Calendar of Events

Combining the iconic talents of legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle, and the infectious vocal and guitar licks of son Chris Pyle, PYLETRIBE pushes the creative boundaries with their percussion influenced style dubbed “southern fried tribal boogie.”

Pyletribe’s music is featured in Artimus Pyle’s new movie, “Street Survivors,” the true story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane crash, which debuted February 18, 2020. Along with guitarist Josh Chassner and bassist Matt Pike, PYLETRIBE has quickly established their live shows as a ‘must see’ for fans of all ages.

CHRIS PYLE – Vocals, Guitar

ARTIMUS PYLE – Drums

JOSH CHASSNER – Guitar

MATT PIKE-Bass

Some music cannot be found on a map or within iTunes categories. Some music is so original it seems snatched from the great, invisible substrata that runs below all human activity, a sound aching to be born without a flag or fixed allegiance – free, questing, overflowing with immediate, tangible life. This is the music of Toubab Krewe, the vibrant Asheville, NC-based instrumental powerhouse that creates a sonic Pangaea that lustily swirls together rock, African traditions, jam sensibilities, international folk strains and more. While nearly impossible to put into any box, it takes only a few moments to realize in a very palpable way that one is face-to-face with a true original who recognizes no borders in a march towards a muscular, original, globally switched-on sound.

Formed in 2005, Toubab Krewe has tenaciously honed their craft through relentless touring and a fierce dedication to carving out something they can truly call their own. The fruits of this hard work can be heard on their latest release, STYLO, (March 2nd, 2018). What Justin Perkins (kora, kamelngoni, guitar, percussion), Terrence Houston (drumset), Drew Heller (guitar, organ), Justin Kimmel (bass, keys), and Luke Quaranta (djembe, dunun, sangban, kenkeni, kryn, karenye) have wrought on STYLO reflects the many miles and musical journeys that have transpired since their last studio album, TK2.

This is a band that actively draws inspiration from whatever source floats into their purview, something they’ve exhibited in their decade and a half of heavy gigging, including regular appearances at major U.S. festivals like Bonnaroo, High Sierra, Electric Forest, Wakarusa, Hulaween, and abroad at such legendary gatherings as the Festival In The Desert in Essakane, Mali, Shanghai World Music Festival, and Jam Cruise. Whether on their own or collaborating with luminaries like the Last Poets’ Umar Bin Hassan, Uncle Earl’s Rayna Gellert, or Weedie Braimah, Toubab Krewe has already earned the attention and respect of a broad musical community.

Toubab carries echoes of African greats like Ali Farka Toure, Orchestra Baobab and Salif Keita, no doubt picked up during the group’s travels to study and live in Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali.  But what truly differentiates Toubab Krewe from other Statesiders inspired by African music is how they innovate on what they’ve learned instead of simply recreating tradition. Toubab Krewe carves out a new trail honoring the African originators they admire by making something alive and contemporary.

ABOUT THE NTH POWER:

The Nth Power believes in the healing power of music. This all-pro alignment of sharp and seasoned musical vets delivers a transcendent blend of soul, funk, rock and rhythm and blues with multi-part vocal harmonies and songs that inspire audiences to dance, groove, make love or just stand there with goose bumps.

The band’s electric live performances have been flooring audiences ever since the group formed in New Orleans during an impromptu jam during Jazzfest nearly a decade ago. After an EP, studio album and two live albums, the band returned in 2021 in support of their second full-length studio release, Reverence, which was featured on the first-round nominations ballot for the 2022 Grammy Awards.

The Nth Power hails from diverse musical backgrounds, races and creeds, but the universal language of love and its power to change lives is the thread that binds them. The trio features drummer Nikki Glaspie, whose credentials include Beyonce, Maceo Parker, Dumpstaphunk and countless more; guitarist and lead vocalist Nick Cassarino, known best for his previous work with Jennifer Hartswick and Big Daddy Kane; and bassist Nate Edgar of reggae giant John Brown’s Body.

“It’s my dream team,” said Glaspie, “each one of us is a songwriter, so when we get together, everything becomes that much stronger.” Beyond raw skill, however, Glaspie cites a deep spiritual connection as the glue that binds them together. “Music is what brought us together, but it’s the spiritual bond that makes us play so in touch with each other,” she explained.

