Flanfire

“Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground, Mother Earth will swallow you, lay your body down…”  To me, American innocence died at Kent State along with my beloved Allison Krause (she whom I would visit only ostensibly to buy bagels and cream cheese and to lie on the grass and look up at the clouds together once in a while).  But what IS the cost of freedom?  And how do we find it?

Those days of innocence turned to days of rage as some I had counted as friends took up firebombs (blew themselves up, some did) and vitriol (much of it misdirected away from hatred of their parents’ lives), ripped off Bobby Z and called themselves “Weathermen.”  Fast forward to U2′s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” and you quickly realize that finding the true cost of freedom has eluded so many of us as we travel life’s pathways.  We want to be free — and yet …. we fall for the same old granfalloons time and time again.

And yet — there is this life force that now seems to be emerging as a new generation that first cast off religion as something phony people use to gain control over others then slowly began to realize that politics is often just another religious con game and what do we say, it is the music alone that has the truth inside.  We all have gone through the “Self-Actualization” crazes of one sort or another — thinking for a time that life was all about US (even if we condescendingly “helped” the poor according to our own standards — and surely not theirs [how could THEY know what is best for themselves, we might have said].  But then becoming poor ourselves we begin to realize that every true voice is worth listening to, every beating heart has a song to sing, and we begin to quieten ourselves so we can hear that sound of the universe revealing secrets we are all supposed to know.

So my friend Chris Jamison sings, “you only get what you’re giving away,” and Jess Klein announces that she is free and nothing is expected of her, but for sure, she’ll “be ready when the time comes.”  Blues Mafia has this new song, too — “Live Free” — that electrified the crowd at Antone’s for Gary Clark, Jr., the other night. 

All these words resonate, for we have all begun to learn that we cannot put our salvation, our true freedom, into the hands of those who manipulate us or those who schmooze us and take our wealth and our energy promising to do it all for us — and all the time robbing us of the excitement of the adventures that are our real lives.  So there it was all along — to find the cost of freedom, we have to “lay our bodies down,” on the line, holding nothing back, trusting somehow that the energy of true freedom will be so stunning that even those who might seek to take advantage of our wide openness are instead transformed before their very own eyes (if only for the moment) and they dance with us.

Life is stunning if we live it full on — if we listen to the breeze and the brooks and smell the roses and even prick our fingers on the thorns.  Which brings me to some stunning new music that I have had the pleasure of listening to these past few days.  [And right now I have to tell you I have a brand new CD from Alex Dupree and the Trapdoor Band -- Alex whose songs have more words even than those of Danny Schmidt, and from Ruby James (who got hugged by Kris Kristofferson the other night and has pictures to prove it), and from the Tiny Tin Hearts (who play on August 27th at Emo's).

I first met David Ramirez on Easter Sunday as both of us were guests of B. Sterling Archer and his lovely wife Jess for a fabulous lunch and party.  So now both of these guys handed me their new CD's within days of each other -- and I have nearly worn both of them out already.  Now I have walked down many roads with B. Sterling (who is 6'-7" and plays standup and electric bass, trumpet, guitar cello, and more) and only one or two with David (who is much shorter and a little chunky by comparison).  David recorded his "American Soil" up in Nashville with guys who are not his everyday band, while the B. Sterling Band (including former guitarist Micah Miller) played on every track of "Time Has Come."  And yet both of these men have written tender, passionate songs about real life with a partner -- how love is hard and forces us to die to our vanities, our conceits, even our feelings of total inadequacy.  And how we really do just have to give ourselves away in order to love -- and to be loved -- and how the personal is the proving ground for how we deal with the outside world.

B. STERLING BAND  -- "Time Has Come"

I really like this record -- B's vocals are upfront and passionate, whether singing about his wife and his life ("Not Going Back," "Let It Out," and more) or broader themes ("When the Body Fails," ").  Nicolette Manglos plays piano and keyboards and sings so well -- and yet she has since had to put her music on the back burner to complete work on her Ph. D., including a second summer in Africa.  After a series of incarnations, B. found lead guitarist (and pedal steel player) Justin Crowell, bassist (and harmonica player) Doug Frazier, and drummer Colin Wood to fill out the band that went on tour back in June (with Sarah Lincoln subbing for Nicolette). 

