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PODCAST

Big Ears: Conversations About Music

Big Ears Festival

Big Ears: Conversations About Music is a podcast that brings together cutting-edge musicians, journalists, and community leaders in discussions about the creative process, collaboration, and the transformative power of music. The podcast features one-on-one talks and roundtable discussions hosted by expert music critics with the artists who make Big Ears unique, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the inspirations and connections that make Big Ears one of the world’s most unique music

music music interviews

All Episodes

00:23:04

Josh Johnson

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/12/11

On this episode of Big Ears: Conversations About Music, journalist and author Marcus J. Moore sits down with the formidable LA-based saxophonist, composer and producer Josh Johnson, a ubiquitous presence in today’s jazz scene. Big Ears' Ashley Capps was so taken by Johnson’s many performances at Big Ears 2025 that he asked him to curate a series of seven concerts at our 2026 festival. He’ll join Ashley on a future podcast to talk about his curation. Meanwhile, here we shine a light on his warm

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00:53:43

Wild Up Celebrate Julius Eastman & Arthur Russell

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/11/20

Wild Up makes their Big Ears debut as one of the most innovative forces in contemporary music. Led by artistic director Christopher Rountree, the Los Angeles-based ensemble has spent more than a decade reshaping the possibilities of classical performance—merging composed and improvised music, conceptual art, minimalism, and audience-focused experimentation. Violinist-vocalist Darian Donovan Thomas and the group’s many composer-performers help shape projects that feel communal and alive.Here joined

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00:50:42

Reconsidering Americana: Hayden Pedigo & S.G. Goodman

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/11/06

In this episode, journalist and author Liz Pelly (Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist) brings together two singular songwriters — Hayden Pedigo and S.G. Goodman — for a candid exploration of songwriting, place, and authenticity. From the wide-open stillness of West Texas, where Pegido draws inspiration from Sacred Harp singing and the power of silence, to Kentucky’s storytelling traditions that infuse S.G.’s gritty, heartfelt lyrics, these two artists trace the

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00:55:49

Songs & Symphonics: Celebrating Moondog at Big Ears

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/10/23

Journalist Piotr Orlov (of Dada Strain) speaks with Brian Carpenter of Ghost Train Orchestra and collaborator Joan Wasser (a.k.a. Joan As Police Woman) about interpreting the works of Moondog—the blind composer, poet, and New York street icon whose rhythmic inventions, unforgettable melodies, and striking persona (not to mention an iconic Viking costume) made him an underground legend of 20th-century music. Hear this exciting project at Big Ears 2026.

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00:41:35

Lisa Bielawa on Knoxville Broadcast

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/10/09

Composer, vocalist, and project-maker Lisa Bielawa joins renowned classical and new music journalist Steve Smith to discuss her extraordinary Broadcast works, with a spotlight on Knoxville Broadcast, a large-scale site-specific “spatial symphony” commissioned by Big Ears Festival. The project gathers Appalachian musicians, choirs, orchestras, and community ensembles who gradually expand outward in waves of sound, transforming the landscape into an immersive sonic experience. Bielawa also reflects on

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00:58:55

Cécile McLorin Salvant

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/09/25

Two time GRAMMY winner, vocalist and MacArthur Fellow Cécile McLorin Salvant joins critic Natalie Weiner to unpack what it means to be called a jazz singer. Salvant reflects on her musical upbringing in both classical and jazz traditions, contrasting the discipline of one with the freedom of the other. She also shares her excitement about moving beyond "jazz," previewing her brand new Nonesuch Records album Oh, Snap , on which she layers dance grooves into daring audio collages. The

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01:01:42

Big Ears 2026 Lineup Reveal

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/09/11

Big Ears Festival founder Ashley Capps joins NPR Music critic Ann Powers (a longtime friend of the festival and fellow Tennessee resident) to discuss the recent unveiling of the 2026 festival lineup. From legends like David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, John Zorn and Pat Metheny to trailblazers like Flying Lotus, Marc Ribot, Wild Up, and Hania Rani, along with a smorgasbord of today’s most compelling artists across genres. Their conversation reveals a behind-the-scenes look at curatorial vision and

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00:59:05

1965: Sound, Fire & Revolution (Nels Cline, Melvin...

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/07/01

Hear a panel discussion from Big Ears 2025 titled 1965: Sound, Fire & Revolution, where guitarist Nels Cline, bassist Melvin Gibbs, and drummer Chad Taylor, join critic and author Nate Chinen to reflect on a landmark year in music and culture. 1965 gave us works like A Love Supreme, Complete Communion, and Fire Music—that reshaped jazz and echoed broader upheaval. Sixty years later, these artists revisit that seismic moment, revealing how its sounds and struggles still resonate powerfully in our

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01:06:45

ganavya, Carlos Niño, Alabaster DePlume with Ann...

