Unquestionably I have been remiss in keeping this blog updated! Rest assured, I have been readily shaming myself. I’ve been feeling obliged to get back online and share some insights into the exciting things going on in the jazz and greater music scene of Nashville in light of the bizarre ‘doom and gloom’ articles recently posted by “writers” in the New Yorker and Washington Post. It’s been an excellent summer, and for that matter, year in 2014! Lots of exciting things happening in the Nashville music world. A few highlights of playing and teaching randomly listed below, along with a photo gallery.
– Spent a wonderful week with 30 (yes thirty!) teenagers at the Nashville Jazz Workshop in June for the 3rd annual Nashville Jazz Workshop Summer Camp.
– The Nashville Jazz Workshop Scholarship Lessons Program has been running great! We have served a number of talented teenagers in the area and are currently looking for more! Private lessons yielded great results too: 5 of the 10 saxophonists who qualified for Middle Tennessee Midstate Jazz Band study right here.
 – Had a wonderful time working with the saxophone studio at Bemidji State University all year. Even got up to Northern Minnesota in February (BRRRRRR) for their excellent jazz festival with Wycliffe Gordon and Jeff Coffin.
– Played a number of fantastic small group jazz gigs featuring all original music from some excellent composers, and even the occasional arrangement of 90’s cartoon theme music.
– Had some fun with horn sections, including playing baritone for a wild rock band in the Bridgestone Arena.
– There’s lots of excitement on the horizon too. Nashville is finally getting a venue to host big bands on a weekly basis again which will feature a residency by the Nashville Jazz Orchestra.
– My quintet will be playing a Snap on 2&4 at NJW this September 12th and I promise lots of new tunes and arrangements, along with top notch players Jamey Simmons, Bruce Dudley, Jonathan Wires, and Josh Hunt.
– A new opportunity for teenagers in underworks…too new to talk about, but look for an announcement soon!
Lastly, I’ve posted a video clip of the Tyler Mire Big Band, an excellent new project in Nashville that I’ve really been enjoying playing with. The tune below is “Thoughts” – a tenor feature. The band will be playing its second gig on September 9th at the Cave in the Gulch.
-evan