B. says he writes for the song, not the genre, and indeed the music here is varied -- from soft rock to harder stuff to that country feel -- "Why We Stay" is one of the most significant songs I have heard in YEARS.  Anyone who has tried to hold a marriage together has to identify with this masterpiece -- "we're feeling ways to make each other whole, and you're the only one I care to know."  "There's days when we lose track of our words, there's months when we can barely afford, we make do sometimes out of thin air, while we're growing there's always cracks to repair.... but through the years I'm finding love's a tangled web worth unwinding ..."  Listen to this song late at night over a glass of wine with your sweetheart -- and then spend an hour or two (or three or four) keeping the song alive in your own hearts.

The title song is cut from another cloth -- and here we find that selflessness of which freedom is made.  "Smooth out the line in the sand, kiss all the wounds that you can, join with the lonely coz you're not the only one ... the time has come."  "So go out tonight and dance with a stranger ... mend what you can ... and give what you've got till it's gone."  Just pour yourselves out -- and then listen to B's trumpet solo.  "Cash in your plans and go bold, live out the story of old," B. urges us -- and then we get the piano, followed by a piercing guitar solo over Frazier's harmonica. 

"Pictures" is an amazing song about how God sees us -- "there are no flaws .. at all," despite all of the ugly lines we have imagined in our own faces from the days we have spent with burdened hearts and pettiness and gossip and whatever else we remember as making us unworthy of being loved.  How liberating to hear that we are sons and daughters who are pleasing in the Father's sight.  Makes it so easy to pick up and go on spreading our appleseeds everywhere we go.  [Raina Rose knows -- and she will be in Austin on September 15th with Carley Wolf at the Cactus!]

I especially like the opening music to “Strike a Nerve,” the quiet organ sound … and B let’s us know that “the wrong hand on your heart can ruin what’s inside.”  “Let It Out” has this staccato energy that splays into a crescendo and a shout and then a very New Order kind of chorus.  In fact if I hear any precursors to this joyfully diverse set of songs, it would be the music of the 80′s .. lots of color, pyrodynamics too — but layered and rich and full.  “Let It Out” just keeps on coming — I just gotta see this one done live.  Total contrast — “Here’s to You,” a tender love song, a ballad, a lullabye almost … “I’m not here to win my side” — a marriage lesson in a song, with B. on cello and Alexis Ebbets on violin.  “So Far Down” opens with a classic guitar riff — and the organ tells you it is time to dance … but this song, too, is about coming to the end of ourselves and then what?  The album closes as it opens — with one of my favorites, the bouncy ”Not Going Back,” this time with Micah Miller on mandolin.  Now if we can just get these guys playing closer to Austin than the Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop.

DAVID RAMIREZ — “American Soil”

David Ramirez has made a record that reminds me so much of Doug Burr’s “On Promenade” in its beauty and power.  “Carry Me Like the Wind” — “we were born of dreamers, so a dreamer I’ll remain, even if I’m the only one … for there’s too much road to be left alone…’  This song is an anthem to our great land — and moreso to that great spirit of freedom that lets us find our way from city to countryside to park to river all the time with our souls in awe of what has been created for us to enjoy.  “Arithmetic” — okay, let me just say that guitarists Paul Moak and Tyler Burkum, keyboardist Cason Cooley (who also produced the record), drummer Will Sayles, bassist Tony Lucino, and vocalist Faith Gilmore have worked with David to make this record stunningly beautiful (there, I said it again!) — here, Ramirez tells us that “I’ve been taught to walk away,” a lament that gets in the way of finding the arithmetic that adds up to real love.  This is just awesome as the music takes you away — I can just picture the cowboy riding west into the sunset on his trusty horse after kissing the girl goodbye.

“Deal Me In” — “this is the life that I choose even if I lose, so deal me in” — “I’m slowly learning just what it means to love, and I don’t think I have it down, I just know … it’s not leaving you…”  Or, put another, way, LOVE is a choice — and for that matter, love is a verb — an action word that costs us everything we wanted to hold back.  “Good To Be Bad” is pure guilty pleasure — we know the lyrics here are NOT who we want to be, but it just does “feel good to be bad….” — at least for the moment.  Later on, not so sure?  Now none of US ever gloated in hurting the one we claim to “love.”  (You Only Kiss Me When You’re) “Drunk” is another tough song — it really is saying that we often mask our selfishness to hold onto what we are comfortable with rather than deal soberly with the changes we have to make in order to make relationships work.  So once again, freedom comes simply from giving ourselves away — baring our souls warts and all and telling the truth even to ourselves.