The Nth Power’s inspirational sets have floored audiences at music festivals like Electric Forest, High Sierra, Peachfest, North Coast Music Festival and Hulaween. They maintain New Orleans as their spiritual home, and the celebratory essence of that city’s music culture is audible in each performance – garnering high profile festival appearances and national acclaim from outlets like Relix, Modern Drummer, Huffington Post, Glide, Consequence, Okayplayer and Sirius XM.

Simply put, there is something pretty magical happening in this band, and they’re only just getting started. “Were going as far as you can go on the planet Earth and playing music,” explains Glaspie, “I don’t know how many times we’ve said it, we are so blessed.”

Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”

From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony^®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar^®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.

An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

Official Website

Leah Wellbaum has never been afraid of her own humility or honesty. But she’s never quite examined it the way she has now with Parallel Timeline.

On Slothrust’s latest album, bandleader Leah Wellbaum pushed herself to try and understand her own spirituality on a deeper level, putting a lens on the core wound of the human experience, the idea that we’re alone. With Parallel Timeline, Wellbaum explores the feeling of being trapped inside her own consciousness while simultaneously searching for a meaningful connection to the universe, and all the mysteries it contains.

During the writing process, Wellbaum sought to connect with her inner child – a voice that allows ideas to flow freely and without censorship. Ultimately, it allowed her to find poetic catharsis. The album’s artwork and visuals reflect that ethos as well. For her, inverted colored rainbows and orbs became a gateway to exploring the illusory things we see and experience in everyday life. The iconography of this record explores the space where science and the whimsical intersect, and where the unfamiliar becomes hardly recognizable. She is a strong believer that nothing is quite as it seems, and that a greater reality exists beyond what the human eye can see.

In advance of recording their fifth studio album, Leah, along with drummer Will Gorin, sought to dramatically expand the band’s sonic palette. Slothrust put an emphasis on incorporating new production techniques and processes into the established Slothrust sound, resulting in an extraordinary amount of experimental demo recordings, many elements of which appear themselves on the final record. They leaned into risk-taking — a freedom that comes with having been in a band together for more than 10 years, cultivating new sonic realms for each track. Leah sought to craft unique and calculated guitar parts instead of continuous bursts of wall-to-wall sound, and in turn delivers what will likely be considered a “how-to manual” for guitar playing in the next decade.

“On this record, I wanted to be even more precise with the guitar parts as opposed to creating a guitar palette, because a lot of artists, us included, have made songs that are so chock-full of guitar that distinct parts becomes a blur,” says Wellbaum. “I enjoy making that choice when it’s right but it’s the contrast of those things that I like to lean into. I strive to make the guitar sing like a human voice.”

Educated musicians all with backgrounds in classical, jazz and blues, the band’s newest work once again sees Slothrust leaning into improvisation — something that in the past has lent itself to the infectious energy of their live shows. Parallel Timeline, mixed by industry legend Billy Bush and mastered by Heba Kadry is a masterclass in balancing tenderness with the fierce guitar work Leah has become known for. With a distinct yet unified sound that blends progressive rock, acoustic and pop, Slothrust has never been more confident.

The backbone of the 10-track record is Leah’s spiritual journey and presence as a guitar god. Opener “Cranium” features a blues-tinged guitar solo inspired by Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” that is so expressive it sings. ““The song addresses absurd ways to love someone or something, and feels very on-theme with things not always being what they appear at first,” says Wellbaum of the track. “It also touches on tenderness being painful, which I think is very true of me as someone who has spent a lot of my life trying to be very tough.”

With catchy grunge-rock jaunt “Once More For The Ocean” and the slow-burning ballad “King Arthur’s Seat,” Leah didn’t have access to an instrument when she wrote them. Instead the lyrics, she felt, were channeled through her as she stared into nature, reflecting the idea of oneness that she was searching for. Inspired by both Scotland and Billy Joel, “King Arthur’s Seat” also “addresses this core human wound that will come up time and time again for all of us, which is the feeling of being alone and separate and not really knowing what to do with that,” Wellbaum says.

