Head east (OK, only as far as Black Mountain) for "a night of shared songs" — which, by its name alone, is pretty much the antithesis of a street festival. This show, held at the airy and relaxing White Horse Black Mountain, includes Annie Lalley, Joe Ebel, Ray Chesna and Jimmy Landry.
Asheville native Annie (Anne to some) Lalley is at the heart of the local music scene, so much so that 20 years ago she was awarded an emerging artist grant by the Community Arts Council. Since then, she's gone on to perform in the cafés of Paris, headlined both the Black Mountain and Savannah folk festivals and released two collections of music.
Joe Ebel is Lalley's husband; the two perform together (like during the "Couples in Love and Music" Valentine's Day series earlier this year) and separately. He also plays acoustic steel-string guitar and five-string violin, and most recently recorded the album Primebel. His self-described "back porch classical" style includes influences of old time, bluegrass, blues, folk and rock.
Early in Ray Chesna's musical career, he and a group of friends (Bela Fleck, Jimmy Fastiggi, Rich Marconi and Marty Laster) formed the band Wickers Creek, exploring styles that ranged from country and bluegrass to rock and jazz — or what eventually became known as new grass. During the '80s, Chesna performed with a rockabilly band in New York City; in the '90s he played with a Chicago blues band in Georgia. According to his bio, Chesna is a blues interpreter these days, channeling Delta and Piedmont classics in his live shows.
Local singer/songwriter Jimmy Landry has performed with the likes of David Crosby, Richie Havens and David Wilcox; he's been part of the Asheville folk music scene since The Grey Eagle was located in Black Mountain, and East Asheville Hardware was an actual store and not just a Wilcox album title. Lately, Landry has been battling a major health issue, but he's been doing so with grace and humor and the support of his community.
So, now you’re probably catching onto the sort of event this night of shared songs aspires to be: Seated, with cool drinks and good friends, and likely studded with moments of levity and sweetness. Perhaps there will be a few stories about the Asheville and Black Mountain folk scene of two decades ago. Maybe there will be onstage collaborations. What there won’t be: portable toilets, wrist bands, a writhing crowd to navigate or a screaming electric guitar solo.
Show starts at 8 p.m., tickets are $10. http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com.
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