Smart bets: Free Planet Radio and The Opal String Quartet

Free Planet Radio and The Opal String Quartet Photo by Jesse Kitt

Local trio Free Planet Radio has been bending and honing its brand of world jazz for over a decade now, with renowned percussionist River Guerguerian, two-time Grammy-winner Eliot Wadopian and multi-instrumentalist Chris Rosser comprising the mini supergroup. With Ginger Kowal and Mariya Potapova on violins, Kara Poorbaugh on viola and Franklin Keel on cello, The Opal String Quartet has been popularizing its own chamber music from Asheville for nearly as long. Together, the two groups honor countless cultures through lively, beautifully layered and inventive original pieces. Their collaborative album, Global Symphony Project — recorded after receipt of a 2014 grant from the Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Program — will be released during a performance at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall on Friday, Aug. 28, at 8:30 p.m. $12/$15. isisasheville.com. Photo by Jesse Kitt

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About Kat McReynolds
Kat studied entrepreneurship and music business at the University of Miami and earned her MBA at Appalachian State University. Follow me @katmAVL

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