With soaring guitar-riffs and Leah’s twinkling harmonies, the ethereal “Waiting” further contemplates the idea of wanting to heal yourself but not knowing how. In the track, connecting with nature – in this case, birds — is a balm. Penned with singer Donna Missal, “The Next Curse” was intended to be a “spell,” but it ended up being a curse. Flanked by thunderous guitars and Leah’s haunting vocals, the blistering rock anthem explores how even among the world’s destruction we still don’t take the time to take care of ourselves: “Earth’s gonna set on fire/But still I wait.” Producer Billy Bush’s influence shines on this track with burly guitars, Leah’s haunting vocals, and a fantastic display of vocal harmony in a feature from Halestorm singer Lzzy Hale. “Billy has that perfect balance of someone who is just easy to be around, totally gets the joke and is available to laugh and chat, but also is incredibly focused,” says Wellbaum. “His ears are magical.”

Slothrust shines particularly within its softer moments on the record. “Strange Astrology” is a stripped-down love song dedicated to Leah’s girlfriend of six years that meditates on astrological compatibility. The hymnal “Courtesy” ties into the record’s overall theme of spirituality and desire to feel connected. “I won’t ask you again if you give it to me/I won’t say it again if you get it the first time,” Leah sings.

While the majority of songs were written pre-pandemic, “A Giant Swallow” was not. The lullaby-like acoustic track unites the record and serves as a roadmap for Slothrust’s previous work, referencing lyrics spanning as early as their first record. Recalling the sweet harmonies of “Courtesy” and “Waiting,” Leah reflects on her search for the unified space. “I’ll return to the ocean/Return to the womb again/Inside of the Mother/Won’t have any questions then,” she sings with a gentle lilt. – Ilana Kaplan

CALVA LOUISE

Driven by vocalist & guitarist Jess’s creative vision, alt-trio CALVA LOUISE has just released their most multifaceted work to date, a 13 tracks album where their eclectic sound provides a mesmerising introduction to an alternate reality. EUPHORIC is a molotov cocktail, encompassing ambitious songwriting and searing guitar hooks that shows a multicultural proposal influenced by graphic novels and Sci-Fi movies.

Accompanied by a 45 minutes animation movie, created by Jess using softwares such as Blender and After Effects, the euphoric experience will continue through the second volume of the graphic novel also created by Jess, where Alizon and Ben will show clues about a EUPHORIC video game project.

The three musicians crossed paths in London during 2016, formed the band and started supporting artists like Razorlight, Albert Hammond Jr. and Highly Suspect. Since the beginning, their songs have found heavy rotation across BBC1 with Jack Saunders, Huw Stephens, Annie Mac and Abbie McCarthy; BBC6 Music with Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq, Shaun Keaveny and the legendary Iggy Pop; X-posure with John Kennedy and also a live session at BBC Maida Vale Studios.

After their explosive performances at Reading & Leeds, CALVA LOUISE are preparing their European tour for early 2022.

Dates: July 11 – 16, 2022
Application: Available now through MyBMC
Cost: A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets. Spots are limited and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all students, faculty, and summer staff for the 2022 season. Please see our FAQ page for more information.

Program Summary

Brevard Music Center (BMC) presents The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming, a six-day intensive seminar and think-tank on orchestral programming intended for professionals and influencers in the orchestral field. Presented by Brevard Music Center in partnership with Bard College, the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the South Dakota Symphony, the University of Michigan School of Music, and Project Director Joseph Horowitz, The Brevard Project takes place July 11-16, 2022. The central goals of The Brevard Project are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire.

Curriculum

The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programing complements Brevard Music Center’s week-long “Dvořák’s Prophecy” festival from July 11-16 and is inspired by Joseph Horowitz’s acclaimed new book Dvořák’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music. Part think-tank, part seminar, this inaugural Project gathering equips practitioners and scholars alike to begin to answer questions about the dense nexus of culture and race, of historical, political, and moral reckonings surrounding the story of American orchestral music. The central goals of this program are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire. The Brevard Project is designed for conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and engaged orchestra Board members.

Moving forward requires a fresh and closer look at our musical past – and to the lagging formation of an American symphonic canon. A new narrative of American classical music will be proposed that explores timely and topical issues that impact present and future orchestral programming. Why did our repertoire remain so stubbornly Eurocentric? What can we learn from this history? What can be mined from the treasure trove of long-hidden indigenous and Black music that can help to pave the future?

Classroom sessions will be highly interactive, drawing upon first-hand accounts of humanities-infused approaches to programming and community engagement. Topics of exploration include creating a “new paradigm” for American orchestral repertoire, rethinking the concert experience, and redefining the role of the music director. Participants will be challenged to envision programming and organizational initiatives to promote symphonic events grounded in the American experience, past and present.

