Flanfire

I first met LZ Love at the Gospel Brunch at Maria's Taco X-Press -- but until Friday night I had never heard her full-band show. What a mistake - to wait so long to hear the woman that blues guitarist Tommy Castro (who plays on her new record) calls his favorite singer and whose website is graced by glowing comments from the likes of Hilary Clinton and Maya Angelou.

The scene was Ruta Maya Coffeehouse, at yet another in the wonderful series of Austin Daze music bonanzas (the "opening" act was Warren Hood with Marshall Hood and Willie Pipkin on acoustic guitars). LZ had in the house a band consisting of Charlie Prichard and Adam Raven on guitars, Ed Miles on drums (and wonderful backing vocals - Adam also sang some), and Rob Jewett on bass. I was hanging out with Russ and Wendy from Austin Daze (be ashamed of yourself if you do not read this wonderful newspaper - www.austindaze.com ) and with my pal Kris Brown, who had just come from subbing for Sunny Coleman with Leeann Atherton and Jackson at Maria's -- and Kris was stoked!

Before I continue on LZ, let me say that Warren has cut his pony tail and looks all the better from traveling with the Waybacks (and he will be back on the road most of the rest of the summer). Warren is also working (slowly) on a new CD with Marvin Dykhuis (who else?), but he says the difficulties of the two getting together in the studio ensure that it will be a while. I have been watching Warren's career for a few years and it is always stimulating to hear him. And it is always a joy to catch up with my old pal the bassmaster himself ... dreads and all!

Saturday night was another night for old friends, as I strode over to Ginny's Little Longhorn to see the Brennen Leigh Band (with Brennen, brother Seth, Vance Hazen on bass, Timmy Campbell on drums, and Danny Spurlock on his custom steel guitar) play lots of Graham Parsons and Johnny Cash and a little of the Louvin Brothers and even Brennen Leigh. In the house were songwriter Leo Rondeau (two of whose tunes are on Brennen's newest CD) and piano player Damian O'Grady from Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers (who will be back at Ginny's on July 15). There were lots of lovely ladies in the house as well - doubtless checking out the handsome Johnnies in the band -- and a couple of Cajuns from Lafayette who are longtime Brennen Leigh fans. Lots of good times.

Back to LZ -- This is a woman who has sung backup for the likes of Luther Vandross, George Benson, Joan Armatrading, Bonnie Raitt, and a laundry list of names you would know .. and her new CD, "My Higher Ground," features Castro, Michael Franti, Shelley King, "Boom" Carter from the E-Street Band, and Eric McCann (Raitt). Now, lots of folks have strong voices, but LZ has a strong character - forged by growing up with five siblings and a single mother who is lauded in one of LZ's songs, "Mom." She moved to Austin a few years back from San Francisco (LZ grew up in Chicago - but her mom was from Louisiana).

It is WAY too late for me to give a real accounting of LZ's show on Friday - but suffice it to say that it was every bit as much the power of her spirit as the power of her voice (and the power of her backing band - WOW!) that wakes up the spirit within and turns up the ear volume. On one gospel song LZ sat the band down and just took off.

It continues to amaze me that I meet new friends, hang out with them for a while, and one day get out to one of their shows - and get blown away by their gift. That's why I write ... many of you folks are wondering why I have been so slow to get to one of LZ's many many shows. Others will hopefully take this belated commentary as their own cue to stand in her presence.

One final note -- Russ Hartman has been putting out Austin Daze for eight years now under what for many of us would consider very difficult circumstances. Three-plus decades ago, I wrote for an underground paper in Washington, DC, and this is the first paper I have seen in years that captures some of the spirit of freedom and zest for life that we tried to put out there during the Vietnam era. The interviews alone are priceless - better and more indepth than you get in most other papers - and the commentary is pithy and timely.