RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE SNEAK PREVIEW Mick Moloney Plays the Grey Eagle on March 5 ne of the most exciting guitarists groups he helped found, The Chanting tricks in his playing, composing, per- on McNally’s in Irish traditional music today, House and Solas. forming and producing, Doyle is solidly “Row of Flats.” Dublin-born Asheville resident Impossibly in demand in the studio establishing himself as one of the most CD available John Doyle made a name for and on the road, immensely talented and versatile, creative and prolific voices in online at www. himself with his striking propul- blessed with an acute ear, a wicked sense folk and traditional Irish music. mickmoloney. sive style in both the innovative of rhythm and seemingly endless bag of Limerick-born Mick Moloney was a com or on the O key figure in the Dublin folk-song revival night of the in the 1960s. After relocating to Philadel- concert phia, he became a leader in contemporary San Fran- Irish-American music through his teach- cisco native ing, producing, recording, performances, Athena Tergis and academic folklore activities. In 1999 he has played received the National Heritage Award from fiddle nearly all her life. Winning the the National Endowment for the Arts. National Scottish Fiddling Championship Moloney’s new album, McNally’s in Virginia at age 11, she later turned her “Row of Flats,” pulls back the curtain on bow to the traditional music of Ireland. In a forgotten era of Irish-American history collaborations with Laura Risk and Harry and song. It centers on the work of actor/ Bradley, in appearances with the Sharon writer Ed Harrigan and musician David Shannon band, and as the principal fid- Braham, who were the toast of the Great dler in Riverdance Broadway, Tergis has White Way in an era when the intersec- distinguished herself as a musician of great tion of minstrelsy and vaudeville were scope, with influences ranging from Celtic poised to give birth to what we now know traditional to jazz. as American Musical Theatre. Harrigan and his performing partner Tony Hart both began their careers in the minstrelsy circuit before collaborating on a series of If you go satirical sketches based on the immigrant communities of New York City. March 5, 8pm. In the 1870s, Harrigan parlayed their $12 advance/$15 day of show. most popular sketches into a series of The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave, incredibly successful musical plays, for Asheville, NC. Phone: (828) 232-5800 which he and pit-orchestra leader Bra- Advance tickets available online and at our ham wrote the songs Moloney revisits local outlets. Fully seated show. Brevard College Guitarist Wesley Arnold Performs n Saturday, March 1, Brevard BY VALERIE LEEPER College’s Wesley Arnold will perform his senior show on guitar with works by J.S. Bach, Last year he received awards for Mauro Giuliani, Yuquijiro Yo- outstanding music major, music theory coh, Nikita Koshkin and Guido achievement and highest grade point aver- OSantorsola. Bach’s Suite in A Major, BWV age in the music department at Brevard 1009 was transcribed for guitar by Arnold College. Outside of his studies at Brevard himself. College, Arnold performs and teaches Wesley Arnold began studying guitar guitar locally as well as teaches various with Roger Cope at Blue Ridge Com- programs including music and leader- munity College. Since then he has studied ship skills at the Boys and Girls Club of with guitarist and luthier Dr. Steven Wal- Henderson County. Recently, he finished ter of Furman University, and while living recording several new guitar composi- in Africa, he studied with guitar professor tions for the documentary Freedomhouse Fred Kazanjian of the Windhoek School of which will be released later this year. the Arts in Namibia. Arnold has also performed in master If you go classes for Roger Cope, Benjamin Bunch, Dr. Douglas James, Carlos Perez and The concert takes place on Saturday, Dr. Steven Walter. Upon receiving his March 1, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. in the Francis Associate of Arts at Blue Ridge Com- Pavilion in Brevard College’s Porter Cen- munity College, Wesley was awarded the ter for the Performing Arts. Admission prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is free. For more information call (828) Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. 