Milk Man & The Big Band — Live at the Bijou — 1/15
January 15, 2027 @ 8:00 pm
Dino “Milk Man” Nassios is a young man with an old soul. That’s a common cliché, of course, but given Dino’s devotion to the sounds of an earlier era, it clearly rings true. That was immediately evident with the release of Let Me Tell You, the 2024 13-song debut album by Milk Man & The Big Band. Recorded by an 18-piece instrumental ensemble that consists of college students playing real strings, real horns and actual analog keyboards, it established a signature style that eschews digital emulators and the simulated effects that often fall short when it comes to conveying true authenticity.
Based out of Knoxville, the band first coalesced in 2021 and has been delighting audiences ever since. With their second release, Milk Man Live In Concert, a live album recorded around Knoxville, it’s easy to understand why their audience has continued to grow. For starters, Nassios is a classic crooner, a singer who coveys a clear commitment and command of the material that’s shared here. So too, the arrangements delivered by these young musicians are singularly upbeat and inventive, transforming classic tunes like Pink Floyd’s “Have A Cigar,” Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” and Cream’s “White Room” in ways that might not have otherwise been imagined. At the same time, the band’s originals — the rousing “Let Me Tell You,” the riveting “Hammurabi’s Pad” and the calming caress of “Tired” in particular — find equal footing, as if they too have been in the ether forever.
In a sense, Milk Man & The Big Band borrow from the brash and brassy sound that characterized earlier outfits like Steely Dan, Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears. Like them, they use horns for both accentuation and innovation, courtesy of a distinctive and dynamic delivery. They turn back the pages to a time when anything was possible, and creativity was culled from invention and know-how in equal proportion.
Milk Man & The Big Band’s reverence for past precepts is truly unerring and impressive. The fact that these musicians are so credible and capable when it comes to fulfilling their stated mission makes this album that much more solid and significant. Milk Man Live In Concert offers a clear indication of a legacy they not only lean on, but happily propel into the future. Again, to tap into a common cliché, it’s fair to say this Milk Man delivers.
