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| | New Artists and Programs for 2026 |
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As plans for Big Ears continue to take shape, we’re excited to introduce another set of artist additions and newly revealed programs that further expand the scope of the 2026 festival. These newly announced performances reflect the breadth of artistry that defines Big Ears, each adding a new dimension to the weekend ahead. |
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| | | | One of the great living legends of Indian music, L. Shankar, came to international prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, in riveting performances with John McLaughlin’s Shakti, as well as working with Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, and countless others. The rich, captivating, singular sound of his electric double-neck violin was at the heart of Gabriel’s evocative soundtrack to Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ, and graced countless recordings and collaborations, ranging from Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, and Sting to Yoko Ono, Jan Garbarek, and Ginger Baker. A frequent collaborator with the late Zakir Hussain, Shankar has recorded 28 projects as a leader and numerous award-winning soundtracks. At Big Ears, he will be joined by percussion accompaniment presenting carnatic ragas as part of Big Ears’ Ragamala presentation, offering festival audiences a now all-too-rare opportunity to experience this remarkable artist in live performance. |
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| | | | | Sam Amidon needs no introduction to Big Ears audiences, and we’re thrilled to have him return to the festival in 2026. Raised in the heart of the Vermont folk scene, Amidon has spent three decades bridging the gap between traditional music and avant-garde improvisation. His 2025 album, Salt River, continues this exploration by reimagining songs by Ornette Coleman and Lou Reed through his signature disarming and pure vocal style. By placing ancient folk sensibilities into experimental settings, Amidon remains a vital force in redefining the American Songbook. |
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| | | | | Irish teenager Muireann Bradley has emerged as a global sensation by revitalizing the rural American songbook with athletic fingerstyle guitar and soulful vocals. Her 2025 EP, Rose Dogs, showcases her evolution from a virtuosic interpreter of legends like Elizabeth Cotten to a budding songwriter with her first original piece. Balancing youthful energy with a deep reverence for the past, Bradley is a formidable new guardian of the acoustic guitar tradition. |
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| | | | | Since his emergence as the “World’s Least Rustic Banjo Player,” Brandon Seabrook has spent two decades subverting the expectations of the instrument through a blend of avant-jazz and hardcore ferocity. His recent work, including the solo album Object of Unknown Function, utilizes a century-old guitar-banjo to extract uncanny, glitchy textures that defy traditional pedagogy. While his earlier style was defined by sheer intensity, his current approach masterfully balances high-energy "melee" with newfound space and tunefulness. At Big Ears 2026, Seabrook’s solo performance promises to showcase the banjo in a revolutionary light, moving far beyond its folk origins. |
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| | | | | Colle, the solo project of Maya McGrory, blends modern anxiety with nostalgic, ethereal soundscapes influenced by trip-hop and early 4AD. Her 2024 debut album, Montalvo, explores painterly textures and the bittersweet tension between childhood innocence and personal growth. After appearing at Big Ears last year with Chanel Beads, we’re delighted to have her bring her own seductive music to the festival. |
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| | | | | Patrick Shiroishi is a visionary saxophonist and composer whose solo work becomes a vessel for exploring Japanese-American heritage, historical trauma, and personal endurance. A prolific collaborator with groups like Fuubutsushi and The Armed, his breakthrough solo albums Hidemi and Forgetting is Violent grapple with the legacy of World War II concentration camps and the corrosive nature of systemic racism. Through innovative multi-tracking, Shiroishi gives voice to the unheard, rendering complex emotions like rage and joy into rapturous, declarative compositions. In addition to his solo performance, Shiroshi will also perform during the weekend as a member of Wild Up. |
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| | | | Jack Wyllie presents Paradise Cinema |
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| Jack Wyllie, a founding member of Portico Quartet, has evolved into a global musical explorer known for his "fourth-world" soundscapes and instrumental depth. His project Paradise Cinema was born from immersive research in Senegal, blending ambient electronics with the hyperkinetic rhythms of mbalax percussion. At Big Ears 2026, he will showcase Paradise Cinema’s grand designs, integrating saxophone and synthesizers into a performance fueled by a deep sense of global wonder. Wyllie also performs on Sunday, March 29, as part of Hania Rani’s concerto, Non Fiction, with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. |
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| | | | Fred Frith, Simon Hanes, Max Jaffe, & Jordan Glenn Quartet |
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| Well, we couldn’t bear the thought of Fred Frith returning to Big Ears and performing only once, so…when Simon Hanes proposed this new quartet with Frith and the double percussion powerhouse of Max Jaffe and Jordan Glenn, we were all in. Frith has continually sought new musical horizons, collaborating with younger generations of improvisers and we cannot wait to hear where this formidable collaboration takes us. |
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| | | | | A radical and prolific guitarist, Bill Orcutt subverts traditional rock and blues into surrealist, high-intensity soundscapes. Already booked to play Big Ears 2026 with drummer Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) and guitarist Ethan Miller (Comets on Fire, Howlin’ Rain), Orcutt surprised us with his first solo electric guitar record in almost ten years, Another Perfect Day, and, after catching a live set recently ourselves, we wanted to give you that opportunity too. |
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