Flanfire

These posts are going to be short and sweet!  Just a few photos and everything out of timeline order.  It is hot — and we have been busy.  OK so here is the lovely Kiwi Jackie Bristow, who lived in Australiia for many years and is back in Sydney as we write to finish up work on the new recordings she just finished here in Austin (at Church House and Cedar Creek) with JJ Johnson on drums, Chris Maresh on bass, and her old Aussie guitarist Mark Punch.  That handsome fellow with Jackie (and no wonder he is smiling) is Australian guitar maker Allan Tomkins, whose mentoring of Mr. Punch goes back nearly 40 years.  Tomkins was at the Continental Club to showcase some of his latest work — and out to see Heybale because Redd Voelkart is playing one of his creations. 

Moving over, we find Mark Ambrose and Bob Livingston egging the crowd at Kathy and Bill’s House Concert on as the whole place erupted in “London Homesick Blues.”  Now THIS was an OLD AUSTIN event, held at a century old house at 910 E. Cesar Chavez, where the amazing Eric Taylor will hold forth on Sunday, July 26th — with David Olney and Vince Bell coming the following two months.  For details go to www.myspace.com/housebooker or call (512) 743-8424.  Mark’s last CD was made with David Rawlings and Gillian Welch, who are his old friends from Nashville, and Bob of course is an original Lost Gonzo who has more stories than the tallest tower in Austin.

Then there is Austria’s contribution to Austin music, Ulrich Ellison (fresh from finishing his graduate work at the University of Texas, where he was on a Fulbright Scholarship and only won Downbeat’s jazz student composer of the year two years in a row) teaching two young guitarists prior to playing a set at It’s A Grind Coffeehouse in (nosebleeders catch your breath!) CEDAR PARK.  Now I gotta say, the folks who run this place have a great idea that is working well — they are moving the music outside (as weather permits) to a shaded area that faces the sidewalk so that more people can stop by for the fun.

Finally, here is Leaving, TX, songwriter Chris Patterson at Flipnotics as a guest of Troy Campbell (who has since turned the Thursdays over To Ben Mallott so he could play a few shows in Europe).  Chris was in town for a few weeks prior to relocating from the Washington, DC, area to Dallas (North Texas).  Now I just picked up the brand-new July issue of 3rd Coast Music  (thanks, John Conquest, and Leaving, TX is tied for 16th place on the Freeform American Roots music chart.  No. 1 with a bullet is Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women (nearly all of whom he borrowed from right here in Austin) — but sneaking up to No. 5 on that chart (ahead of Steve Earle and Slaid Cleaves) is my old buddy (and North Dakota native) Leo Rondeau.  Also making the chart is Waco native Steve Martiin (yeah, the guy from “The Jerk”) who will be playing his banjo out at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park in early October — the same event that will feature Austin’s own Fireants and many other NAMES YOU WILL KNOW (including other Texas bands).

[Photographs by Flanfire, collage by Gene Chavez -- that's Gina's dad!]

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!