“Bloom” is another tough song — Ramirez has even told audiences his songs are hard and dark — “You may tend your garden but I’ll bloom without you now, and just like the seasons you’ll find that I can change, so don’t tell me that you love me and put me down.”  “Fires” opens quietly, yet with the pace of a drumbeat that interrupts the stillness and then there is this piano and some muted guitars … and finally the words …. “the best things in life are hard to come by, sometimes the best things come by accident.”  The passion here is penetrating, pulsating — and we see the vulnerability of even the tenderest relationships in songs like these (and as noted earlier in songs like B. Sterling’s Why We Stay”). 

“Mothers and Fathers” may be the best song on this record — “I watched my mother fold the sheets for me, and I see the wrinkles on her hands and see all the love that she holds can be seen in the lines around her knuckles…. so tell me who is gonna lay you down, who is gonna turn the lights out, just like our mothers and and fathers prayed … I wanna love you like that.” 

“I Am Ready To Go Home” is a paean to the Creator — “This life for me is hard cos I am living in the dark but even if I find the switch, things might never change.  I could read all the books, and pray all my thoughts, but I’m still right down here and you’re up there .. If you look close you’ll see a river in my soul leading me upstream where I’m loved .. so do it now, as I am ready to go home.”  And after the power and the glory, David quietly moves us to the closing song, “Goodnight.”  “Give me my pillow, give me my bed, shut off my phone and the light over me, thank you America my beautiful country, you treated me well, now it’s time to sleep…..”

Two men — brothers in arms who have laid down their arms — two sets of stories, yet one common thread.  The cost of freedom is everything we want to hold onto that gets in the way of loving someone else and setting them free.  But as Jess Klein says, “I’m free, and I’m bound to love.”  So there it is — time to lay your body down.

Natalie Zoe had quite a night at Antone’s at a benefit to raise money to help with the costs of her hip replacement surgery (details are gruesome).  Players included her own band CandiLand (featuring Candy Sanders on vocals and keyboards), her daughter Sasha’s band (Blues Mafia), her old roommate Malford Milligan with John Gaar and the Hopeful Souls (that John Gaar is an awesome, yet humble, guitarist!), and the likes of LZ Love, Sarah Fox (with Joel Guzman), and much more.   [Check out the "divas" videos over at our Youtube site.]   Natalie has long been a good songwriter, and a pretty good singer herself, but with the powerful Ms. Sanders aboard, she is willing to take a back seat and let the sistah deliver!

But that is the way Natalie Zoe has always been (on stage, for sure) — supportive of the creative, the artistic, the energy of those around her.   For years, just about every month or so Natalie would be introducing some new to Austin musician and having him or her play a couple of shows with her … and then came the day she (and Sasha) volunteered to put on a benefit to raise funds for the Flanfire family during a time of crisis and illness.   Here’s hoping she will soon be able to scrap the cane and dance like she usta.  One thing fo sho — she can still bring the funk!  [Gaar, Zoe, Milligan below.]

Okay — my photos suck.  But here on the left are Forest Sun and Ingrid (like I can spell Swedish names).  And who is this Forest Sun dude?  Well, he served as priest at the wedding of Noelle Hampton and Andre Moran back in their Mill Valley days.  The singer-songwriter and healthy living guru was in town a couple of weeks back to host another in the “Songs for Laura” series — named in honor of his late mother, singer Laura Purusha, who lost her fight with cancer.   Forest is working on the third compilation of songs donated by friends who are songwriters, and proceeds from these concerts and the albums themeslves go to fund cancer treatment.  The 19-song Volume One alone has cuts from the likes of AJ Roach, Brett Dennen, Matt the Electrician, Libby Kirkpatrick, and Danny Schmidt, while the 22-song Volume 2 includes cuts from Carrie Elkin, Noelle Hampton, and many many more.  We were blessed to get out to the Wyldwood Concert series for THIS version of Songs for Laura.

