Jen and the Juice's New 5 song EP "Fruits"
has been recorded, mixed and on its way to be mastered. Two 12 hour sessions in 2 very exciting days at Echo Mountain in Asheville, NC has produced some of the hottest music yet for Jen and the Juice. The 5 songs recorded are Get Love, Fortune Cookie, Cherry Bowl, 10,000 Directions, and I'm Neat. The sound of the new album is soulful. groovable and rockin.' More info coming soon....

It Takes a Village - Concert for Musician’s Village, New Orleans

When: Sunday, June 25, 1:00 - 7ish
Where: The Secret Garden Inn and Spa of Weaverville, 55 N. Main Street www.secretgardennc.com

The Secret Garden Inn and Spa of Weaverville and Asheville’s chanteuse, Peggy Ratusz, announce a benefit concert to help in the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. Specifically, the proceeds will benefit Musician’s Village, the Habitat for Humanity project that seeks to build more than 300 homes in the city's Upper Ninth Ward with musicians and other New Orleanians who were displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Musician’s Village was conceived by renowned saxophonist, Branford Marsalis and band leader/vocalist extraordinaire, Harry Connick Jr and is being spearheaded by New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity.

The usual tranquil setting of the Secret Garden Inn and Spa, 55 N. Main Street in Weaverville will be jumpin’, jivin’ and do-see doin’ on Sunday afternoon, June 25th. The public is cordially invited.

The spa and garden’s front lawn will give way to what’s guaranteed to be a dancing and listening treat, as the audience will be offered a multi-genre live music experience by some of Asheville’s finest entertainers and musicians. The music will be served up front porch style, so bring your picnic lunches, your blankets and your lawn chairs. However and please, leave your sweet doggies and glass containers at home for this one. www.secretgardennc.com

Band going on in the first slot is: Just confirmed! Jenny Greer of Jen & the Juice fame will be our opening act. It will be to everyone's delight that Jenny will bring her prolific, jovial, eclectic mix of original pop and circumstance, to the front porch stage at 1pm.

One of Asheville’s best kept secrets is the vocal and instrumental Jazz and Latin quartet known as Current Invention. With Daniel Barber (musical director of Jubilee Church) at the helm on piano, you’ll hear familiar standards and salsa favorites and funky jazz. They’ll be taking the stage at 2:10pm. Contact info 828-253-6287

Next on the roster is It Takes A Village coordinator’s hot buttered blues band Peggy Ratusz and Daddy LongLegs. Mike Barnes who’s known as the guitar player’s guitar player will play, as well as Jazz composer and lyricist, Patrick Boland on piano. Native Ashevillian, Wayne Cox will serve it up on bass guitar while Perry in-the-pocket Hines will play drums. www.peggyratusz.com

It’s a Party Every Time is the motto of the next performers; none other than Sons of Ralph! Hold onto your skirts and your mothers cause they’ll be playing outstanding Cajun and Bluegrass music for their 50 minute set starting at 4:30pm. There’s no way to sit still with this awesome family band. Father, Ralph Lewis on mandolin and guitar, #1 Son Marty Lewis on dobro and guitar, #2 son Don Lewis on fiddle, banjo and guitar, #1 adopted son, Gary Wiley on bass and #2 adopted son, Richard Foulk percussion. www.sonsofralph.com

Russ Wilson and his band of renowned, Nouveau Passé Orchestra will send you home with a grin from ear to ear. But not before they jump and jive you through their set at 5:20pm. It’s the big band sound from the 20’s 30’s and 40’s that make this 10 piece orchestra so popular with Asheville and surrounding area’s swing dance clubs. The group is made up of veteran and schooled musicians whose blend is impeccable. Their style and demeanor on stage is matched and further inspired by Mr. Crooner himself, band leader, Russ Wilson. www.npojazz.com

You can order tickets on line at the Secret Garden www.secretgardennc.com. Cash and check donations will be taken at the side and front entrances to the lawn the day of the event. Suggested entrance fee will be $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 15 years and under. Checks should be made out to New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, with Musician’s Village indicated on the memo line.

