We host a free ongoing series called "Listening at the Well" where we invite people to sit together to listen to music, highlighting the important works by a specific artist each month.

This month we are featuring the singer, songwriter, pianist and civil rights activist Nina Simone.

Simone, who was born in Tryon, NC and attended high school here in Asheville, is considered one of the most extraordinary artists of the twentieth century, an icon of American music. Her work swung back and forth between jazz, blues, soul, classical, R&B, pop, gospel, and world music, with passion, emotional honesty, and a strong grasp of technique as the constants of her musical career.

Through this series we will explore a wide range of genres, with the hope of deepening our appreciation of music within a communal experience.

So often we only listen to music in isolation, either on earbuds or in our cars alone. But music has a profound power to bring people together, and by gathering intentionally to listen, we hope to bring back some of the lost spirit of music as a force of social connection.

There will be room to dance, sit, or lay down, and a quality sound system to listen on. In some cases we will play music videos and clips of interviews with the artist.

This is a free event, but we gratefully accept donations to support the space.