BIG EARS 2018 CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND GROW New Artists, Special Programs & Daily Lineups Announced Full weekend passes on sale now / Daily passes on sale Wed Jan 24

Guitarist Confirms Two Shows: Duo with ’ DAVID HIDALGO + CERAMIC DOG

Neo-soul / R&B icon MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO

Solo sets and more from: / IKUE MORI / NED ROTHENBERG YUKA HONDA / BILLY MARTIN / AINE O’DWYER

New music legend JON GIBSON brings “VISITATIONS” + solo set

ROSCOE MITCHELL adds TRIO FIVE Violinist JOHNNY GANDELSMAN plays BACH

JASON MORAN + MILFORD GRAVES + PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE KIERAN HEBDEN () + MATS GUSTAFSSON

January 23, 2018 - Knoxville, TN – With the 7th edition of the Big Ears Festival only two months away, festival organizers are now starting to reveal the final details and finishing touches for the fully immersive, kaleidoscopic weekend, hailed as “…the most adventurously programmed festival in America” by Rolling Stone.

Big Ears is proud to announce over a dozen new artists and performances, along with the rundown of the daily lineups. Weekend passes – including premier and VIP options – are on sale now, with daily passes on sale Wednesday, January 24, at 10:00am EST.

Later this month, Big Ears will reveal its acclaimed film festival (produced in association with Public Cinema), along with additional programs – talks, discussions, exhibitions, installations, happenings – and exciting surprise events. The full Big Ears schedule will be released in early February.

New additions to the Big Ears lineup include:

• Guitar wizard Marc Ribot returns to Big Ears for his third festival with two very different performances, including a duo with inimitable singer / guitarist David Hidalgo, front man for the American rock band, Los Lobos. They’ll share a unique vision of classic American country and rock tunes, “border music” favorites, and a few classics from the Los Lobos songbook. Ribot’s punk / band Ceramic Dog, featuring Shahzad Ismaily and Chas Taylor, will return to the festival ahead of its first new album in four years.

• Soulful R&B singer, songwriter, bassist and rapper Meshell Ndegeocello will make her Big Ears debut on the heels of her eagerly anticipated new recording, Ventriloquism, which features her always unique approach to classic tunes by Prince, George Clinton, Force MD’s and Sade, among others.

• Trailblazing virtuoso improvisers Okkyung Lee (cello), Ikue Mori (computer electronics) and Ned Rothenberg (woodwinds) will collaborate with legendary British saxophonist in his Electro-Acoustic Ensemble, as well as presenting their own individual solo performances.

• Yuka C. Honda will present her solo show, Eucademix, and appear as a special guest on celeste and electronics for ’s big band opus, Lovers, performed with the Knoxville Orchestra and others. Drummer Billy Martin of Medeski, Martin & Wood will also present one of his special solo excursions.

• Saxophonist and flutist Jon Gibson, an original member of Philip Glass’ original ensemble in the early 1970s, will present his fully immersive classic from that time, Visitations, and perform solo works for saxophone and flute during the weekend.

• Violinist Johnny Gandelsman, 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. Brooklyn Rider will be performing their own program, as well as collaborating with Béla Fleck.

Some very special additional performances have been added:

• For only the second time in his career, composer and saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell will present the four interactive TRIOS that recorded his chart-topping 2017 ECM recording, Bells for the South Side, and will add Trio Five, a separate concert with a fifth interactive trio, joined by Junius Paul and Vincent Davis.

• In addition to the live world premiere of William Eggleston’s MUSIK, instrumentalist Aine O’Dwyer will offer a second concert of her own compositions.

• Saxophone powerhouse Mats Gustafsson (of the Thing) will combine forces with Kieran Hebden (Four Tet).

• Astonishing drummer Paal Nilssen-Love (also of the Thing) will go head-to-head with guitarist Arto Lindsay.

As always, there will be more to come, including more music programming, films, talks, exhibitions. “Expect the unexpected…and more!” says founder Ashley Capps.

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 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, , 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 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, , 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 Trio Peter Evans Ensemble Lucius Mats Gustafsson & Kieran Hebden Suuns Rostam Julie Byrne Cleek Schrey St. John's Passion: A Meditation on Suffering

Follow along as new details for Big Ears 2018 unfold at BigEarsFestival.org, as well as on Big Ears Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Big Ears is made possible by the generous support of The Aslan Foundation, ArtWorks/NEA, Visit Knoxville, TN Tourism, The Royal Norwegian Consulate General, Regal Entertainment Group, the Jig and Reel, Pilot/Flying J and The Clayton Foundation.

Additional Information: Described as “one of the most quietly earth-shattering, subtly luminous festivals the world over” by the Oxford American, Big Ears Festival has established itself as one of the most exciting and imaginative cultural gatherings in the world, bringing together a virtual who’s who of established and acclaimed iconoclasts, innovators and influencers with younger artists who are synthesizing their own experiences into fresh, new creative work. Located in the heart of downtown Knoxville – and taking place in its world-class historic theaters, excellent clubs, and unique alternative performance spaces – all within easy walking distance of one another and intermingled with superb restaurants, bars, and shops – Big Ears offers an unparalleled experience for adventurous artists and audiences alike. While primarily focused on music, Big Ears is also developing a strong independent / experimental film component while also presenting installations, exhibitions and interactive experiences,

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Contact: Carla Parisi Kid Logic [email protected] 973-563-8204