Vocalist Kelle Jolly performing with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra at “Evening Under the Stars.” She is a frequent guest artist with the group.
You know it’s October when the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra‘s popular “Evening Under the Stars” fundraiser rolls around. It’s a night of jazz music, great food, and a convivial atmosphere at the beautiful lakeside home of philanthropist Sherri Lee. It’s also a chance for one last dance in the great outdoors before the East Tennessee weather cools off for the autumn season.
This year’s event was a sell-out, as usual, and the weather was perfect. The night started with cocktails on the croquet court, followed by dinner and dancing under a huge tent to the sounds of the 17-piece big band and vocalist Kelle Jolly. Music during dinner was provided by high school prodigy keyboardist Mimi Terry, who is being courted by several prestigious music colleges, including the University of Tennessee’s.
By the Tracks Catering provided the delicious repast. All proceeds go to fund the operations of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, which was founded 25 years ago by trombonist, composer, and arranger Vance Thompson, who still leads the group today.
First: Cocktails on the croquet court!
Barbara Crist, right, with her daughter and son-in-law, Rachel and Chris Williamson.
Joan Cronan, left, and Betsy Quinn.
Susan Dakak, left, and Susana Navarro.
From left, KJO board member Mollie Turner, Alan Carmichael, and Rose Steele. Turner was co-chair of the event, along with Natalie Dowling.
KJO board member Jerome Miller tries a passed brie cup appetizer.
From left, KJO board chair Kevin Grimac with Ricky Kennedy and Jim Harness.
Kate Burn and Isaiah Campbell.
Mark Hill, left, and Aaron White.
Harvey and Karen White.
From left, Dino Cartwright, Sheryl Linck, and Garry Conklin.
From left, Michele Rukeyser, Jessy Su, Krista De Cooke, Christine Rukeyser, Elisabeth Rukeyser, Steven LaBalme, Jeff Fletcher, Julia Huster, and Joan Cronan.
Jerome Miller, left, and Paul Clay.
Here’s a look at all those fantastic passed appetizers.
It was a nice hour.
But, soon we were summoned to the main tent.
The set tables were beautiful, with a little nod to autumn.
From left, Emily and Vance Thompson, Steven Matijcio and Anita Hollmann Matijcio, and Susan Navarro.
Dino Cartwright, left, and Mitchell Moseley.
From left, Jane Creed, Joan Cronan, and Sherri Lee, our generous hostess for the evening.
This was a fantastic first course: a burrata salad with arugula, compressed fall squash, muscadines, aged Parmesan tuiles, and Granny Smith vinaigrette.
From left, Melinda and Kevin Grimac, Vince Rosano, and Sabrina Anderson.
From left, Jim Brown, Susan Seymour, Jeff Fletcher, and Julia Huster.
Christopher and Kari Ford.
Gordon and Judy Gibson.
KJO immediate past board chair Jan Bechtel and board member Don Hough.
Kenneth and Jane Creed.
Roasted sweet potato and pear soup with radish, fennel, and shaved radicchio salad. Yum!
Here’s Mimi Terry playing dinner music.
Those who ordered beef received a tenderloin with potato puree, charred caramelized leeks with Benton’s bacon, asparagus tips, and black garlic sauce.
The fish-eaters got seared halibut with roasted sweet potatoes; Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and baby kale; and maple-garlic vinaigrette.
Dessert: a cranberry limoncello budino with lemon curd and sea salt.
Vance Thompson welcoming folks.
And then, dance time!
Katy and Brett Richardson were among the first on the floor!
Janice Mitchell and Ricky Kennedy.
Tom Johnson.
Jeff and Barbara Crist.
Mark Tucker.
Ken and Lynda Hamilton.
Judy and Gordon Gibson.
Another great night with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra!
I was so sad to miss!! Many thanks to co-chair Mollie Turner for making the evening a HUGE success.
Natalie: I believe you had a good excuse: weren’t you out of the country??
Thanks for such great coverage of Evening Under The Stars. It was a great night!!
Jan: It was such a fun night! Every element was delightful. Very special!
It was a wonderful evening as the KJO kicks off our 25th year. We acknowledge the generosity of the Rukeyser Family and their decades of support as well as our concert patrons and many others. Toast to 25 amazing years.
Kevin: Congrats to everyone involved with the governance and operations of the KJO. It is truly a community jewel and we are so lucky it’s a part of our region’s cultural mix. Thanks for all you do!
Thank you so much, Cynthia, for the pictorial review of this event! Dancing with Ricky, good food with Randy Burleson’s By The Tracks, Kelle Jolly’s fabulous outfit and voice backed up by the outstanding KJO under the watchful eye of Vance Thompson, the pianist playing her heart out, and all under the stars at Sherri Lee’s beautiful home made an evening never to be forgotten in my date book! I needed this evening and KJO supplied it.
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