The Reason for the Benefit

Why is it important to keep places like White Horse Black Mountain alive and well?

White Horse Black Mountain makes a difference in the lives of people.

The venue has been a huge asset for the people of Black Mountain and the surrounding areas of Western North Carolina. The venue has been praised by musicians, audience members, and members of the community for it's quality peformances and it's warm and welcoming spirit.

But it goes beyond that. White Horse Black Mountain has demonstrated that it truly cares about people and desires to make a difference in the lives of people; locally, regionally, and around the world.

During early March, White Horse Black Mountain held it's 2nd Help Haiti Heal Benefit event. Asheville resident and friend of White Horse, Lorin Mallorie, was in Haiti at the time and helped arrange and remote Skype broadcast of Haitian musicians who once again had a stage to share their lives and music with the world. Their performance was shown live on the huge screen at White Horse and White Horse arranged to have the performance webcast live ..... so that anyone in the world could see and hear the voices and music of Haiti.

Lorin Mallorie describes the impact of that event as follows:

On Saturday evening we stage a "live" concert via satellite call to White Horse Black Mountain, which is hosting a Haiti benefit. James Vergenau (aka Rebel) of the Haitian reggae band Yizra'el sings an original tune called "Mother Nature"; Jagat accompanies him on the hand drums. The smaller venues here are still closed for reconstruction, and it's Rebel's first performance since the quake two months ago.

They tell me the White Horse audience was in tears. But what stays with me from that night in Kenscoff is the look in Rebel's eyes, alive and inspired to once again be playing the music he loves — this time for a little town in far off America.





Chris Rosser

CHRIS ROSSER

Chris Rosser is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, composer and producer. As a solo singer-songwriter, he tours nationally playing at festivals, clubs and listening rooms. As a member of the world-jazz instrumental trio Free Planet Radio, he plays a variety of instruments, including the Indian dotar, Turkish cumbus oud, guitars, melodica and piano. As a producer, he has produced about forty recordings for various artists in his Asheville, NC based studio Hollow Reed Studio.

Chris has released three solo recordings: Hidden Everywhere(2006), The Holy Fool (2000) and Archaeology (1998), a trio recording with Free Planet Radio New Bedouin Dance (2004), and an earlier duo recording with his wife Lynn, Face The East (1995).

He has won songwriting contests at the Rocky Mountain Folks and Merle Watson festivals, been selected as a New Folk Finalist and appeared on the mainstage at the Kerrville Folk Festival and showcased twice at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. With the help of a 1999 WNC Regional Artists grant, he continued his studies of Hindustani classical music and the sarod (a 25-string fretless Indian lute) with world famous Indian musician Ali Akbar Khan in San Rafael, CA. He was awarded a 2003 Songwriter/Composer fellowship from the NC Arts Council.

In 1997, Chris' debut solo recording Archaeology won the favor of fans, critics and radio stations alike, landing in the Top 30 of The Gavin Report and Crossroads charts. It was also selected as one of the top independent albums of the year by Christine Lavin, the Internet FolkVote '97, The Performing Songwriter and more.

He has since shared stages with folk and pop luminaries such as Nickel Creek, John Mayer, Shawn Mullins, John Gorka, David Wilcox, Tom Rush and more, and had his songs recorded by Tom Prasada-Rao (Christmas in the Ashram) and Blueground Undergrass (Archaeology)


CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Released third solo album Hidden Everywhere (2006)

Began touring as keyboardist for master Turkish musician Omar Faruk Tekbilek (2005)

Released a world-jazz instrumental CD New Bedouin Dance with trio Free Planet Radio (2004)

Received a Songwriter/Composer Fellowship from the NC Arts Council (2003)

Wins Rocky Mountain Folk Festival Troubadour contest (2000)

Selected as Falcon Ridge Folk Festival showcase artist (2000 & 1997)

Releases second solo album on ISG Records The Holy Fool (2000)

Receives Western NC Arts grant to continue Hindustani classical music studies with Ali Akbar Khan (1999)