MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The first concert of the 2026-27 MTSU Jazz Artist Series is set for Thursday, Oct. 22, and will feature pianist and new faculty member Jody Nardone alongside MTSU Jazz faculty.

The concert will be held beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Hinton Music Hall inside the Wright Music Building, 1439 Faulkinberry Drive. A parking map is available at bit.ly/2026parkingmap.

“Jody is a treasure in the local scene but has such a special presence in all genres nationally.  It’s exciting to have him on our faculty and onstage in Hinton Hall,” said Director of Jazz Studies Jamey Simmons.

Tickets are $10 for the public and free for MTSU students, faculty and staff who present their MTSU ID. Discounts for area band students and educators are available by emailing Simmons at [email protected].

Reserved tickets are available at https://mtsusom.ludus.com/200550224, by calling 615-898-2427 or emailing Simmons.

Featured as a part of the ensemble alongside Nardone will be MTSU faculty members Don Aliquo (tenor sax), Miles Damaso (drums), Jack Aylor (bass) and Simmons (trumpet).

“The exciting thing for us as teachers is to bring in our own faculty musicians that have a long-term commitment to the music and show our students what it’s like to have a creative life that explores all kinds of possibilities,” said Simmons.

Members will give a free and open masterclass for the public on at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, in the MTSU School of Music’s Saunders Fine Arts Building, Room 101, 629 Normal Way.

About Nardone

Jody Nardone is a “singer’s singer,” and an acclaimed pianist respected enough to be a top-call jazz player and improviser.

Nardone has performed and recorded with people like Brian Setzer, Jackson Browne, Bret Michaels, Jeff Berlin, Larry Carlton, Jeff Coffin, Joel Frahm, Chester Thompson, Rod McGaha, Brian Beller and The Floating Men. He’s also performed at the Grand Ole Opry with John Cowan and Andrea Zonn’s new supergroup, The HercuLeons.

Nardone is also the newest member of the Alison Brown Quintet, with whom he has performed across the U.S. He was also part of Brown’s latest release with banjo player and star Steve Martin on their album “Safe, Sensible and Sane,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Album chart in 2025.

Nardone’s had his own trio for 20 years.

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 Feb. 15, 2027, with groundbreaking guitarist Nir Felder.

The third concert is part of the MTSU Illinois Jacquet Jazz Festival, set for April 3, 2027. It includes a full day featuring performances of school ensembles and MTSU groups, jam sessions, educational sessions, and the evening headline concert.

Dedicated to the memory of tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, the festival seeks to educate, inspire, and entertain audiences in Middle Tennessee. 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 ([email protected])