The Faculty

A remarkable faculty has been assembled for this groundbreaking exercise.
*virtual participant

Joseph Horowitz, Project Director
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College; Music Director, American Symphony; Founder, Bard Festival and The Orchestra Now
Lorenzo Candelaria, Dean, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University
Mark Clague, Music Historian, University of Michigan
JoAnn Falletta*, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Christopher Gibbs*, Music Historian, Bard Conservatory; Artistic Co-Director, Bard Festival
Delta David Gier, Music Director, South Dakota Symphony
Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO, Chicago Sinfonietta
Keith Lockhart*, Artistic Director, Brevard Music Center
Douglas McLennan, Founder/Editor, ArtsJournal
Jason Posnock, Chief Artistic Officer, Brevard Music Center
Jesse Rosen, Former CEO, League of American Orchestras
Larry Tamburri, CEO, Newark School of the Arts (former CEO, Pittsburgh and New Jersey Symphonies)

The Performers

Lara Downes, Pianist, producer, arts advocate
Sidney Outlaw, Baritone/pedagogue, Ithaca College
George Shirley, Tenor/pedagogue, University of Michigan

Enrollment Information

Conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and Board members are all encouraged to apply for The Brevard Project.

Capacity is limited. A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets for the week. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply now through MyBMC.

Tuesday, June 14th, and Thursday, June 16th

Option 1: Beginner Clawhammer Banjo with Amy Buckingham

Option 2: All- Instrument Jam Sessions with Mallory Carter & Will Trakas

Monday, June 13th, and Wednesday, June 15th

Option 3: Introduction to Improvisation for all instruments with Carson Moore

* *Sessions are $30 for one, $50 for two, $65 for three, and $72 for all 4**

Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”

From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony^®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar^®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.

An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

Official Website

The Getaway River Bar is celebrating a tropical transformation and everyone of legal drinking age is invited to the party! Come drink, eat, & dance in a space that’s safe for all. (no cover, 21+) Chill drink eat & dance.

Soak in the sun and feel those vacation vibes kick in as you chill by the river. Enjoy a pig roast courtesy of Steve Goff and grab a delicious tropical inspired cocktail accompanied by the beautiful lo-fi tunes of Juan Holladay. Juan will be playing live music outdoors as the sun sets, then as the night progresses, so does the party with the amazing Meseret & Zati. Get ready to dance with their cast of house DJs until midnight.

Bring your friendly dogs, play games and mingle with us on the edge of the French Broad River, in-between the city center and growing West Asheville. The Getaway River Bar, formerly known as Ole Shakeys’, is located at 790 Riverside Dr. in Asheville NC.
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SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY
Pig Roast 4pm to 8pm
Live Music 5pm to 8pm
Dance Party 8pm to 12am
Drink Specials on Special Drinks All Day

ELI YACHINTHE

Eli Yacinthe performs all styles of music: jazz, blues, country, rock, R&B, and even big band. He approaches each song, each note, with authentic energy and sensibility.

A native of Statesville, NC Eli Yacinthe has always been immersed in music. Throughout his childhood he sang with his mom, at home and church. When they watched musicals together, he was fascinated with the elaborate orchestration. Eli found he possessed a variety of musical gifts, including the ability to extrapolate individual notes and reproduce them verbatim — even intricate harmonies and rhythms. He learned drums at age two, and later, piano – but always preferring to play by ear.

At 10, Eli’s father taught him to play guitar, but it wasn’t love at first chord. His fingers burned from constant practice. “After a few days I hated that thing, I hated it so much,” he says. But then he viewed a video of finger style guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel, and his mind was changed forever. “From that point I became obsessed, I just never wanted to put it down. I didn’t want to play video games or whatever the other kids were doing. I would spend hours in my room learning songs, or trying something new.”

Now Eli rocks the house and has garnered an enthusiastic following performing all styles of music: jazz, blues, country, rock, R&B and even big band. He approaches each song, each note, with an authentic energy and sensibility.

Fans applaud the distinctive sound of his voice, which ranges from soulful to snappy. His guitar virtuosity combined with his rich and soulful vocal style make an instant impression.

A career highlight was Eli’s performance at 2017’s MerleFest, for an audience of 9,000. “It was surreal to me,” he says. “I was so nervous, but when I got on stage everything just went away, the crowd was so supportive, and it just felt right. Like I was meant to be there.” A few weeks later, Eli performed to a sold-out crowd on a full scholarship at Nashville’s Fine Arts Summer Academy. Since then, he’s taken instruction from a list of renowned guitarists such as Richard Smith, John Knowles, Pat Bergeson, and John Jorgenson.

