The Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra: The Swing Era
Sunday, February 8th, 7:30 PM
with a special pre-concert lecture from Dr. Robbie Fry at 7PM
Nashville Jazz Workshop
LIVE PERFORMANCE TICKETS - $40
The Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra returns to the Nashville Jazz Workshop with a special Black History Month tribute concert celebrating the enduring power, innovation, and cultural impact of The Swing Era—a foundational chapter in the history of jazz and Black American Music.
This program honors the music and legacy of the great bandleaders, composers, and arrangers who shaped the Swing Era, illuminating how their artistry transformed popular music while laying the groundwork for modern jazz. With its infectious rhythms, bold orchestration, and deep sense of collective groove, swing music was both an artistic breakthrough and a cultural force—and this concert brings that history vividly to life.
Comprised of world-class musicians based in Nashville, the Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra demonstrates that Music City is also a thriving home for large jazz ensembles. The orchestra’s members include top-call studio musicians, touring artists, music educators, and acclaimed composers and arrangers, all contributing to a powerful and nuanced big band sound.
Founded in early 2018, the orchestra represents a lifelong dream for bandleader Ryan Middagh and serves as a vehicle for his original compositions and imaginative arrangements. A producer, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and educator, Middagh is Director of Jazz Studies at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he has called Nashville home since 2007 and has become a central figure in the city’s jazz community.
The ensemble has collaborated with distinguished guest artists such as Keb’ Mo’ and Wycliffe Gordon, while also showcasing standout voices from within the band, including saxophonists Jeff Coffin and Don Aliquo, and vocalist Bethany Merritt. Their album Live From Nashville received a Global Music Award and earned nominations for Best Jazz Group and Best Jazz Album at the 2020 Nashville Industry Music Awards.
This special Swing Era tribute is both a celebration and a reminder—honoring the Black artists whose creativity defined an era and continues to influence the sound of jazz today.
This concert is part of NJW’s 4-part series “America's Music: A Black History Month Jazz Retrospective” and is made possible by the generous support of the Tennessee Arts Commission.