The first concert of the 2025-26 MTSU Jazz Artist Series is set for Oct. 23, featuring Nashville-based trombonist Roland Barber, who will perform with his jazz quartet.
The concert will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, in the Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building at 1439 Faulkinberry Drive. A parking map is available at http://bit.ly/3IOkyuL.
The concert will feature members of Barber’s touring group, including MTSU Jazz Studies alum Josh Cook (drummer) and jazz faculty Jack Aylor (bassist).
“The exciting thing for us as teachers is to showcase local musicians who have made an impact on the music nationally, showing future generations the creative possibilities of jazz,” said Director of Jazz Studies Jamey Simmons. “The evening concert will showcase the dynamic performing of one of Nashville’s most original brass players.”
The program will feature a diverse selection of songs from the jazz repertoire arranged by Barber.
“Roland’s talent covers many different styles of jazz, ranging from the plunger-mute style of Tricky Sam Nanton to bebop playing to more contemporary approaches. This makes it exciting as an audience member,” Simmons said.
Tickets can also be purchased in the lobby of the Wright Music Building before the concert. For reserved tickets, call 615-898-2724 or email James.Simmons@mtsu.edu.
Tickets are $10 for the public and free for MTSU students, faculty and staff with their university ID. Discounts are available for area band students and educators.
About Roland Barber
Barber relocated to Music City after a seven-year tenure in New York City and is now a mainstay in the Nashville studio scene. He has recorded in nearly every genre imaginable.
He has performed with a wide variety of jazz musicians, including Stefon Harris, Sean Jones, Clark Terry, Branford Marsalis, Houston Person, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Chico O’Farrill Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Lainie Cooke and the Grammy-winning New Orleans Jazz Ensemble.
Barber has performed in venues worldwide, from Manhattan to Estonia, including Carnegie Hall, Birdland, the Blue Note, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and Madison Square Garden.
Barber will also conduct a free and open masterclass and clinic on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 4:30 p.m. in the Saunders Fine Arts Room 101 on MTSU’s campus.
His appearance is made possible by a grant from the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Fund.
More Jazz Artist Series concerts
Mark your calendars for other concerts in the series this academic year, with the second MTSU Jazz Artist Series concert scheduled for March 5, 2026.
The third concert is part of the MTSU Illinois Jacquet Jazz Festival, set for March 28, 2026.
It includes a full day featuring performances of school ensembles and MTSU groups, jam sessions, educational sessions and the 5:30 p.m. headline concert featuring an international headliner with MTSU Jazz Ensemble 1.
Dedicated to the memory of tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, the festival seeks to educate, inspire and entertain audiences in the Middle Tennessee area. For information, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/music/jazzfest.php.
For more information about the MTSU Jazz Artist Series, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/music/jazzseries.php.
— DeAnn Hays (deann.hays@mtsu.edu)