The young woman in the middle is Miranda Dodson — and from what I heard of her set at Momo’s Club, I want to hear more.  Then on the right we have one of my personal favorites, Patrick Conway and the Lost and Nameless Orchestra out at Central Market (my favorite outdoor venue in town of course — see “Flanfire Favorites” and you will know why.]  Also in this band are Chris Petersen (fiddle, shown here) and my great friend Harmoni Kelley and a host of others.  At this show Patrick’s four? year old daughter hardly had to work to steal the show just as she had long ago stolen his heart.

Stay tuned for more — but the technology is being finicky so we are splitting this up.

I will always remember the first time I met Jess Klein — at Momo’s, of course — Charlie Faye introduced us.  So a couple of weeks ago, Jess introduces me to her old friend Jessie Torrisi — who, like Jess, escaped from New York (a la Kurt Russell?), another in the never ending parade of wonderful people who were wise enough to come to Paradise where the streets are paved with golded songs and our pockets are lined with lint and sweat.

I will also never forget the first time I heard Jess Klein sing — last January at Flipnotices, and thank God the window was open, because her songs heated up the room.  Last Saturday I got to hear Jess again at Flipnotics, first solo (with her hair down), then with Jud Newcomb (who has just buried his close friend and fellow Resentment, Stephen Bruton, a man whom I admired and loved but nowhere near as much as Scrappy and the guys who knew him best). 

Like Suzanna Choffel, Jess appears the mild-mannered woman off stage but as soon as her guitar gets some action, she is pure dynamite.  I was just sitting there in awe and all of a sudden it hit me — Jess’s songwriting reminds me of the young Bruce Springsteen (and, by inference, Tom Waits at any age) in the way she weaves her stories from the vignettes of life she captures in her soul as she goes through everyday life.  Austin is so very blessed to have her here and yet Jess says that Austin has been a life saver for her as well – and folks, this new record she did with Scrappy and also with Mark Addison is like a seven course meal followed by another one — and dessert and brandy and coffee.  [Which is to say there's a lot of meat, plenty of spice, a touch of sugar but a pound of honey, and vegetables like great-grandma used to make.   [But for us here in Paradise, we get that kind of cookin' so often we may forget to kiss the cook even when it's finger lickin' good!]

Earlier in the evening, I got to see Jessie Torrisi (whose mom told me that Jess has had concerts in her living room), who had dragged me out to see Elvis Perkins in Dearland earlier in the week (a rare event for Flanfire checking out a non-Austin band, but what a wonderful experience that I will tell you about for hours if you just ask (but not here, though DO check out the photo of the young man whose father was Norman Bates and whose mother was Marisa Berenson’s sister).  [The photo is of Elvis to the right of the trombone player from Stillwater (OK) band Other Lives, who opened the show -- the Dearland guys, like Elvis, are Brown graduates.

Now, Jessie is really from Philadelphia but did go to Columbia and lived in NYC for a decade -- so she knows her bagels and her cheesesteak and STILL came to Austin for the music and the life.  And she is a drummer and percussionist and a very good one, as friends have told me.  At Ego's on Saturday, though, she brought out an acoustic and an electric guitar and her friend Alissa Schram to play cello -- and Carl Ryals on drums, Raul Vallejo on trombone and a brand new father Josef Butts on upright bass.  The thing with Ms. Torrisi is that she just gets you before she even sings a note -- maybe it's the time she spent learning Brazilian beats, maybe it's just her natural gift of gab, maybe it's just her devilish smile -- but she filled up the room with fans (some all the way from Manhattan) and with smiles of joy.

Later in the evening, I went over to Momo's to catch Goldcure in their final set before a Southeast tour -- now they are covering the Who, Bowie, and the Beatles and yet their originals are what blow people away.  Even their closest friends are amazed at how these guys have gotten so much better since arriving maybe two years ago from Fort Lauderdale (well, Adam, Craig and Gavin - bassist Marcus is their best Austin find other than producer (and great guitarist and songwriter) Stephen Doster (shown here with birthday boy Gavin Inverso -- and yeah it was also Will Evans' birthday too!)  The big surprise of the evening, though, was Ryan Harkrider and his band -- wish I had gotten the name of that pretty law school student who sang harmonies and leads with Ryan all night long.  Ryan, BTW, won the Austin song contest -- just gotta love the emerging talent this town produces (yup, he's a native!).

