by Ben Scales
We had another fabulous day of music at this year’s Montford Music and Arts Festival, courtesy of the neighborhood association and many generous sponsors. I appreciate this opportunity to recap the performances of that very special day.
The first act of the morning was the MLK Crew from the Montford Community Center. These neighborhood kids, under the tutelage of Joe Adams, entertained an appreciative crowd with their remarkable break dancing. My 4-year-old son Charlie was awestruck and developed a singular connection to those kids on the stage, busting a move to the music of the crew and just about every act that followed.
Next up was the Embe Marimba Band. Our 16’x16’ stage was not big enough for this band. They had to set some of their instruments down on the street in front of the stage. These performers, all middle school students at Evergreen Charter School, bounced around the various instruments, pounding out inventive polyethnic rhythms on their handmade marimbas. Led by Sue Ford, the band engaged the audience with a great mix of original and familiar popular songs.
Ira Bernstein and John Herrmann followed with an inspired set of old-time fiddle-banjo tunes, interspersed with our neighbor Ira’s incredible dancing and informative story-telling by both Ira and John. Ira, who co-founded the festival with Sharon Fahrer and coordinated the music for the first two years, regularly wows audiences all over the world. A friend visiting from Ireland tells me Ira takes the traditional Irish steps to an all new level. And as a special treat, Ira was accompanied by John Herrmann, who played on a companion CD to Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain entitled “Songs From the Mountain.” John is also extremely well-known and respected throughout the world as one of the foremost practitioners of old-time music. What a thrill to see these two performing together!
From “old-time” to “old-school,” the next act Vollie McKenzie and Roger Bellow put a charge into the audience and a lift in everyone’s step with their western swing and hot jazz. Montford alum Vollie McKenzie returned to the festival with a special band, including fiddle, pedal steel, upright bass, and drums. This band made it nearly impossible to stand still as they entertained us with their dance-friendly classics from the early part of last century.
The next band to stroll on stage was the Hurt Mountain Boys, featuring our neighbors David Connor Jones on bass and Scott Sharpe on pedal steel, along with guitar legend Woody Wood and Richard Foulk on drums. Just like last year, Montford Avenue was transformed into a rowdy beer hall with high energy renditions of the tunes of Jimmie Rodgers, Willie and Waylon, Johnny Cash, and Bob Dylan. A special neighborhood moment was spontaneously created when Scott changed the lyrics of the iconic Hank Williams, Jr., song to “If Heaven Ain’t A Lot Like Montford . . . I’d just as soon stay home.” How sweet it is.
Next, we shifted to musical sources even farther down south, namely the Caribbean-infused reggae of the Pure Fiyah Reggae Band. Fronted by Montford’s own Ras David Graves on bass, the band featured King Ayoola on lead vocals, Ras Naphtali on drums, Jahdai on guitar, and Ras Michael on keyboards, and had the collective hips of the ‘hood swaying to the authentic one drop rhythms. Our neighbor Nine Mile Restaurant sponsored this band, and, not coincidently, served the limited edition iHemp Ale from the Wedge Brewing Company all day to celebrate Hemp History Week, which was aimed at educating the public on the myriad industrial uses of the plant used spiritually by the followers of Jah Rastafari.
The next band, the Cheeksters, treated us to a different brand of “island music”—the pop of the British Isles. Making their first appearance at the festival, this band, including Montford resident Jay Moye, charmed us all with their infectious and danceable tunes. These folks are real rock stars, having just placed a song in an NFL Network television commercial, all the while touring and recording several hit songs in Nashville. We are lucky to have them as our neighbors.
With our dancing shoes warmed up, it was time to wear ‘em out with WestSound, featuring brothers Randy and Oscar Weston on keys and guitar, respectively. The street was packed with people grooving to such R&B classics as “Let’s Stay Together,” “Ladies Night,” “I’ll Take You There,” and “Proud Mary.” We were line-dancing “to the right, to the right, to the right, to the left, to the left, to the left, now, walk it by yourself, now, down, down, do your dance, do your dance.” And just like last year, all the lovely ladies were shaking it hard with singer (and Take 5 cover girl) Regina Duke on her powerful rendition of “Brick House.” If we hadn’t allowed them an encore, I’m pretty sure the crowd would’ve rushed the stage.
Finally, the Screaming J’s took the stage by storm—figuratively speaking, of course, because thankfully, there was no rain this year. Our neighbor Jason Krekel, who also designs and prints the official festival poster, plays guitar and fronts this band along with Jake Hollifield on the Fender Rhodes piano. Driving the ship was the rhythm section of Mike Gray on drums and my favorite bass player Cary Fridley pumping out a Wall of Sound. As a special treat, the J’s were complemented by the Firecracker Jazz Band horn section—Je Widenhouse on cornet and Earl Sachais on trombone. The J’s proved to be the perfect closing act, cranking out well over an hour of rocking boogie woogie that left everybody drenched in sweat and sent them home with glowing smiles.
In between acts, we were treated to terrific performances by the Asheville Morris Men and Ashgrove Garland dancers, the Asheville Shakesperience, the Mountain Dragon Lion Dancers, and perhaps our most famous neighbor, Harry Anderson, who graciously agreed to help MC, ended up being pressed into an impromptu standup routine, and was hilarious. Thanks again, Harry.
My ears are still pleasantly ringing from the 2010 Montford Music and Arts Festival. I’m already looking forward to next year!
[...] Ben Scales did a terrific job of choosing and emceeing the music. The lineup was fabulous—such a variety of music and dance. Brian Kintner and his crew have amplified the stage for six years now, which is a big help toward making the music more enjoyable. To bring back memories of the big day, take a look at the photos inside and read Ben’s retrospective here. [...]