By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN — A pair of powerhouse jazz ensembles, one local, the other a Crescent City institution, will get the Under The Stars series at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens underway Friday night. Vanderbilt University’s Blair Big Band under the leadership of Director Ryan Middagh will lead things off, followed by New Orleans’ celebrated Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
The Blair School Big Band features the music of undergraduate students whose disciplined, yet dynamic style flourishes thanks to trombonist/director Middagh. The 16-piece unit has won number of awards, including getting Outstanding Trombone and Trumpet Section honors as well as having four Ensemble Finalists at the 2023 Jack Rudin Jazz Championship in New York, and winning 12 DownBeat Student Music Awards, seven for ensemble/group performances and five individual awards. They perform everything from classic big band/swing classics to modern jazz pieces and original works.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (DDB) has dazzled audiences over 45 years with their distinctive brand of what they call “musical gunbo.” A prototype concert will include bebop tunes, funk pieces and R&B, all performed with precision and flair. DDB has appeared all over the world, while also recording with the Dave Matthews Band, Phil Alvin, Elvis Costello, Joe Henry, Modesst Mouse, Widespread Panic and the Neville Brothers to cite only a handful.
Jazz Under the Stars gets underway at 7 p.m. The Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is located at 1200 Forrest Park Drive. Tickets are $55 for members and $65 for those not yet members.
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