Catching up on press releases:
Downtown After Five, your summer-long “entertainment stimulus package,” finishes up on Friday, September 18 on Lexington Avenue at Hiawassee Street and the I-240 overpass.
From right here in Asheville, Vertigo Jazz Project kicks off the show at about 5:15pm. VJP is known for their compositions and performances through the jazz idiom. They bridge the gap between multiple genres like jazz, funk, Latin, rock, world and country while always maintaining a distinctively recognizable element of jazz.
Next up is The Bridge, a unique rock band whose music combines elements of blues and roots, spiced with funk and soul. Following in the tradition of classic/southern roots rock, and flavoring their sound with Americana sensibilities, the band has built their own niche between the jam, country and bluegrass genres. The Bridge will take the stage at 6:20pm.
Headliners Big Sam’s Funky Nation will make it very hard for the audience to sit still. Blending his distinctive trombone riffs with a call-and-response MC style, Big Sam second-lines (a uniquely New Orleans style of street-dance) and gets the crowd going. Masterfully combining a rock sensibility with improv-style and a horn-heavy front section equals the big sound of Big Sam’s Funky Nation.
Proceeds from wristband sales at each Downtown After Five benefit a local charity. September’s recipient is Asheville Sister Cities, Inc. The organization builds global connections between Asheville and its six sister cities.
Other 2009 beneficiaries include Asheville Area Arts Council, Arts2People, Asheville GreenWorks and Downtown Asheville Residential Neighbors (DARN).