FUNK UNIVERSITY

Jazz music fills Bert Driver’s Burlap Room for its first installment of the Winter Series.

The Winter Series consists of several Thursday night shows, prompting the Bert’s on Thursdays mentality. It’s a gathering of sorts in an intimate setting to enjoy local artists and their music. Outside, there is plenty of room to sit by the fire pits and the music … socially distanced. Not only that, but there will be a food truck on site and craft beer within the tap house.

Tickets for the shows are only $10 each and can be purchased online at eventbrite.com. So, come on out to support local music and enjoy a relaxing night here at Bert Driver’s Burlap Room.

MORE ABOUT FUNK UNIVERSITY:

David Odegaard teaches applied Double Bass, Music Appreciation, Harmony, and Aural Techniques at Tennessee Tech University and Intro to Music at Volunteer State College. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s degree in Music Theory from Southern Methodist University. David is currently the principle bassist of the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra and regularly performs with many area ensembles and music productions.

Jason Hutchens received a Liberal Arts degree in music and minor in chemistry from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN in 1997. After leaving Austin Peay State University, he went on to attend the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy in Memphis, TN where he received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree. While living in Clarksville and Memphis, he performed on a weekly basis with numerous jazz, blues, R&B and funk bands that performed in various venues on a monthly circuit throughout Tennessee as well as some cities in Kentucky and Illinois. After leaving Memphis, Jason moved to Maryville, TN to work for Blount Memorial Hospital. While living there he established himself as one of the first call saxophone players among the live music circuit throughout Knoxville and Maryville. Ten years ago he moved to Cookeville, TN to work for Cookeville Regional Medical Center where he still resides. The bands he has been a member of include Syndicate of Soul, Bump City, The Dell Tones, Lost and Found, Jenna and the Jones’s, Jobe, The East Tennessee Jazz Orchestra, The Swing Street Orchestra, and The Swing Street Big Band.

Kurt Snider is a product of the Tampa Bay, Florida music scene, where he was a full time drummer during the 80s and 90s with his last seven years in Tampa playing jazz in Citiheat, the house band at Brothers Lounge. Citiheat also served as the opening act for many 80s jazz stars that came through town like Grover Washington Jr., Al Jarreau and George Benson. Kurt moved to Tennessee in 1999 and has stayed active in the local music scene, playing drums in a variety of musical situations.