Flanfire

SO it is a cold, rainy day and I am thinking, “I want a Cuban sandwich from Texas Cuban.”  That’s Hector Ward’s new venture down on South Lamar (near Planet K), the same Hector Ward who used to be in Sigmund Fraud and now fronts his own band.  The same Hector whom my daughter says is a great cook.  That guy.  She was right.  And it’s Phil Roach and Lance Duncan in the tiny kitchen.  And the El Cubano (half of the Texas Cuban which feeds two) melts in the mouth and the Cuban Croquettas are much better than jalapeno poppers — and then there is the Cuban coffee, and do not forget the plaintain chips. 

But the food is just the appetizer.  Phil notes that his band (he’s the lead guitarist with Hector Ward and the Big Time) is headed to Houston on Saturday to play at show at Walter’s on Washington with, ta-da, his brother Kai’s band Blues Mafia and — oh, wow! — Uncle Lucius, which of course features Michael Carpenter from my daughters’ high school on lead guitar.  So now I text my daughter to let her know we have a show to go to this Saturday.  Which means I will NOT be rippin’ up the dance floor at the new Gibson Room at Maggie Mae’s for T-Bird — but that’s all right since I had that pleasure on Thanksgiving Night (dancing with some Trishas and the wife of a well-known snake farmer about town — and a WHOLE LOTTA OTHER PEEPS).  Yeah, the Mafia were on that bill, too — and they opened the next night at Antone’s for Gary Clark, Jr. (or do we just call him Gary these days).  Kids are all right — opening for Carolyn Wonderland at Poodie’s New Year’s Eve. 

I ought not tell you all that House Wine on Monday nights (even inside when it’s cold and/or rainy) is still the happening thing (okay, one of many great Monday night scenes in this town).  But I will mention that Daren has scheduled a Ham Jam for NEXT Monday.  Details if you are on his list — OR if you are NEW to town in 2009, just buzz me and I will hook you up.  Not to be missed — but remember our good friend is still on his way back from a big setback, so make sure he gets his rest.

Also during the week, I got to see Rachel Loy and her lubby-dubby-hubby Brian Keane (who has a couple shows at Momo’s in December) along with the Band of Heathens, and earlier I had gotten to see the very best ever (for me, at least) show from the Belleville Outfit right after a smashing set from the Fireants.  Below you can see the handsome Colin Brooks, the charming Chris Cataline with the beautiful Stephanie Hunt dressed up for their new project The Ghost Songs, and that is indeed Phoebe Hunt dancing on the countertop at Momo’s long after the band quit playing (with me of course dancing on the floor along with her).

My good friend Ruby James was in town for a few days and I took her out to Jimi Lee’s grand finale for the fall season at Hyde Park Bar & Grill – but that was just the warmup before we trekked down to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center for the festivities following the marriage of local favorite Sarah Lincoln to her Argentine hero Alberto Cosano (and, yeah, he plays amazing guitar).  Sarah in her wedding dress blaring away on her alto sax (dainty for her) was a sight (and sound) to behold.  Then on Friday last (after her set at Cedar Street) Ruby and I drove up to NXNW just in time for the final song of Will Sexton’s and Charlie Faye’s SCHEDULED set — but the band played on, as it were, and I got to hear (and later grab a copy of) music from WIll’s brand-new CD (of which the writeup will follow soon).  That was even better than the orange chicken I wolfed down — food for the body, music for the soul.

[Jonny and Claire; Brett Randell with cellist Chris Rains and Music Reed on drums at Momo’s; and Blues Mafia’s Max Frost grinding out the blues.

Now to go back a few days more, I could mention a great set at Flipnotics from Jon Sanchez and Claire Hamilton (both of the Summer Wardrobe, and she also of The Breathers) and an equally fine sets from Noelle Hampton and Lee Barber and my dear new friend Barbara Nesbitt.  OR I could mention an amazing turkey day party somewhere out at the far western edge of Hays County featuring music from JusTif (a duo you have to hear!).  I will not say much about a recent strange illness except that I got aid and comfort from afar from the sisters Bristow — Jackie who is now in Australia playing before big crowds after her highly successful first-ever tour of Japan, and Katrina who sent me some rough cuts from her forthcoming CD and some great advice about how to cope.  Jackie will be back in late February, hopefully with her new CD (recorded mostly here in Austin) in her lovely hands.

It was just two years ago today that my darling Nancy slipped away — or rather was gathered up by a whole band of angels who had been preparing her for the journey to another kingdom for several days as her loved ones and dear friends came to send her off and hold me up.  Kevin Hollingsworth (who is now facing his own fight for his health), Brennen Leigh (with our old friend Leo and also with her brother Seth), Wendy Colonna and Chad Pope (who drove nonstop from Lake Charles just to get to play for her on her last day of consciousness), and Malford Milligan and Nick Connolly — and more.

Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday, and I will be eternally grateful for the love shown to me that year at this heart-wrenching time.  I lost my dad on Thanksgiving Saturday 18 years ago, as he fell carrying the American flag at the hometown Christmas parade — serving his country and his community and showing folks like me how to give from the heart without guile. 

Now we move into the Christmas season (Hanukah too, and Kwanzaa as well — and who knows what all else these days), when the world tells us to think about what we can get and yet is it not in truth a time to think about how much we can give to others?  A time of reflection — and of hope … and new beginnings.  Here in Austin, that is often easy enough, given the sheer number (and quality) of people moving into the Austin music community from all over the place every week. 

And yet, as I start my second decade as an Austin resident, those old friends can never be far from the mind and heart.  One such old friend is Phil Fajardo, whom I met nearly a decade ago through Greg Adkins, Phil’s partner in The Gospel According to Austin project.  Phil has been put through the ringer with uncertain diagnoses, and so his friends threw a big benefit at the Scoot Inn on Sunday — and I got there in time to see The Monstas and a quartet that included Marvin Dykhuis, Chip Dolan, Glen Fukunaga, and Danny Britt (playing without the brace I had seen on his right arm the night before at Jim Patton’s 39th birthday party).  And that’s not the only benefit I got out to in November.  It’s like, when anyone in our great big community needs a hand, we circle the wagons and throw down for them — and thereby always remember our own mortality and need to give out to others.  Which is what led me into this community in the first place — watching Papa Mali and the rest of the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers at Shaggy’s on Easter Sunday 2000.