The Big Ears Festival returns to Knoxville, Tennessee, for a spate of performances in 2026 that span jazz and improvised musics in all their forms, set alongside rock and electronic players from across the world. Ashley Capps, who founded the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, later started Big Ears in 2009. As it’s evolved, the range of art represented has expanded to include film and comedy in addition to exploratory music. Capps and veteran music writer Ann Powers chat about the 2026 lineup in a new podcast, part of the festival’s “Conversations About Music” podcast series (the earlier 2025 podcasts are still readily accessible at the same page). For a full lineup of the March 26 through 29 performances, visit the Big Ears website.