Press release from White Horse Black Mountain:
It’s impossible to draw a clear line line between soul and funk, and in the case of singer Ryan Barber it’s pointless to try. Those influences, along with a whole catalog of others from America’s popular music, drive his work with The Ryan Barber Collective, which also includes respected players Ben Bjorlie (bass), Nik Hope (drums) and Jeff Knorr (keys). The Collective will bring the party to the White Horse Black Mountain on Wednesday, November 23 at 7:30 p.m.
A Wilkesboro native, Ryan “RnB” Barber grew up in a large musical family that introduced him to the classic sounds of greats like The Whispers, Earth, Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang, Michael Jackson, The SOS Band, the Isley Brothers and more. At the age of nine he joined his church choir, while simultaneously broadening his interests to include hip hop and smooth jazz. He took advantage of performing groups in high school and persevered despite discouraging remarks from others to develop his own talents.
Barber started to create his own beats in 2000, which let to invitations to participate in numerous recording projects and the banjo/hip hop fusion band Turbo Pro Project. He came to Asheville in 2009 to further his career in the city’s hip hop scene, but found that his singing voice was attracting the most attention. He was soon signed on as lead vocalist for Orange Krush, one of the area’s leading party bands.
The versatile Barber assembled the Collective to further explore the wide variety of genres he’s mastered in his wedding/party work, and has cultivated a deeper appreciation for jazz. “I feel like a part of a huge family that actually cares and looks out for one another”, says Barber, especially in the jazz scene. I couldn’t ask for a better group of folks to be a part of than the Asheville music community.”
Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 advance/$12 door.
Advance tickets available online at http://www.whitehorseblackmountain.com
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