Sully's Swingin' Sunday Supper

Join us for Sully's Swingin' Sunday Supper, where one of Music City's top jazz and instrumental bassists Jimmy Sullivan leads a swingin' band with different special guest artists and Rudy's serves up a unique and delectable supper special just for the show!

Harmonic adaptability and rhythmic flexibility are the key attributes of any first rate bassist. Though a native born Virginian, Jimmy Sullivan has ascended to the top ranks of Music City's rhythm section comrades, proving himself a versatile and imaginative bassist on multiple occasions. He's excelled in numerous idiomatic sessions, though jazz remains a priority and key musical love. Still, he's flourished while working, recording and/or performing with such top country, rock and pop stars as Lee Ann Womack, Mandy Barnett, Mark Collie, Jason Petty, Becky Warren, Anne McCue. Calbe Caudle and Ben De La Cour among others. But most recently he's become an area favorite backing one of Nashville's most popular and beloved jazz vocalists, Stephanie Adlington.

Sullivan grew up in Reston, Virginia. Despite not having any musicians in the family, Sullivan still became enamored with music at an early age. Teaching himself to play by ear, his early apprentice came as both a singer and instrumentalist. He performed in a choir while also playing piano and clarinet. But his primary instrument became bass at 15, where he began on electric. Soon came formal jazz studies at Northern Virginia Community college, where he obtained a two-year degree before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

At VCU not only did Jimmy receive the seasoning and grounding from an exceptional program founded by the late, great, pianist/composer Ellis Marsalis, he was required to master the acoustic. That was the final step in Sullivan becoming a full-time bassist. Over the next six years, while living in Richmond, he worked in multiple settings and with a host of bands playing the full musical spectrum from classical and jazz to soul, gospel and hip-hop.

Interestingly, upon initially moving to New York, Sullivan didn't initially immerse himself in jazz like many new arrivals. Instead, folk and the gamut of styles known as Americana were how he made his livelihood for much of the next decade, while also getting married. It wasn't util 2017 that he arrived in Nashville, still married and not really even contemplating being a full-time musician much longer. But while his then wife was pursing a singer/songwriting career, a funny thing happened to Jimmy Sullivan. He moved from trying to decide whether to sell his bass to attending jam sessions, meeting fellow players and re-discovering his love for music. The flexibility that he had previously acquired made it easy for him to fit into all the contexts and situations that one encounters in a city like Nashville. Not only did he begin attracting attention from the country and western swing world, but also discovered a growing and intense jazz scene.

While he's now working regularly with Stephanie Adlington, he's also played with other Music City jazz stalwarts like Annie Selleck, Laura Mayo and Jamie Paul as well as international artists Laila Biali and Carol Welsman. He's become good friends and consistently shared the bandstand with Andy Reiss, Marcus Finnie, Geoff Pfiefer and Don Aliquo.

Jimmy Sullivan's now acclaimed not only in Nashville but throughout the region and state as a topflight player. He's already won one Nashville Music Industry Award as Best Jazz Instrumentalist in 2018, and others are sure to follow. But most importantly, Jimmy Sullivan's ferocity on the bandstand, and joy and love of playing music are infectious, and anyone who sees and hears him will immediately discover it as well as the inspiring and motivational power of great performance.

This show is all ages. All sales are final and we unfortunately cannot offer any refunds. Additional tickets may be available at the door on the day of the show even if it is sold out online.

Please try to arrive 15 minutes prior to the show start time. If you do not arrive within 45 minutes after the show start time on your ticket your seat may be resold to other patrons at the door. If you arrive after 45 minutes from the start time of the show and your ticket has been resold, although we cannot guarantee it, we will try our best to make space for you to attend the show.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Rudy's Jazz Room, 809 Gleaves Street, Nashville, United States