In a world where critics prefer to classify music into specific genres, Eli defies categorization. “Music is my life’s work” comments Eli. “It’s definitely my calling.”

Sham is the songs of Shane Justice McCord expanded in company with Mikey Powers, other friends, and magnetic tape. Celebrating the release of a new album entitled “Field of Vision Expanded”. Sham will be performing as a band including Mikey Powers and Madeleine Sis.

Livingston Taylor’s career as a professional musician has spanned over 50 years, encompassing performance, songwriting, and teaching. Described as “equal parts Mark Twain, college professor, and musical icon, Livingston maintains a performance schedule of more than a hundred shows a year, delighting audiences with his charm and vast repertoire of his 22 albums and popular classics. Livingston has written top-40 hits recorded by his brother James Taylor and has appeared with Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, and Jimmy Buffet. He is equally at home with a range of musical genres – folk, pop, gospel, jazz – and from upbeat storytelling and touching ballads to full orchestra performances. In addition to his performance schedule, Livingston has been a full professor at Berklee College of Music for 30 years, passing on the extensive knowledge gained from his long career on the road to the next generation of musicians. Liv is an airplane-flying, motorcycle-riding, singing storyteller, delighting audiences with his charm for over 50 years.

Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”

From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony^®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar^®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.

An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

Official Website

What is left for Yacht Rock Revue to prove? This top-notch group of musicians has
already rocked onstage with John Oates, Eddie Money (RIP), and both versions of the
band Player. They’ve trademarked the term “yacht rock,” both metaphorically and
literally (U.S. Registration Number 3834195). From humble beginnings in a basement,
touring in partnership with Live Nation and Sirius XM, they now headline sold-out shows
across the country, from Webster Hall in New York to the Wiltern in L.A. While rising
from bars to amphitheaters, they’ve ticked every box on the Rock Star
Accomplishments bingo card. Except for one: Writing and singing their own songs.

Yacht Rock Revue’s first original record is ten songs inspired by the smoooooth sounds
of the Seventies and Eighties. They’ve brazenly titled it Hot Dads In Tight Jeans –
forgive them for bragging, but that’s what they are – and it returns Yacht Rock Revue to
their roots in original music.

“I had a midlife crisis. That’s why we made this album,” says Nick Niespodziani, the
group’s singer, guitarist, and spiritual leader. “Everyone in the band is a dad now, so we
needed to make this happen, before we become grandpas. I’ve sung ‘Escape’
by Rupert Holmes at least a thousand times, and if that isn’t paying your dues, I don’t
know what is.”

It’s rare that musicians in their 40s chase their rock star dreams. You’d have to be crazy
to try. YRR knew they were underdogs, but resolved to take one more shot at the Top
40, and maybe even become a Cinderella story of midlife fulfillment.

Yacht Rock Revue began in the least-yachtiest of states, 2,000 miles from breezy
Marina del Rey. Niespodziani and Pete Olson met in the fourth grade in suburban
Indiana, went on to Indiana University in the late Nineties, formed the band Y-O-U, then
escaped – Rupert Holmes reference intended – to Atlanta. One night, Y-O-U tucked
their tongues deep in their cheeks and played a show of Yacht Rock songs. The rowdy
(a nice way of saying drunk), sold-out crowd loved it.

When the club owner asked them to do it again, Niespodziani didn’t want to. But the
club owner had an ace up his sleeve: money.

Over the years, YRR (there’s also a Dave, a Greg, and literally three guys named Mark)
have turned themselves into human wine spritzers, playing 120 to 150 shows a year,
mastering Yacht Rock’s slick chords and mellow grooves, and partying like it’s 1979.
What began as a joke among friends soon put a ripple in the zeitgeist, starting a
national trend through YRR’s concerts, lauded as “unabashedly joyous affairs” by
Entertainment Weekly. They accumulated an extensive wardrobe of white belts and
polyester shirts. Yacht Rock Revue were revered and well-compensated! Their life was
a tenor sax solo! This is what every musician wants.

