Equinox Jazz Fest: Celebrating 250 Years of Lexington

By Tom Musgrave

Published September 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM EDT

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This year, as Lexington celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Origins Jazz Series has curated the inaugural Equinox Jazz Fest. The Equinox Jazz Fest is a five-day celebration, September 17-21, honoring the rich legacy and boundless future of jazz. Origins co-founder Eli Uttal-Veroff says the festival will feature everything from intimate showcases to electrifying headliner performances, all embodying the spirit of Jazz and its impact on Lexington. He's the guest this week on WUKY's Open Studio with Tom Musgrave.

Find the complete schedule here:

https://www.originsjazz.org/equinox-jazz-festival

Eli Uttal-Veroff is a versatile educator, performer, and musical entrepreneur. As a jazz bassist, he has performed with artists such as Miguel Zenón, Byron Stripling, Carl Allen, Hector Del Curto, Noah Preminger, JD Allen, and Vince DiMartino. He performs frequently in Lexington, KY as a bandleader and as a member of acclaimed local ensembles including Grupo LexiSamba and UV Music Group. He served as the principal bassist of the Lexington Chamber Orchestra, has appeared with the Lexington Philharmonic in both section and soloist roles, and is an active performer of chamber music.

As a musical entrepreneur, Mr. Uttal-Veroff has a sustained track record of success in concert production, curation of musical series, and consultation for arts organizations. In 2017, he co-founded Origins Jazz Series which has presented nearly 100 concerts and events ranging from Grammy-winning jazz artists to community engagement listening sessions. He has organized on-going partnerships to provide jazz performances at Lexington-area business, including the highly acclaimed Manchester Hotel. Uttal-Veroff provides music consultation services to clients such as the Lexington Philharmonic, the Apiary, VisitLex. Keeneland Association Inc, and LexArts. Lastly, he previously served as the Managing Director of the Lexington Chamber Orchestra including negotiating their merger with the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington.

Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Kentucky, Mr. Uttal-Veroff held positions at Eastern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, Ashland University, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and the Eastman School of Music. Additionally, he was a teaching artist in Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra’s El Sistema-inspired youth orchestra, Musicworks. As a researcher, he has presented at the International Society of Bassists and the Jazz Education Network Conventions.

Mr. Uttal-Veroff is a graduate of Butler University (B.A. in Music with a concentration in Jazz Studies) and The Eastman School of Music (M.M. in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media)