Friday was sort of a makeup day for Wednesday, when to accommidate a late-booked private party, Scholz's Biergarten moved the Fireants and Blues Mafia show to the choirlike Sangerrunde Hall, which does not handle electric instruments well and which did not attract anywhere near the normal crowd you get outside at the venue.  Plus, it was a chance to check out Tim's Porch at the Old Backyard -- just a fabulous place to sit outside and listen to great music.  And folks, Malford Milligan is back in town to do a show there on May 30th!

The Fireants were missing Rebecca Pledger (bass) and Steven Campbell (keys) but then again that put Danny Levin on fiddle, cello, and keys and Jon Blondell on bass for quite a show.  Carson Brock even sat in on a song or two -- after telling me he was a little ill and "glad he was not playing." But of course he is a featured member of the Lake Travis Fiddlers (playing guitar) as is my old friend Richard Parke's lovely daughter Catherine.  I really enjoyed this ensemble, which is directed by Anna Macias who has been such a developer of young talent for so long in this town.  And yet -- the best show of the night may just have been the very informal jam sessions with Carson Brock (he of the weak-kneed feeling earlier), Victor ZIolkowski, Zeke Jarmon, and Danny Levin -- sometimes with Zeke or Carson sitting in on drums).

Later on Friday, I stopped by Ginny's Little Longhorn for a set from Jenny and the Corn Ponies (which includes my pal Missy Beth on fiddle and vocals) -- and Vaughan and Sly from the Shake-Em-Ups showed up, Mr. Barrack on his brand-new motorcycle!

 NOTE - I am reserving an entire post just for the Ricky Stein CD release and family fun fest at the Continental Club last Thursday.  Earlier that evening, the lovely Jackie Bristow (with Mark Punch and Mark Hays) put on an amazing show at the Amsterdam despite the ongoing renovations at the venue that its owners hope will turn the former diner into one of the city's top intimate music venues.  ANd I even had been to Momo's for Happy Hour thanks to Aimee Bobruk who had told me not to miss her friend from south Georgia via Noo Yawk City (there's that place again!), Mary Bragg.  ANd boy she was RIGHT!  Lovely woman (with her husband on bass), gorgeous songs.

Despite the last-minute relocation, there was much good to say about the Fireants and Blues Mafia at Scholz's -- first, I had never been to Sangerrunde Hall, but now I see why acoustic groups love to play there during SXSW or at any time.  Second, I got to go see and hear Stefanie Fix with Mark Williams on bass and cello down at Botticellis.  [Which makes me wonder just how good "the Marks brothers" would be -- Mark Williams on bass/cello, Mark Hays on drums/percussion, Mark Addison on keyboards and some guitar, and Mark Punch on lead guitar, all from this post. 

 Gotta throw in a few kudos for Slaid Cleaves, out with his brand-new CD (I caught part of his Waterloo show, which was phenomenal -- and have to note he sings a duet with Jess Klein on her new CD.]  And then there’s that great new project for George DeVore (he gets to wear his overalls), the Twalls, which also features Matt Powell — and Curley Sue Twall on bass.  The garralous Douglas Jay Boyd made his Saxon Pub debut last week (he’s also singing with Dertybird of late) — and the always fun Nathan Hubble delivered as promised with Miss Brennen Leigh on electric, rock and roll mandolin at Momo’s.  [I might also mention Jackie Bristow’s warmup show at Flipnotics and my late-night taste of Warren Hood with Ruby Jane Smith at Momo’s on Sunday — after the Kris Brown Taurus birthday party — his mom and girlfriend are also Taureans, and it was a great party at Happiness Nursery which I heretofore had not even known about but which was such a cool little place tudked away off South First Street.

