Performing Arts

Zoe & Cloyd Warms Hearts at BMCA

John Cloyd Miller and Natalya Zoe Weinstein. Photo by Aaron Dahlstrom

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts (BMCA) welcomes favorites Zoe & Cloyd to its stage on Saturday, February 10, at 7:30 p.m. This charming young couple has come into their own in front of Black Mountain audiences, and continue to grow as they celebrate their second full-length album. Beat the February chill and snuggle up for this heartwarming concert.

“We think the Zoe & Cloyd concert is the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day,” says BMCA executive director Gale Jackson. “For many years, we have watched this talented pair embrace a sound that speaks to our mountain roots. It is a concert we look forward to every year.”

Hailing from opposite ends of the Appalachian Mountains, husbandand- wife duo Zoe & Cloyd is renowned fiddler and vocalist Natalya Zoe Weinstein and award-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist John Cloyd Miller. Their show is as diverse as their upbringings. Coming from a line of klezmer and jazz musicians, Natalya trained classically in her home state of Massachusetts while John, a 12th– generation North Carolinian, is the grandson of pioneering bluegrass fiddler, Jim Shumate. Founding members of the acclaimed Americana trio Red June and long-time veterans of the Asheville music scene, the couple shifted to their duet project after the birth of their daughter in 2015.

With deep roots in American music, Zoe & Cloyd released their second full-length album, Eyes Brand New, in April of 2017. Highlighting their emotive songwriting and signature harmonies, this new recording finds the duo returning to a full band sound with Kevin Kehrberg on bass and special appearances from Will Straughan of Red June on dobro and Jens Kruger of the Kruger Brothers on banjo. Eyes Brand New showcases the breadth of their collective musical spirit, seamlessly combining original folk, country, old-time and bluegrass with sincerity and zeal.

Zoe & Cloyd’s debut recording, Equinox (2015), also met with high acclaim and the pair have continued to gain momentum with performances at MerleFest, Music City Roots and the prestigious FreshGrass Festival, where they were named first-place winners of the duo contest in 2015. They have been called, “a musical collaboration that demands to be heard.” (Bluegrass Unlimited)

“John and I both eagerly anticipate our return to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts,” says Weinstein. “No matter which incarnation we perform with, the support from the center and the audience is always warm, welcoming and affirming. It’s our annual musical homecoming.” In years past, special guests have popped in to add to the Valentine’s Day fun.

Make plans now to attend the 13th annual Auction for the Arts, BMCA’s biggest fundraiser. This lively event takes place Saturday, March 3. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a catered buffet dinner and a silent auction. The live auction begins at 7 p.m. in the theater. Items as diverse as a brand-new bike and vacation rentals to jewelry and furniture are all up for bid. Proceeds help fund the multiple programs and classes available at BMCA throughout the year.

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is located at 225 West State Street. Tickets to Zoe & Cloyd are $16. Tickets to Auction for the Arts are $25 in advance, $30 the day of the auction. Tickets for both events can be purchased by calling 828.669.0930, or by visiting blackmountainarts.org or Eventbrite.

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