In the hard world of glass, many artists who blow the molten material – wielding huge blobs, with much drama, from fearsome furnaces – look down on those who do stained glass or flame work, which they consider mere hobbyist endeavors. photo by Jodi Ford Lissa and Chris Juedemann in their studio. However, two teams … Read more
The Avett Brothers are Trojan-horse traditionalists. Unsuspecting audiences see three lads step on stage with the usual mountain picking accouterments – banjo, acoustic guitar, upright bass. The ambush begins with the first pluck, when the expected high-lonesome is thwarted by a punk propulsion that would lullaby-ify Iggy Pop. And just when the mayhem reaches its … Read more
“Oh, I played with them when they were very young and not famous,” says mandolinist Mike Marshall, referring to his résumé-gilding gigs with David Grisman, Darol Anger and Béla Fleck. “I’ve known Béla since he was 17,” the musician adds during a recent interview with Xpress. “These people have done the hard work of becoming … Read more
CD reviews Agent 23 and B Ski Rocks, The Road Less Traveled: Four Stars • Genre(s): Hip-Hop, Rap • You’ll like it if: You can identify at least one soulful bone in your body • Defining song: “Ghosts Roaming the Earth”—Agent 23’s spitfire lyrics depict our assembly-line society with potent conviction. Rap and optimism have … Read more
How much do Americans like the fruit of the vine? A 2005 Gallup poll indicated that wine is in fact this country’s favorite alcoholic beverage: 39 percent of the people polled said that they preferred wine over beer and liquor – a 6 percent jump over the previous year. There are myriad reasons for the … Read more
Healing foods: If we are indeed what we eat, Dr. Michael T. Murray, a leading authority on natural medicine, wants us to be the healthiest our diet can make us. The author of several books, Murray’s latest, The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, bills itself as “the most comprehensive, user friendly A to Z guide on … Read more
Elmer Hall is not an immediately accessible man. He’s not brusque, as those who’ve only spoken with him by phone sometimes say. But neither is he the garrulous grandpa kind of host one might expect, given the many stories of his kindnesses, his gentleness and, most particularly, his hospitality. Now in his 68th year, Hall … Read more
Saturday Night Fever (on a Wednesday) • Who he is: Robert Tate • What he’s wearing: Brown jacket (made in Belgium), butterfly-collar button-down shirt and narrow gold tie, all from Ragtime. “I was at a benefit show [there],” Robert explains. “Someone had put this outfit together and I walked in and said, ‘That’s nice.’” • … Read more
“If the new mayor and [City] Council are serious about affordable housing, they won’t rezone it. Wal-Mart is not adding that much to the city,” declares 25-year West Asheville resident Walter Bryson, whose mobile home sits on land that is the proposed site of the retail behemoth’s latest local superstore. The owners of the various … Read more
