessee, appeared at major jazz festivals in Europe, performed and recorded with internationally renowned guest artists, and released several recordings of Critically acclaimed CDs.
The orchestra is organized as a 501(c)(3) organization and presents a variety of events throughout the year, including the Big Band Concert Series at the Bijou and Tennessee Theaters, Live at Lucille’s, Jazz on the Square and the NXT GEN series. The orchestra also sponsors educational programs such as the Knoxville Jazz Youth Orchestra, Knoxville Jazz Middle School Band, and Knoxville Jazz Workshop.