But even as YRR was sailing the smooth seas of tribute-band superstardom, and the
band members all became dads, Niespodziani was still writing original songs. These
new tunes had the spirit of Yacht Rock, but were more modern – akin to Phoenix or Air,
the hip bands that adapted Yacht for a younger audience. They brought the songs to a
hot producer, Ben Allen, who’s worked with Gnarls Barkley, Animal Collective, and
Neon Indian. Allen gave the songsa lustrous shine, for both new audiences and their
ever-loyal fans, the Nation of Smooth. Niespodziani and Olson even co-wrote a song,
“Big Bang,” with Yacht Rock master Matthew Wilder, famous for his massive 1983 hit
“Break My Stride.”

“Step,” the record’s first single, is a peppy number replete with falsetto and bumping
bass, a cross between the Bee Gees and Steely Dan’s “Peg.” It’s also the mission
statement for the album in a way, because it’s about deciding who you want to be, and
making space for that in your life. The seven-piece band display tight chops, and the
songs incorporate Yacht Rock Revue’s sense of humor, especially on the funky,
pro-margarita “Bad Tequila,” the flute-fired “Another Song About California,” and
opening track “The Doobie Bounce,” where Niespodziani brags, “I used to sleep on
couches/Now I sleep on nicer couches.”

“Hot Dads In Tight Jeans” is as plush and shiny as Kenny Loggins’ beard. And YRR are
already dropping these new songs into their sets, to great response from longtime fans
who are thrilled to hear new smooth. While others in YRR’s position stick with the
tried-and-true, Niespodziani hopes the album will let them welcome aboard new fans,
too. To paraphrase a notable mariner… they’re gonna need a bigger yacht.

“Here’s how I see it,” Niespodziani concludes, sliding into a waiting limousine. “We have
only one fewer hit than Player did, and Player is immortal. We built this Yacht Rock
thing on the power of memories and good vibes. None of that is changing; we’re just
gonna make a few new memories as well.”

Founding member Jonathon Lopez initially launched Provoker as a solo vehicle to explore composing for film — a notion that still holds true via their cinematic approach to both songwriting and video production. He later brought on R&B singer and lyricist Christian Petty, after meeting at a horror screening, making for a very cinematic union both visually and thematically. With the addition of the falsetto frontman and co-writer, the group’s music started taking on new shapes finding the middle ground between catharsis and despondency. At the same time, they moved their center of operations from the Bay Area to Los Angeles. Stylistically, they arrived at a masterful blend of synth-forward minor-key romanticism and resplendently moody R&B, animated by an electric sense of yearning. “All our songs have some sort of defeatist mentality or insecurity behind them,” said Petty. “Some deep sadness, escapism, and idealism.”

EVANORA: UNLIMITED

Burlesque Brunch is a monthly burlesque and bellydance show with a classic speakeasy feel. Join our dancing dames and dandies every third Sunday of the month for a little singin’, strippin’, and sippin’ starting at noon. It’s a Sunday afternoon to delight the senses!

**Ticket price covers entry, brunch is not included in price.

18+

Jazz Sunday at One World Brewing West is a modern jazz jam held every Sunday afternoon from 1-4pm. Previously known as Jazz Monday, the jam has been running non stop since July, 2018 at the West Asheville brewery and is hosted weekly by The Fully Vaccinated Jazz Trio, consisting of Ray Ring on guitar, Jason DeCristofaro on drums, piano and vibraphone, and Connor Law on bass. Jazz Sunday typically features a guest artist for a short set and then welcomes jazz musicians of all levels to sit in for the remainder of the afternoon on One World’s spacious outdoor stage.

Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”

From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony^®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar^®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.

An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

Official Website

Steve Lapointe’s nine years of classical piano as a youth grounded him in music theory. Jazz studies while in Ithaca, NY, opened his ears to extemporaneous improvisation and the music of Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Michel Petrucciani and the American songbook. Steve served as musical director of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, Florida, and occasionally performed at the UU Asheville congregation

Jack of the Wood : Sunday-Irish Session 

Sundays

1 till who knows when?

Traditional Irish music is kept alive at Jack of the Wood with our unplugged Sunday session.

Jack of the Wood

95 Patton ave

Asheville, NC 28801

(828) 252.5445

http://www.jackofthewood.com/

It’s hard to stay still around these boys. They’ve got that toe-tapping, knee-slapping, boot-stomping kind of sound. They get you moving and shaking. Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle—part rowdy honkytonk, part old-time pioneers—equates to a sound that sticks with your soul and leaves you singing barefoot into the star sky.

