Get ready for Bud’s Jazz Brunch on Sunday

When Anne Holland opened her coffee shop called Bud’s Farmhouse, she knew that sooner or later live music would be on the menu.

And on Sunday, Oct 17, at 1 p.m., the Jazz Brunch at Bud’s series gets underway with Anne’s favorite trumpet player, Jim Hynes, plus three of the Knoxville jazz scene’s brightest stars — bassist Jon Hamar, drummer Ken Brown, and pianist Taber Gable. This debut Jazz Brunch will be built around the music of Miles Davis.

Nothing like swinging for the fences on the first pitch.

I wrote about Jim several weeks ago, and a lot of the area’s coffee drinkers now know that the quiet guy in an apron at Bud’s flies back to New York City frequently whenever he gets a call — to come as soon as possible with his trumpet — from Carole King, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews or a Broadway producer.

Jazz Brunch is open to everyone. The coffee shop will be open, of course. Assuming the weather will be jazz perfect, the band will be out front, and jazz lovers are invited to bring lawn chairs to sit for a sidewalk concert.

In the months to come, the brunch series may include Bud’s on Broadway, Bud’s Goes to Hollywood, Bud’s Plays Mancini, Bud’s Plays Bacharach and Bud’s Plays Paul Simon.

Who knows? Maybe Jim Hynes will convince Bon Jovi to visit Oak Ridge.

Not many people remember the voice of Miles Davis. It was as muted and wrapped in enigma as the look in his eyes. But he said things that sounded like he was quoting Confucius.

Like this: "The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does he project, and does he have ideas." In the case of the four artists at Bud's Jazz Brunch, the answer is an unequivocal "yes."

Miles also said, "You have to practice for a long time before you can learn to sound like yourself."

Mull that one over, with a croissant and cappuccino.

Jazz is a beautiful word. So is brunch.

Knoxville's jazz community has been practicing for a very long time. And it has definitely learned to sound like itself. It's the unique sound of a unique place. Encourage it any way you can.

Bud's Farmhouse is located at 1151 Oak Ridge Turnpike in the Manhattan Shopping Center.

John Job is a longtime Oak Ridge resident and frequent columnist for The Oak Ridger.