884-8330. March 2008 — RAPID RIVER ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE — Vol. 11, No. 7 Childhood. Lost innocence. Love. Transformation. Passages Re ections on the stages of life e Asheville Choral Society Powerful voices. Remarkable music. Lenora om, Elizabeth Keusch, Music Director Gregory Mercer, Soprano Tenor Gerald Finzi: Intimations of Immortality Carl August Nielsen: Hymnus Amoris Ralph Vaughan Williams: Toward the Unknown Region with orchestra Saturday, March 8 at 8:00 pm Sunday, March 9 at 4:00 pm Central United Methodist Church, Downtown Asheville $20, $15/students. Group discount for 10 or more. Tickets: www.ashevillechoralsociety.org (828) 299-9063 Message from the Publisher Rapid River ® There are a lot of free magazines available around town. ARTS & CULTURE MAGAZINE Not as many as there were a year ago, but a lot more than when we first began back in 1997. There were about five Volume Eleven, Number Seven or six back then — today there are over 40. Because of the competition we have been forced to be better, to always stay a Established in 1997 point or two ahead in the game. Rapid River Magazine has some of the most sought after Distributed at over 390 locations writers in town. I run the business, pay the bills, etc., but it’s throughout eight counties in WNC and South Carolina the writers who make this magazine happen. Rapid River Magazine began in March of 1997 (although we didn’t print our first issue until September of that year) and now 11 years Publisher/Editor: Dennis Ray MARCH 2008 later I want to give thanks to all the writers who have helped this publication Managing Editor: Beth Gossett www.rapidrivermagazine.com become the “oldest and most read arts and culture magazine” in WNC. Art Director: Dennis Ray See James Cassara’s “Spinning Disc” (this is the oldest column in the pub- Print Production: Simone Bouyer lication beginning in November 1997 and James hasn’t missed an issue yet) and don’t forget Michael Parker’s take on wine this month, (he has written an article Marketing: Dennis Ray Staff Photographer: Dennis Ray Inside for us every month since March of ‘98.) I’d like to give a gracious thank you to Marcianne Miller for many years of exceptionally well-written articles, and Accounting: Sharon Cole book reviews, and for creating the best movie section in the mountains, along Book Editor: Marcianne Miller 5 Performance with her long-time colleagues Chip Kaufmann and Michelle Keenan. Film Editor: Marcianne Miller Asheville Lyric Opera Welcome back to poet Jeff Davis (see his story on the legendary Robert Bly) Distribution: Dennis Ray and art writer Simcha Weinstein (see The Giclee Journey). Welcome to our new multi-talented theatre editor, Roxane Clement, who’s 12 Columns been writing theatre articles for several months, as well as her decorative arts CONTRIBUTING WRITers MariJo Moore . 1 column, the Artful Home. She joins the growing ranks of our esteemed colum- Fredrick April, H. Byron Ballard, Peter Loewer . 13 nists: poet MariJo Moore, book reviewers H. Byron Ballard and John M. Rose, Sierra Bicking, Haley Boram, James Cassara . 1 nature artist Peter Loewer, beer lover Joe Zinich, chef Mackensy Lunsford, and Erin Braasch, Greg Brown, Roxane Clement . Dr. DeWayne Butcher. Jenny Bunn, DeWayne Butcher, Mackensy Lunsford . 31 Rapid River Magazine is always proud to bring on new writers. This month Roxane Clement, Jeff Davis, we introduce art writer Caitlin Wood — see her article on artist Julia West. Amy Downs, John Ellis, Special thanks go to our writers who also draw — our wonderful cartoon- 7 Art David Erickson, Beth Gossett, Frame Shoppe . 7 ists Amy Downs and Phil Hawkins who have both been with us for several Felicity Green, Phil Hawkins, years. See their cartoons on page 37 Vadim Bora Gallery . 7 Lindsay Hearn, Rachel Hunnicutt, To all of our writers, past and present, we offer a big thanks. You’re the Focus Gallery . 8 ones who inform and entertain us every month, who make us happy to be in RoseLyn Katz, Chip Kaufmann, Arts & Heritage Gallery . 10 these wonderful mountains with so many things to see and do. Michelle Keenan, Peter Loewer, Asheville Art Museum . 11 Mackensy Lunsford, MariJo Moore, The Giclee Journey . 3 Have a great month — we’ll see you in April. April Nance, Wendy H. Outland, Woolworth Walk Gallery . 33 Dennis Ray, Publisher Rapid River Magazine Michael Parker, John M. Rose, Dennis Ray, Anne Rawson, 2 Music Ashley Van Matre, Bill Walz, Mick Maloney . Julia Weatherford, Simcha Weinstein, Wesley Arnold . Caitlin Wood, and Joe Zinich. Kruger Brothers . 15 Free Planet Radio . 17 Peter Loewer Giannini Brass . 6 Printmaker Graphos=Studio INFO Rapid River Art Magazine is Asheville Choral Society . 16 a free monthly publication. Akira Satake Band . 3 Address correspondence to: [email protected] 18 Books or write to: John M. Rose . 18 Rapid River Art Magazine, Beth Gossett . 18 85 N. Main St. H. Byron Ballard . 19 Canton, NC 28716 Phone: (828) 646-0071 21 Movie Reviews www.rapidrivermagazine.com Artful Living All materials contained herein are 27 PO Box 5039 ~ Asheville, NC 28813 owned and copyrighted by Rapid email: [email protected] River Art Magazine and the individual 28-29 Wine & Beer contributors unless otherwise stated. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily correspond with the 30 Local Flavor opinions of Rapid River Art Magazine or the advertisers found herein.