Finally, I have to give kudos to Blues Mafia (and to the Greyhounds and to Stephen Marcus of San Antonio’s blues rock band The 46, who also played) for helping raise nearly a thousand dollars for hte Leukemia and Lymphoma Society last weekend at Jovita’s.  Stephen’s drummer was in bed recovering from a tonsillectomy so he just came solo but ended up in another of those famous Austin jams with Patrick Mertens, Chris Copeland and Kai Roach of Blues Mafia and later Syd Sanchez on guitar.  The Mafia then put on a show that brought out the dancers (young and older, got a saxophonist up on stage for a song or two, and unveiled another new song that totally blew me away.  Later that evening I stopped by Botticellis to see Margo Valiante, dropped in at the Continental to catch two songs from LZ Love, and then went over to the Saxon and watched in total awe as New Orleans’ Theresa Andersson (who lived in Austin after Katrina) just mesmerized a packed house with her one-woman, five voices band show — violin, guitar, drum kit, various other percussion, and of course her loop machine that enables her to dance around barefoot pushing pedals and harmonizing with herself in four octaves. 

And after she sang a joyful tribute song  in the Nawlins tradition to Poodie Locke (it really WAS a hard week for Austin music, losing two of its finest who were both born in 1948), Theresa got a note telling her that Stephen Bruton, too, had died.  She paused for just a moment, then announced she was doing one more song — and proceeded to sing “Find the Cost of Freedom,” that great anthem from CSNY, with just her voice (looped for effect) — and as we cried our bitter tears we were slowly transfigured by the power of her soul as Bruton’s spirit entered the room and calmed all of our hearts.  My boys from Stonehoney closed out the night, but even their sweet four-part harmonies could not touch what we all had just seen and heard.

Okay, already.  Our first photo here is Mingo Fishtrap – definitely NOT a teenaged band, but one worth mentioning for their Monday night Antone’s residency that is soon coming to an end.  And throughout this missal we may mention other bands whose guys have been shaving for more than a year or two.  But let’s get real — Austin is beginning to recognize the genuine talents and creativity of some of its younger musicians.  Now Flanfire, of course, has been writing about teen music in Austin for years, and so we are more than glad that people like Margaret Moser and Roggie Baer are giving props today.

So here we have the members of Edison Chair taking a little break from the hard work they did on a recent Sunday afternoon at Jovita’s, helping Roggie and ALTWorld host an all-afternoon showcase with half a dozen or so bands and four judges evaluating all of the younger musicians and more.  Ms. Moser was indeed one of the judges, as were Harmoni Kelley (my favorite red-headed bassist), Billy Harvey (whose own recognizable talent may soon be eclipsed by his production skills), and designer-photographer Mark Alba.  [Don't they all look superbly intent!]

As Ms. Moser reports in her own Chronicle blog, the bands (I missed half the show for reasons explained below) included South of Center (12-year-old funksters), Euphoria (winners of the Austin High battle of the bands) and a band I heard and liked — playing as an instrumental quartet, Team NEXT (whom I first met at Austin CAN Academy over a year ago), Edison Chair itself, the Fireants — fresh from Old Settlers, followed by a 30-minute jam that all the guys were talking about afterwards, the Carson Brock Group (just back from Germany), and the band I was most glad to see for the first time, the Cafe Racers, featuring Taylor Bartholemew [bottom left] and Brandon Mays (plus Sam on bass and Damian on drums).  This band really brought it — and Taylor writes good songs.

Earlier on Sunday, I had stopped by Jo’s Coffees on South Congress to visit with Ruby Jane Smith (and her lovely mom JoBelle) — and to hear a little of her band — Lefty Nafziger, Willie Pipkin, Lindsay Greene, and Damien Llanes (a more than passable bunch).  But I spent the better part of the day at the Second Annual Shotgun Party Chili Cook-off (I refuse to report on the contest other than to note that Kinky Friedman was one  of three chili judges — and that my two favorites did not even place).  This crowd photo shows people of all ages having a wonderful time — and why not?  Great food, great music, and a great bunch of friends having a blast together.  I got to see sets from J.W.W. and the Prospectors (bottom left — with Heather Rae on fiddle), Deadman, Leo Rondeau and his marvelous band, and Graham Wilkinson (dreads) and the Underground Township (featuring PJ on lead guitar — whose other band is Dub Kids).  Every set I heard was just downright fine and dandy!  And after all of that, I headed over to the Saxon for the Shelley King Band (see my review of Floramay Holliday’s CD).

