Flanfire

This first shot is for the ladies — it’s bassist supreme Kyle Clayton, who on one late afternoon last month (and on many other occasions as well) provided the foundation for songwriters Margo Valiante (see bottom clip here, and that’s Etan Sekons on guitar) and Joanna Barbera (not shown here, but with the fabulous Julia Parmenter on operatic vocal harmonies).  Kyle and his band, About Blank, have a new record out of their own called RISE and I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to it several times already.  Now even though Kyle has a great (deep) voice, this is an instrumental record that also features bandmatws Danny Anderson on guitar, Dave Adams on drums, Kevin Gibbs on saxophones, Paul Luedke on trumpet, and guests Marcus Cardwell on baritone sax, Stephen Graf on trombone, DJ Stillness (uh, turntables), and Ian Varley on organ.  This record is 13 slices of pure “psycho-funky-jazz’ from one of my favorite groups anywhere in town.  The boys will be at the Elephant Room on July 26th and at the Lucky Lounge (for a CD release?) at the end of August.

At top right we have Charlie Terrell, who has un-retired after getting settled with the lovely Polly here in Austin and shaken off the cobwebs to just tear up Austin music stages, including the gorgeous outdoor stage at the Scoot Inn with bandmates Danny B. Harvey (off right now with the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash), Brad Fordham (Jerry Jeff, anyone?), Tom Lewis (Heybale), and a cast of a thousand “Murdered Johns.”  Charlie is a throwback to those glory days of southern rock — and a show not to be missed.  Great gravelly voice and a real showman.

But if it is pure joy you want, then get out to Threadgills on July 17th when the Trishas open for Willis Alan Ramsey.  From left to right, Savannah Welch, Kelley Mickwee, Jamie Wilson (of the Gougers), Liz Foster, and violinist Trisha Keefer.  This is just the best all-girl vocal group ever — they even blow away the Boone Girls.  Now, Savannah is busy with her movie career, Kelly is at House Wine most Thursdays with Andrew Hardin, and yadda yadda, but Stonehoney and the Band of Heathens together cannot generate as much pure emotion and power in their harmony vocals.  [After all, they're guys!]

The girls describe their sound as what happens when “Texas dirt, Mississippi River water, City Lights and Apple Pie sit down together in a pickin’ circle at an Austin backyard party – which I presume means Liz, Kelley, Savannah and Jamie in that order (explanations falter).  But it is not just that they are all drop dead beautiful – there are a lot of pretty faces out there.  This truly IS music people sing in a circle around a campfire — old songs, new songs, soulful and blue.  And any band where I get to hear Jamie Wilson sing her amazing songs has got to be a real favorite!  And there is more good news — Jamie has a new EP about ready for prime time (details to follow).

The photo below shows three-fourths of Margo’s new band — yup, she debuted with her new drummer at Momo’s last week before heading home to Wyoming to sing at a couple of weddings and get out of the Texas heat.  Thank goodness she will be back soon — meanwhile, Etan is working with the handsome Geron Hoy in a new project that we shall soon hear more about.  [And I have to mention that the piano player/guitarist with the big smile, Josh Halverson, is back in town for a while — I met his dad the other night at Momo’s and though brother Jake (who also plays drums and sings) is the better known rodeo cowboy, pop says that Josh can rope a steer just as well.