Ginger's Revenge Craft Brewery & Tasting Room and Warren Wilson College are teaming up to launch “Sit a Spell,” a new weekly traditional music jam that will raise funds for the Warren Wilson Music Scholarship Fund while bringing together Asheville’s vibrant roots music community.

The open jam sessions will take place Fridays from 6–8 p.m., beginning April 3, at Ginger’s Revenge’s Tasting Room at 829 Riverside Drive, Suite 100. Musicians of all levels are welcome to bring instruments and join the circle, while community members are invited to come listen and enjoy an evening of traditional music. Musical genres will rotate weekly, highlighting a variety of traditions and styles. There will be four Warren Wilson College faculty members who will rotate hosting each week:

• 1st Fridays:  Bluegrass Session with Korey Brodsky
• 2nd Fridays:  Old-Time and Songs with Emolyn Liden
• 3rd Fridays:  Old-Time Session with Clarke Williams
• 4th Fridays:  Celtic Session with Maura Scanlin

Through the partnership, $100 from each weekly session will be donated to the Warren Wilson Music Scholarship Fund, which provides both recognition and financial assistance to outstanding undergraduate students enrolled or planning to enroll in Warren Wilson College who are deserving of funds to meet their necessary college expenses. 

“Music has always been a vital part of Warren Wilson’s culture and of the wider Appalachian region,” said Dr. Jason Decristofaro, Professor of Music and Music Department Chair at Warren Wilson College. “This partnership creates a space where the community can gather, share music, and invest directly in opportunities for student musicians.”

The scholarship fund helps talented undergraduate musicians meet the costs of college while continuing to develop their craft. Additional donations to the fund will also be welcomed through a QR code available at the events.

“Community music jams are about connection and creativity,” said Tammy Clayton, Director of Retail Operations at Ginger’s Revenge. “We’re excited to host these gatherings and help support the next generation of musicians coming out of Warren Wilson.”

The inaugural “Sit a Spell” jam will take place Friday, April 3 from 6–8 p.m., with sessions continuing weekly.  For more information, please contact Dr. Jason DeCristofaro at [email protected] or (828)545-3916

"Sit a Spell" host bios:

Clarke Williams is a Christian Harmony/Sacred Harp (shape note) singer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Asheville, NC. Clarke is passionate about the shape note singing traditions from across the Southeast, and in particular near his home in Western North Carolina. He helped start the regular bi-weekly Christian Harmony singing in Asheville, and there has brought newer singers into the tradition. Clarke teaches music professionally (fiddle, banjo and guitar), teaching at Warren Wilson College, at the Junior Appalachian Musicians Program (Buncombe, Haywood and Madison Counties), and privately.

Emolyn Liden is an artist, educator, musician, and dancer.  She grew up in Brasstown, NC, and loved dancing at the John C. Campbell Folk School.  She has danced with the Cane Creek Cloggers, the Green Grass Cloggers, the Twisty Cuffs (a Cape Breton step-dancing team), and has earned ribbons of every color at old-time music conventions.  She teaches art, music, and dance in public schools, around the country, and currently at Warren Wilson College.  Emolyn also regularly performs old-time fiddle and banjo.  Through her business, The Roving Knitter, Emolyn teaches people to knit and spin, and sells her handmade work.

Korey Brodsky is an Asheville-based mandolinist and guitarist. Growing up in Connecticut, he built strong roots in bluegrass music. He has been featured in numerous publications such as Flatpicking Guitar Magazine and Bluegrass Unlimited, was a 2013 IBMA Youth All Star, a member of the 2018 Acoustic Music Seminar, and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music.  Over the years, he has toured and recorded with various local and national bands, including Mile Twelve, the April Verch Band, Nefesh Mountain, and the Tray Wellington Band. In addition to performing, he teaches weekly online and in-person music lessons.

Maura Shawn Scanlin is a Boone, NC native who currently makes her home in Asheville, NC.  Maura enjoys performing and collaborating with musicians in a variety of celtic styles:  she performs and tours regularly with duo project Rakish, with guitarist Conor Hearn, and has toured and shared the stage with Seamus Egan, Maeve Gilchrist, Hanneke Cassel, and Karan Casey, among others.  Maura is a two-time U.S. National Scottish Fiddling Champion, and a winner of the Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship in Perthshire, Scotland.  Maura has performed across North America and the United Kingdom, appearing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Izumi Hall, Jordan Hall, Blair Castle, Shalin-Liu Performance Center, and the Sinclair, among others.  She has performed at festivals including Merlefest, KVMR Celtic Festival, Boston Celtic Music Festival, Bellingham Irish Festival, New Hampshire Highland Games, Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, Rockport Celtic Festival, and Folk Alliance International.  She has been featured on PBS Great Performances’ “Now Hear This” representing the Boston Traditional Music community.  Maura can be found on faculty at various music camps including Sierra Fiddle Camp, Folk College, Boston States Fiddle Camp, Hanneke Cassel’s Pure Dead Fiddle Weekend, Jink & Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling, the Heartbeat Music Project, and Up With Music’s Summer Strings.