From RiverLink
Newsletter
RiverLink’s final RiverMusic of 2015 brings an evening of free classic funk to Asheville on Friday, Oct. 9, when Fred Wesley and the New JBs take the stage in the River Arts District. Fred Wesley is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the second half of the 1970s.
According to Karen Cragnolin, RiverLink executive director, “You could say we saved the best for the last concert of the season. The James Brown backup band. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Gates at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza (144 Riverside Drive in the River Arts District) open at 5. The music starts at 5:30 with Lyric, continues with The Lee Boys at 6:45 and our headliners Fred Wesley and the New JBs at 8:15.
You can walk, run, hop on your bike, paddle your boat, jump on the trolley at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce or drive your car to the free city parking lots next to the free concert.
Former Washington Post music critic Joe Sasfy says of the evening, “Last in 2015 is hardly least as RiverMusic’s October 9 finale features legendary funk master, Fred Wesley and his horn-heavy New JB’s. Wesley served as trombonist, arranger and music director for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, during Brown’s funkiest years (1968-75) and went on to help shape the sound of Parliament, Bootsy Collins and George Clinton.
In short, Wesley was key to the development of what we call funk. His 7-piece band will be preceded by Asheville’s own Lyric and the raise-the-roof sacred steel gospel of the Lee Boys. If you believe music should move the body and the soul, this is your night!”
RiverLink will be serving beer from New Belgium and Hi-Wire Brewing, and will have a variety of eclectic delectables from foodtrucks Vieux Carre, Taste and See, The Real Food Truck, Latino Heat and Smash Box, with ice cream from The Hop.
Event sponsors this year include Prestige Subaru, the Chaddick Foundation, Pisgah Investments, New Belgium Brewing, Catawba Brewing, Highland Brewing, WNCW, Mountain Xpress and Twin Leaf Brewery and Hi Wire Brewing.
Located in Asheville’s River Arts District, RiverLink is a regional organization spearheading the economic and environmental revitalization of the French Broad River watershed as a destination where everyone can work, live and play.
For more information about how you can get involved, see our Web site: www.riverlink.org, or contact us at information@riverlink.org or by phone at 252-8474.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.