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/06/17

Hear a deep and searching live conversation from Big Ears 2025 between NPR Music critic and author Ann Powers and three remarkable artists whose practices reach far beyond the boundaries of genre — vocalist, double bassist and composer ganavya, multi-instrumentalist and scene-connector Carlos Niño, and British poet, saxophonist and troubadour Alabaster DePlume. In this wide-ranging interview, they explore themes of interdependence, the evolving meaning of “community,” and the porous line between

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01:02:33

Joe Boyd with Ann Powers: Live at Big Ears 2025

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/06/03

At our 2025 festival, NPR critic and author Ann Powers sat down with legendary producer and music historian Joe Boyd for a wide-ranging conversation about his life in music. Boyd reflects on his recently published opus The Roots of Rhythm Remain, and a life at the intersection of sound and history in this intimate and revealing podcast episode.

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00:54:43

Charles Lloyd with Don Was: Live at Big Ears 2025

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/04/22

On this episode, we listen in on a rare exchange between Charles Lloyd — the legendary saxophonist, bandleader, composer, and NEA Jazz Master — and Don Was — President of Blue Note Records — recorded live at the Blue Note Lounge in Jackson Terminal during Big Ears 2025.

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00:22:08

Critics Reflection on Big Ears 2025

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/04/08

Three sharp-eared critics who attended Big Ears 2025—Bill Pearis (BrooklynVegan), Jennie Punter (Musicworks Magazine), and Natalie Weiner (Don't Rock the Inbox)—gather to reflect on the vast sonic and interdisciplinary arts landscape they encountered. From singular encounters to shared moments of awe, they explore the music, the food and the spirit of Knoxville. This talk reveals how Big Ears offers not one experience, but countless parallel journeys that may touch, or never overlap at all. We also

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00:50:10

Decisions, Decisions! A Critical Guide to Big Ears 2025

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/03/25

Get ready for Big Ears 2025 with this special roundtable featuring Nate Chinen, Ann Powers, Marcus J. Moore, and Ashley Kahn. Our panel of top critics shares favorite moments, past surprises, must-see picks, and even culinary highlights.Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned veteran, this lively, insightful conversation is the perfect aperitif to kick off your festival week with the spirit and euphoria Big Ears always delivers.

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00:29:56

Béla Fleck

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/03/18

Critic and author Nate Chinen speaks with banjo trailblazer Béla Fleck about Big Ears' place in the music scene, his early days in New Grass Revival, taking the leap into new projects, the "ancient tones" of bluegrass and even Charlie Parker. Fleck also picks some of his must-see artists on the Big Ears 2025 lineup. You just might be surprised!

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00:39:59

Wadada Leo Smith & Tyshawn Sorey

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/03/11

Journalist and music critic Larry Blumenfeld (Wall Street Journal, Chamber Music Magazine) sits down with legendary trumpeter and composer Wadada Leo Smith and genre-defying composer Tyshawn Sorey. The discussion delves into the deep connections between sound and silence, the evolution of “creative music,” and the social and political impact of their work. Smith reflects on his early influences, his revolutionary compositional language, and the powerful legacy of Ten Freedom Summers, while Sorey

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00:33:41

Cassandra Jenkins

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/03/04

Music critic and author Ann Powers (NPR Music) sits down with singer-songwriter Cassandra Jenkins, who appears at Big Ears 2025, for an intimate conversation on storytelling through sound, the interplay of nature and technology in music, and the creative process behind My Light, My Destroyer. A deep dive into sonic intimacy, collaboration, and the art of drawing from life — Jenkins even shares the story behind "Aurora, IL," a song written while isolating in a hotel room with COVID, grappling with

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00:44:18

Roundtable

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/02/25

For the second episode of Big Ears: Conversations About Music, we convened a group of three writers (Vanessa Ague, Grayson Currin, Peter Margasak) and one broadcaster (J. Greg Bryant) to discuss some creative triumphs of 2024 and what they're looking forward to in 2025, both at Big Ears and beyond.

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00:32:47

Ashley Capps

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/02/18

For the first episode of Big Ears: Conversations About Music, critic Nate Chinen speaks with Big Ears co-founder Ashley Capps to talk about the history of the festival and Ashley's own history as a listener, radio host, and presenter. We'll also hear from three musicians who are intimately familiar with the vibe of Big Ears: banjoist Béla Fleck, guitarist Bill Frisell, and electronics artist Yuka Honda.

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00:01:00

Coming Soon: Big Ears: Conversations About Music

Big Ears: Conversations About Music ·

2025/02/11

Big Ears: Conversations About Music is a podcast that brings together cutting-edge musicians, journalists, and community leaders in discussions about the creative process, collaboration, and the transformative power of music.Big Ears: Conversations About Music will offer one-on-one talks between artists, roundtables and interactions with fans offering a behind-the-scenes look at the stories and connections that make Big Ears one of the world’s most unique festival experiences.

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19 results

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