Next Jazz Lunch at the Square Room to feature Tribute to Freddie Hubbard

By Jeaneane Payne

In December the Square Room began hosting a Jazz Lunch series in partnership with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and WUOT 91.9FM. The lunch series is on the first Wednesday of each month from noon to 1pm.

The next Jazz Lunch concert will take place on Wednesday, January 2nd, from noon to 1pm. Trumpeter Thomas Heflin will present a "Tribute to Freddie Hubbard". Heflin will be joined by William Boyd (tenor saxophone), Gabe Osborne (trombone), Keith Brown (piano), Clint Mullican (bass), and Kenneth Brown (drums).

Admission to the concert is $15 and includes a lunch buffet served up by Café 4. Tickets are available online at www.knoxjazz.org or by visiting Café 4 in person prior to the show.

Freddie Hubbard burst onto the New York jazz scene in the late 1950s and quickly established himself as the most exciting trumpeter of his generation. He was an in-demand sideman, appearing with artists as diverse as Dexter Gordon, Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy. His solo career began almost immediately as well, and he made a number of classic recordings for Blue Note records, then later with CTI. Heflin's tribute to the later trumpeter will include music from many facets of Hubbard's career, all arranged for Art Blakey's instrumentation of choice - the jazz sextet.

Longtime fans of the KJO remember Thomas Heflin as a founding member of the band. He now resides in New York City, working as a freelance trumpet artist and coordinator of education outreach at the Manhattan School of Music. After studying under famed jazz educator Jerry Coker and graduating from the University of Tennessee in 2000, Heflin completed graduate degrees from William Patterson University and the University of Texas, Austin. In addition to his educational outreach and live performances, he is also a recording artist for Blue Canoe Records and has released a number of albums, including Symmetry (2007) and The New 5 (2009). Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear a tribute to Freddie Hubbard, considered to be one of the most important trumpeters of modern jazz!

The Square Room is a new, state-of-the-art performance venue in downtown Knoxville, TN in the Historic Market Square district. It is housed in the rear of the 4 Market Square Building along with its counterpart Café 4, a full-service restaurant and coffee bar.

Published December 19, 2012