 OK, that was Sunday.  Saturday was just as wild and crazy — with much of the action out at Threadgill’s World HQ in the form of a benefit concert hosted by none other than Margaret Moser.  Here we have the revitalized El Gaupos (with horns) and the Diving Captain (the band my pal Hoe’s daughter and her friends came to see).  Lots of others had played earlier, and I totally missed the Daze and Blues Mafia playing some Cinco de Mayo event over near Town Lake.

Now I did not take my camera out on Friday, but I have to mention sets at Momos from Jarrod Dickenson (playing solo) and Josh and Jake Halverson (Jake is Josh’s brother who is better known for his bronco riding on the rodeo circuit — but I like his singing, too).  Those, though, were lead-ins to the magnificent show at the Saxon Pub by Jackie Bristow and her hot band — George Reiff, Dony Wynn, and Aussie guitar god Mark Punch.  [But I take way too many photos of Jackie already!]

The photos below here are of Erin Ivey at the Parish (with Jon Dee Graham way down below) — the highlight had to be their duet, if for no other reason than that Jon Dee had never met Erin or impresario Brian Conway until he was asked to do the show with her.  Clearly, the magic was there — and Jon Dee showed why this “miracle man” should be one of the world’s most widely revered people who sing.  The other photo here is of Mike Harmeier and Burton Lee (Mike and the Moonpies) at Uncle Billy’s Second Anniversary Party on Thursday afternoon — Shotgun Party, Leo Rondeau and Slowtrain were also on the bill that day.  

Now here (left) is a major reason (other than the fine music from Jimi Lee and friends) to go to Hyde Park at Westgate on Tuesdays (Tony and his fried chicken are also there on Mondays).  The restaurant also has Sunday night swing (often with the Marshall Ford Swing Band — but look out — the texas Swing Kings will be coming soon!) — and may opt for another night of music here and there (how about late-night weekend jazz or whatever after the movies to nosh on HP’s famed snack foods)?

Wednesday nights are fast becoming Soul Track Mind parties at TC’s Lounge.  These events are not yet as crowded as Mondays with Little Elmore Reed, but rowdier for sure.  That’s mainly because of lead singer/lover Donovan Keith, who writhes on the floor, prances and dances, and falls into the loving arms of his womenfolk (see top right above).  And I have to mention George DeVore’s new project, the Twalls — who are playing late night Mondays in May at the Saxon but whom I saw at One 2 One (a really cool venue on 5th and Brazos with a great rooftop).

Finally here we have BettySoo playing accordian and singing harmonies with Charlie Faye after her own acoustic set at Momos on Tuesday night.  And, yes, I did see that little bit of Mingo Fishtrap after Stonehoney’s set at Antone’s last Monday (well, they ARE using Mingo’s drummer a lot).  Those California refugees will be on the road most of the summer — unlike Flanfire.

Now just for the record, I DID get out of the house a little bit this week too — Jimi Lee with Kevin Hollingsworth on Tuesday at Hyde Park, and Thursday was wild — but my camera battery was totally dead — so I may as well tell what I know about that night.  OK — I parked at House Wine, walked to Flipnotics for the Troy Campbell showcase that featured Will Cope and Lincoln Durham (out solo these days and sounding manly!) and a full set from Troy (do people here even realize just how good this guy is?) — and a surprise visit from Ray Wylie Hubbard, who is producing Lincoln’s new CD and has been the Itasca native’s mentor for years.  Ray Wylie (that old snake farmer) is playing Shady Grove next Thursday with Lincoln opening, by the way.

Then it was back to House Wine for a little bit of Kelley Mickwee (just back from Italy with Kevin Welch) and Andrew Hardin — and then over to Floramay Holliday’s CD release.  It was like old home week, with Kris Brown on guitar, Chip Dolan on keyboards, Arte Passes on pedal steel, Shelley King on harmony vocals along with Gabor Racz (Floramay’s hubbie who also plays harmonica), Greg Baumgardner on bass, and Vinnie Ambrosone on drums.  And later I got a private, one song concert from Austin newcomer Jessie Torrisi and her cellist, Alissa Schram at the Irie Bean right at closing time (I had missed the duo’s actual set, you see!).  Heck, they had me singing along!