They pull from all sorts of genres—from Lead Belly to John Prine, from Woody Guthrie to Willy Tea Taylor —to create something unique and deep-rooted. These guys lean into the rhythms of the Ohio River Valley—where they’ve walked upon—and look to the songs in the muddy water and the tradition it carries.

To get “hustled” is to get the full-body musical experience—that head-boppin’, hip-swaying, soul-singing with the stranger next to you. It’s the kind of music that encapsulates you into a community of sound, one that becomes familiar once you hear it, like maybe, you’ve been listening to them forever.

Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”

From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony^®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar^®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.

An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

Official Website

“That was my mission on this album: To really set these songs up so that they have a life of their own,” says Samantha Fish about Kill or Be Kind, her sixth solo album and her debut on Rounder Records. “Strong messages from the heart – that’s what I really set out for.” Indeed, what comes across immediately on hearing the album is the extraordinary level of songcraft on its eleven tracks, the way these songs are so smartly put together to deliver a potent emotional impact.

Anyone who has ever heard Fish’s previous albums knows that she has earned a place in the top rank of contemporary blues guitarists and that her voice can wring the soul out of a ballad and belt out a rocker with roof-shaking force. And, rest reassured, those virtues are fully in evidence on Kill or Be Kind. But each of the songs on the album does far more than simply provide a setting for Fish’s pyrotechnics. They tell captivating stories, set up by verses that deftly set the scene, choruses that lift with real feeling, and hooks that later rise up in your thoughts, even when you’re not aware that you’re thinking of music at all. It’s the kind of songwriting that emerges when raw talent is leavened by experience and aspiration, and when a committed artist genuinely has something to say. Those qualities make Kill or Be Kind a genuine artistic breakthrough for Fish.

“I think I’ve grown as a performer and as a player,” she explains. “I’ve become more respectful of the melody. You can go up and down the fret board and up and down your vocal register, but that’s not going to be as powerful as conveying a simple melody that people can really connect to and sing themselves.” To help bring those elements to her music, Fish sought out high-quality songwriting collaborators – the likes of Jim McCormick (who has worked with Fish before and also written for Luke Bryan and Keith Urban); Kate Pearlman (who has worked with Kelly Clarkson); Patrick Sweeney; Parker Millsap; and Eric McFadden. The result is an album on which each song is distinct, but the complete work hangs together as a coherent, entirely satisfying statement. “When you get to this point in your life as an artist,” Fish says, “it’s good to work with others, because it makes you stretch. I think you hear a lot of that nuance on the record, songs that have a pop sensibility to them, hooks that really pull you in.”

You get a good sense of the range the album covers from the first two songs released. Fish propels “Watch It Die” with an insistent guitar riff, but near the song’s end two female background singers lend the song a haunting soulful feel. Meanwhile, “Love Letters” moves on an insinuating, stop-time riff in its verses until it bursts in passion on its chorus. Both songs use horn sections for finesse and texture. “Love Letters” also introduces one of the album’s central themes: the allure of losing yourself in love – and the dangers of it.  “Keep waking up in the bed I made,” Fish sings. “Forget the pain when you wanna play/I’m back to broken when you go away.”

“That’s just a love-sick song,” Fish says, laughing. “like I think I was when I wrote it.” The title track, a seductive ballad, offers a lover a stark choice: “Make up your mind/I can kill or be kind.” To explain that dichotomy, Fish says, “It’s funny how love can be so fickle, how quickly you go from object of affection to one of disdain. I’ve always found that dynamic interesting. That track is full of that duality,” she adds, laughing. “I also loved the Memphis sound of the horns on there. They sound modern, but it’s got this vintage feeling as well.” The songs “Dirty,” “Love Your Lies” and “Fair-Weather” explore similar themes – how deceit, self-deception and shifting expectations can alter the course of life and love. The affecting ballad “Dream Girl” stands the endearment of its title on its head and explores the dilemma of a love not coming to fruition. “I wish you’d take the rest of me,” Fish sings. “These tears, they kill your fantasy.” On “She Don’t Live Around Here Anymore,” a soul ballad once again bolstered by tasteful horn parts, the singer confronts the feeling of being used and finds empowerment in walking away.

The album is framed by songs — “Bulletproof” and “You Got It Bad (Better Than You Ever Had).” “Bulletproof digs into the theme of vulnerability, about it being mistaken for weakness, and how we often times feel the need to wear a mask to survive in the world today, while “You Got It Bad (Better Than You Ever Had)” is about working towards your dreams and the knifes edge we often walk to reach our goals.