For more information regarding this worthy endeavor, visit New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity at www.habitat-nola.org

'Fire Fiesta' heats up River District
What: Fabulous Fire Fiesta, performance art presented by UniFire Theatre
When: starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, expected to run until about 2 a.m.
Where: The Wedge Gallery, 151 Roberts St., off Riverside Drive in Asheville's River District artists enclave
How much: $7 per person, includes food buffet (while supplies last); beer costs extra
For more info: (866) 979-3473
On the Net: www.unifiredance.com

by Lillian Hogan, STAFF WRITER Mountain Express
published May 18, 2006 12:15 am

ASHEVILLE – The Wedge Gallery will be full of fire Saturday, and local artists plan to let those flames burn. A new event, dubbed The Fabulous Fire Fiesta, presented by UniFire Theatre, will showcase artists from the "Asheville underground," said Daniel Crabtree, Unifire Theatre fire performer.

Fiesta-goers can look forward to fire performance, belly dancing, gallery exhibits, live music and videography. Crabtree said he hopes the art/celebration will become an Asheville mainstay and that this performance will be the "first annual" event.
The Fabulous Fire Fiesta is a benefit for the local UniFire Theatre fire dance and theater troupe. The troupe has performed the last three years at events such as the Lake Eden Arts Festival and the Lexington Avenue Arts Festival. Proceeds will provide funding for costumes, stage props, fuel and travel expenses for UniFire Theatre.

Fire theater and dance
Members of UniFire Theatre are dedicated to preserving ancient fire arts. Fire artists will exhibit traditional techniques at the fiesta, including fire breathing and eating. There will also be tribal fire arts traditions like "staff" from Tahiti and "poi" from the Maori tribes of New Zealand.

The fire artists have also developed original fire art tools, such as fire jump ropes, double Dutch and fire roller skates. The result is an incredibly visual production of traditional and cutting-edge fire arts. Fiesta Fire performers will include Crabtree, Casey Hammer, Rachel Kares and Forrest Kelly.

Fire arts are as exciting for the performer as they are for the audience. The most important element of fire performance is balance, Hammer said. "If you are not in the right mind-set, it can be scary and you will get burned."

What about safety? The troupe keeps a safety crew on the sidelines ready with extinguishers and damp towels, just in case. While troupe members have received minor burns during performances, no one has ever been hospitalized, Hammer said. They wear safety clothes and take other precautions.

" Especially eating fire, you don't wear lipstick, because that may catch," Hammer said.
Troupe members also have lingo they use to communicate a possible danger to fellow dancers during performance. And for performances in public spaces, the troupe makes sure to get a permit from the Asheville Fire Department.

Performance arts
The fiesta will showcase the talent of local belly dancers, jugglers and musicians. Live music from members of Strut, The Rib Tips, Jen and the Juice and Tonali Tribal Drum Troupe will offer a variety of sounds from jug band swing to folk jazz to tribal drumming.

Helen Holifield and the Baraka Mundi belly dancing student troupe will also perform.
Local artists will feature their work in the gallery during the festivities. Una Barrett, a jeweler and sculptor, is showing her latest work. Absent Productions, a group of videographers, will display video sculptures. Hammer, a painter and UniFire Theatre fire performer, will exhibit her paintings.

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" Meet the Hooligans of Bohemia"
JEN AND THE JUICE CD RELEASE PARTY - Bohemian Style
Laid back hipster hymns
April 29, 2006
Jen & The Juice CD Release Party "Meet the Hooligans of Bohemia"
Fortune Building
727 Haywood Road (West Asheville, NC)
Tickets are limited and available at Harvest Records for $5.00, with $1.00 off for college students with ID.
Doors open at 8:00
Dress: Fruity
 
APRIL 29, 2006, FORTUNE BUILDING 727 Haywood Road (WEST ASHEVILLE, NC) --The Jen and the Juice party will celebrate the debut release of their CD, Meet the Hooligans of Bohemia, is a zesty musical slice of Jen and the Juice's ability to captivate their audience with a pure original sound. The cd is huge collaboration of Asheville's hottest musicians, some of whom are special guests of the party. The event will also promote Asheville's diverse creative community by including the award winning 15 min. short film "Mindwalk," spoken word by Neenah, Unifire performances, collaborative sculptures and other Asheville hooligans tba. Beverages provided with donation.

Always the affluent lyricist, Jen Greer’s groove-able poetry adds to the emotion and soul of the musical talent that backs up everything she sings about: Life, love and the constant pursuit of loving life. This talent is combined with Jen and the Juice's dedicated band members: Joe Buzzelli (drums, percussion and vibes), Clint Weinigar (bass and vocals), Michael Libramento (guitar). The 10 tracks include: Bohemian Hooligan, The Damn Song, I Might be Drunk, Wripples and more.

