Flanfire

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!

Floramay Holliday no longer lives in Austin — so I rarely get to visit with her and her harmonica player (and husband) Gabor Racz.  But Thursday night (May 7th) Floramay has a CD release party at the Saxon Pub with her OLD Austin band that includes the amazing Arte Passes.  [Just tonight while at Antone's for a Stonehoney set, a fellow whose band had opened for Kevin Fowler recently was telling me just how amazing Arte was in that band!]

The photos below, however, are from the Sunday night Shelley King Band show at the Saxon with Floramay sitting in for a few songs the two women have written together.  Two of those so much fun songs — “Coffee” and “The Things You Do” — are on the new Floramay record, “Dreams.” 

Words cannot express how much these two women (and their husbands and families) mean to Flanfire — they were good friends (and cruise mates) of my beloved Nancy, and Shelley was among the many who was there for her through her long illness.   Shelley and her band were our first friends in the Austin music community — over nine years ago. 

And we never forgot that long night the week after September 11th when Floramay was doing her usual gig at the Texas Chili Parlor (yes, Virginia, it used to be a live music venue) and closed out her set with a powerful version of “Freedom Songs.”  Or that poignant tribute to fallen band member Kris Van Robbins (who, not coincidentally, was a close friend of Kevin Fowler — I will never forget the benefit those guys and others put on to help Kris’ grieving family).  Good times, sad times, that’s how good friendships grow.  Going to Cancun with Shelley and Perry and Floramay and Gabor and the whole entourage was a heluva wonderful way to share our 25th wedding anniversary (even better, our daughter and HER husband came along for the week-long party).

But to the business at hand.  I love this record — nearly every song touches me in the heart.  Floramay, by the way, grew up on a plantation in South Carolina with her musical family (her brother James Ervin plays bass and a little guitar on this record, her sister sang on a prior one) and later spent time working on a dude ranch in Idaho (and with all those Idaho musicians blowing Austin away, maybe picking up some of her musical skills there too).  Then it was Austin for quite a long time — and lots of great memories — and a storybook romance of her own that she will maybe tell you sometime.

OKAY — forget the first 12 cuts for a moment and concentrate on the “Roseneath Romance” that closes out this collection of songs and stories.  This is a tribute to her grandparents, James and FLoramay McLeod, and the romance begins with Floramay on piano, her brother James on acoustic guitar, plus Jeff Stockham on french horn and Joe Devoli on violin.  The moving instrumental eventually gives way to the song itself — a tale of a gentle courtship that grew into a lifelong love, one that formed much of the framework for Floramay’s own childhood.  I would buy the record JUST for these two amazingly wonderful linked pieces.

But of course that’s not all, folks!  This may be Floramay’s best songwriting to date (and I have loved both of her prior recordings) — some songs are silly, others (including one “co-written” with 18th Century evangelist John Wesley) cut deep, but in all of them we get Floramay’s honest voice and that twinkle in her eye that she is famous for.

“Yesterday’s Girl” kicks off the festivities.  Is Floramay telling on herself (or maybe just exaggerating? — or is she totally making it all up — when she sings, “Born spoiled raised in the land of cotton Way on down in Dixie, She used to dance till dawn with her high heels on, feelin’ young and sexy ….”  Now, I have to mention that Floramay went all the way to upstate New York to find the Barrigar Brothers (Kevin and Loren, on guitars and vocals) and their pals Matthew Rockwell (drums), Andy Rudy (piano), Leonard Stephens (pedal steel), Jeff Stockham (trumpet and French horn), and Devoli.  Shelley King also sings, Gabor sings and plays harmonica, and a huge chorus of Racz women and friends — the Amazing Women of the Lake, or AWOL Singers, contribute to “Girl’s Night Out,” which MUST truly be an autobiographical song!

Speaking of fun, first there’s “Momma’s Motorcycle,” “that pretty little engine R-65,” and yet this simple little song (with pedal steel, no less) has this line about “dreams get lost when you get distracted…”  Then there’s that song Gabor helped write, “Rainbows,” and that line, “You don’t need direction to know where you are…”  See — fun with a bite!  And there’s that good-time-feeling “Big Blue Eyes,” about taking a family drive in the summertime.

“These Days” is anything but funny — “little girl lookin’ out an old front door, Watch her daddy drive away, she’s seen it before … “  But later, “We’re all under the stars, So many children with a broken heart, Find a way to believe in love, Say your prayers before you dream, God gives us the reason, To forgive Daddy’s leavin’ ….” 

My pals Jack Dorman and Geno Hildebrandt over at Hope Chapel love to quote John Wesley’s famed saying, “Earn all you can, Save all you can, Give all you can.”  Here Floramay, in “As Long As You Can,” reminds us that we are loved “by the One up above” and we must therefore not forget to “do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, whenever you can, by and by, to all the ones you can, as long as you can — Amen, Amen.”

One of the best songs (from a songwriter’s perspective) here is a joint effort with Floramay, Loren Barrigar, and Peter Ryan called “Perfect You.”  On the record, it’s just Floramay on vocals and Loren Barrigar on acoustic guitar — and you never really know if this is a tragedy or a song of joy.  Now, there is one cover tune — Megan Peters’ “Something To Tell You,” from her 1997 album “About Time,” which featured Mike Cross on bass and Paul Pearcy on drums.  I think Floramay picked this one to sing to her husband — that part about him being a wrinkled old dude in a hundred years.

My favorite song (other than the Roseneath Romance) on the record seems to be “Slow Rain,”a pure and simple love song — “Singing you a new song Always sets me free, And I love it when you sing along in sweet harmony…..”  But it is the chorus that makes this one special to me — “The sun rose and the moon goes around this old world, And the seasons flow like water when you’re near .. As we grow, I know there’s nothing left to fear, Home is where the heart is, and my heart will be right here, There’s a slow rain falling to wash away the tears…”  And, yes Jenni W., there IS a French horn here!