Thomas Cassell is a musician originally hailing from Southwestern Virginia, now living in Tennessee.  Primarily a mandolinist, Cassell is the winner of the 2016 Rockygrass Mandolin Contest, as well as a nominee for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Momentum Instrumentalist Award, and a two time alum of the Acoustic Music Seminar held annually in Savannah, Georgia, where he collaborated with artists including Darrell Scott, Bryan Sutton, Mike Marshall, Aoife O’Donovan, and Julian Lage.  Cassell has performed with groups including the Bryan Sutton Band, Billy Strings, Circus No. 9, and more.  With influences from the bluegrass world such as Sam Bush, David Grisman, John Hartford, Bela Fleck, Tony Rice, Danny Barnes, all the way into other realms with artists including Jerry Garcia and Miles Davis among others, Cassell is helping blaze a new trail in acoustic music.

Every Tuesday evening Isis presents our Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions. The sessions are hosted each week by a local bluegrass musician with friends or a band. Following the host band, Bluegrass musicians from the Asheville area gather on stage to jam in an open session. Occasionally, we feature a touring band that will perform prior to the open session and help co-host the jam. It’s always a great evening of music and community.