Guest Artists gracing certain tracks are: Bill Cardine of The Biscuit Burners (dobro), Woody Wood of Hollywood Red (guitar), Billy Constable of Sassagrass and Larry Keel Experience (banjo, guitar, and mandolin), Stephanie Morgan of Stephanie's Id (vocals), Valorie Miller (vocals), Fiddle Dave (fiddle), Ryan Cox (guitar) and Kniq Knapp (percussion).

** SPECIAL Jen and the Juice In Store at Harvest Records on APRIL 28, 2006 - 5:00p.m.

For more information, please contact: Jenny Greer 828-279-4166 or jen@jenandthejuice.com

Brown Bag Song Writing competition Finals
APRIL 15, 2006, ROOT BAR (ASHEVILLE, NC) --12 performers will compete for a cash prize Hosted by Jen.

Emerald Lounge with Town Mountain
FEBRUARY 11, 2006, EMERALD LOUNGE (ASHEVILLE, NC) -- Laid back hipster hymns of Jen and the Juice blend with savory NC bluegrass diddies of Town Mountain for a hot and tasty night of local tunage at the Emerald Lounge. Both of these bands brew well seasoned musicians that keep fans hungry for their heartfelt original music and addictive song lymrics. Despite some nasty winter weather, fans packed the house.

Sirens Night -
Ruby Slippers, Kellin Watson and Jen and the Juice played at the Grey Eagle Jan. 24, 2006 for Sirens Night. Three groovin' female fronted bands, one hot night (yes, even in January!) door prizes!! special guests!

New Years Eve with the Keels and a Hilarious Near Death Experience
Jen and the Juice had a blast performing for the sold out new years eve show at the Grey Eagle in Asheville. The band rocked the house, playing many songs off the new album (It Takes Two, The Damn song and I Might be Drunk) as well as some older tunes like Dirty and Diamonds. Michael Libramento had an amazing melodic and super tight solo on Wripples. The crowd loved it. Clint Weinigar (bass) cracked jokes at the mic and played a flawless set. Joe Buzzeli (drums) is an amazing drummer with the ability to play break beats and bluegrass beats in the same sentence. Jen wore a hand-made costume designed by Astral from the Recyclone Studios in the River District.

The hilarious near death experience occured backstage when Jen was hanging out with Woody Wood and friends. Woody was conducting an "air rock orchestra" with a fiddle bow. It was the funniest thing ever witnessed; the whole room was laughing their asses off. Jen had just put a pineapple from the fruit tray in her mouth and laughed so hard the pineapple got logded in her troat, which made everything even funnier. Luckily she recovered enough to wish Woody good luck before Hollywood-Red's rockin' set. Good times. Happy New Year!

Jen and the Juice's Gin and Juice party and recording session a success
Big Thanks from Jen to all the friends who came out to the "Double Deuce" for the recording of the crowd sing-a-long on the chorus of the song "I Might be Drunk, but I'm not a ho." Packed in the basement of the jnj recording engineers phat 3 story house, friends of Jen and the Juice sang-a-long beautifully to the boisterous song, adding the perfect juicy flavor to the tune.

" We all crowded around a mic and belted it out. It was a super fun party." - Jen

The celebration of music continued with a sweet - laid back acoustic jam an the kitchen with Stephanie and Valorie. They all sang each other's original tunes together. Micheal Libramento did a jam on a Stephanie's Id tune with Chuck Lichtenberger and Stephanie. Its community like that is what music is all about. The night rounded out in the basement with a big improv jam session. "I really loved just singing like we were kids with Stephanie...making up words and having a blast." said Jen. Songwriter Chris Jamison also played his tunes late night.


Smilefest 2005 weekend gives Jen and the Juice a "perma smile"
Jen and the Juice opened Smilefest at 3:00 on Friday. Fans relaxed on a hill in front of the Pond Stage, while the music for the weekend was kicked off with the band's vibrations filling the mountain air and a "perma smile" formed on Jen's face. Thanks to Smilin' Bob and the Smilefest crew for a great weekend. Also, if you missed the set you can still hear it thanks to to Real Image Recording. You can purchase a copy of this monumental set.