“Trying Not to Fall in Love With You” finds the singer not wanting to rush a relationship – and therefore undermine it. “I fall fast,” Fish admits, “I have to remember to take care and not scare the person away.”

To make Kill or Be Kind, Fish chose to work at the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis, with Scott Billington as producer. “I worked at Royal before, when I made my Wild Heart album,” she says. “The soul in the walls, the vibe – you can feel it in that place. I’m such a fan of Al Green, Ann Peebles and all the classic recordings that happened there. Memphis just kept calling to me. I’ve always felt so inspired there.” As for Billington, a three-time Grammy winner, Fish appreciated both his open-mindedness and his willingness to ease her out of her comfort zone. “Scott allowed me to see the building-out process of the album all the way through, from the top to the bottom,” she says. “Bringing in background singers and synthesizers, which I’d never done on an album before, that added an extra edge. Honestly, it was a challenge. It pushed me to think about the songs differently. That trust from my producer gave me the freedom to really take some risks.”

Having completed an album that she believes in so strongly – “This is me coming through, my personality,” she says – Fish is eager to bring it to the world. “I got the moon in the back of my mind, and I want to shoot for it!” she declares. “I want to reach over genre lines and get out to as many people as possible. This album is so broad – and it’s all me. So I’m just hoping it catches people and appeals to them.”

She concludes, “Overall my big goal, career-wise, is to contribute something different and new to music. I want to give something that stands apart and yet is timeless.” With Kill or Be Kind, Samantha Fish is well on her way along that path. – Anthony DeCurtis

Formed by Sir Neville Marriner in 1958 from a group of leading London musicians to focus on playing Baroque music, the Academy gave its first performance in its namesake church in November 1959. The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble was created in 1967 to tour as a string octet, string sextet, and in other configurations including winds.

Currently the Wind Ensemble is composed of James Burke, clarinet, Tom Blomfield, oboe, Julie Price, bassoon, Stephen Stirling, horn, and Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano. As well as being extraordinary chamber musicians, the artists perform as soloists and serve as teachers individually and together. Their accolades and tributes are many and illustrious.

In an ongoing cooperative spirit, the ensemble works toward the brilliantly energetic sound and high standard of musicianship which have become its hallmarks. The Wind Ensemble of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields one of the world’s premier chamber orchestras, is renowned for its fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s most-loved classical music.

THE MOTH

BOOKS: Prepare a five-minute story about the written word. The novels that changed your life or the ones you only pretended to read. An open book, or one judged by cover alone. Book stores, clubs, and libraries. Dog-eared pages with notes in the margins, tell us about one for the record books, or just the CliffsNotes. If you go home with someone and they don’t have any…

Volunteer at TFAC events this spring! Email Sharol at [email protected] or call 828-859-8322 T-F 10AM – 4PM Ushers & Bartenders needed for the following events. EVENTS April 16:      Livingston Taylor concert on main stage April 21-24: Enchanted April community theater on stage April 28:      Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 8:         Ranky Tanky concert on main stage May 5:         Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 12:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 19:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors) May 26:       Amphitheater concert (outdoors)

Intro to Guitar with Melissa McKinney – Students will receive a solid foundation in beginner rhythm guitar for vocalists. Chords, Rhythm patterns, and basic theory will be introduced while learning songs with an uplifting message. Students will also learn to play the song that the Songwriting Class will be writing and will record it in the One Mic Studio.

Tuesdays from 4pm-5pm at LEAF Global Experience (19 Eagle St, Asheville, NC, 28801)

*Dates/times subject to change – interested in attending this class but unsure if it works with your schedule, or if it suits your student’s skill level? Reach out to us at [email protected]! We are always looking to adapt and expand our class schedules to accommodate new students!

Intro to Ukulele with Melissa McKinney – Students will receive a solid foundation in beginner Ukulele skills for vocalists. Chords, Rhythm patterns, and basic theory will be introduced through songs with an uplifting message. Students will also learn to play the song that the Songwriting Class will be writing and get to record it in the One Mic Studio.

*Dates/times subject to change – interested in attending this class but unsure if it works with your schedule, or if it suits your student’s skill level? Reach out to us at [email protected]! We are always looking to adapt and expand our class schedules to accommodate new students!