Outside the Spotlight
Outside The Spotlight is a series of jazz and improvised music events in Lexington, KY. We give a home to artists making music that doesn't fit with commercial sensibilities and build an environment where artists and audience can interact more directly.
We want to expand the the availability of this music to anyone who is interested. Performances are at all-ages venues and are generally pay-what-you-can donation-based admission.
Help us keep the action coming!
Click here for information about how support OTS.
Please consider supporting our local peer music series:
Origins Jazz Series and Jazz at the Library.
Our Next Show...
OTS #249 - FRIEND LESS w/ Zeus, Again
September 30, 2026
Location: artfarm, 1123 Winchester Rd, Lexington, KY 40505
6:30 Doors. Show starts at 7 p.m.
All-ages. $10 Suggested Donation.
FRIEND LESS is a project by Jon Mueller. Its two recent EPs, Energy Rippers and Logic of Relics (with Bundy K. Brown and James Plotkin) aim to provoke the heart, mind and body through an unorthodox approach to rhythmic patterns. In performance, the pieces from Energy Rippers lean on a system of AIR (Acoustic Improvised Rhythm) using drums and voice to achieve a similar effect. More information about the project can be found at rhythmplex.com.Jon Mueller studied jazz drumming with Hal Russell at Columbia College in Chicago, and singing with La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela at the Kirana Center for Indian Classical Music in New York. A prolific performer, he tours extensively and has appeared at festivals and venues throughout the United States, Canada, England, Europe and Japan.
ZEUS, AGAIN is the musical project of Ken Brown, Bob Dixon, and Mathias Kolehmainen. They perform on electric bass, electric guitar, and drums. Collectively they have many decades of experience in performing and recording groups that have been based in Chicago, Louisville, and the Bay Area. Their music builds on their experiences in post rock, post punk, jazz, noise, ambient, traditional settings; references the work of their peers in the contemporary neo-minimalist community; and explores novel interpretations of their personal canons.
Please sign up to our email list to stay informed about upcoming Outside the Spotlight shows!
Coming Soon...
OTS #250 - V.Vecker solo & Listening Party
October 16, 2026
Institute 193 | 215 North Limestone
Show starts at 7 p.m.
Come celebrate Outside the Spotlight's 250th show!!!V.Vecker is the pseudonym for Keith Wecker, a composer and multi-instrumentalist based out of Vancouver, BC, Canada.His solo compositions revolve around looped sax and synth.
Please sign up for our e-mail list to stay up-to-date on all Outside the Spotlight shows!
Contact Us
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to our 2025-2026 giving campaign!
For 23 years OTS has been an all-volunteer organization devoted to bringing out-of-this-world performances to Central Kentucky. Our performances are held in unconventional spaces, designed to be uniquely memorable. We have featured improvising artists from all over the world, multiple MacArthur fellows, and legends from the jazz and free-improv community.
Your donations help us to continue supporting independent artists while making performances available to all.
This year we have a new option to donate monthly! Please consider making a recurring donation which greatly helps us budget throughout the year. We have several tiers of support and your donation allows us to pay musicians a fair wage without the necessity of a cover charge. Our new fundraising platform allows you to donate through card, Venmo, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, or if you're old-fashioned we still accept cash or check.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your donation may be tax-deductible. 100% of your donation goes towards supporting future OTS events. We greatly appreciate your support, with your help we can meet our goal and keep independent improvised music accessible to fans of all ages and income levels. See you at the next performance!