Flanfire

Someone Old, Someone New,
Someone Borrowed, and No One Blue!

Tahni and Emme Lou

This week's Austin Chronicle features stories on Austin's young musical talent (the under 18 set). Flanfire, meanwhile, has been tracking the career of an even YOUNGER future star, Emme Lou Handal -- and earlier this week the 8 year old singer and actress blew away an audience ostensibly at Stubbs' to hear songs from her mom Tahni's (here on piano, but usually on electric guitar) new CD. Emme Lou, who last summer was a featured performer at the Zachary Scott's Summer Theatre Camp, calmly went back to her normal child's life after her too-short performance -- and yet you can tell from her swagger on stage she's already a pro.

Mom Tahni, meanwhile, has a new record -- To Kiss You -- that is the best of the three she has done since moving to Austin with Emme Lou and her faithful dog Annie six years ago (has it been that long?). Her first record, done with Woody Russell, was sweet Americana; her second, produced by Dony Wynn, was dramatic and intense. This record is just first-rate American pop -- produced by Kelly Donnelly (who is currently working with Eric Johnson) and featuring John Lockhart and Bobby Mack on guitars, Stewart Cochran and Mark Goodwin on keyboards, Vance Abeyta and Donnelly on bass, Kevin Hall on drums, and Brian Andrew Lee, Korrinne Billiat, Tina Allen, Mark Chandler, and Jayson Hoyt on backing vocals.

Tahni as a teenager was lead guitarist in an all-girl metal band that hung out with the likes of Ratt and Poison (and some bigger names as well). She still has her chops, but left the lead playing at her CD release to Julius Manno (once named Austin's best guitarist by Z-ROCK); Abeyta held down the bass, Cochran was on keys, and Sam Pulley played the drums. "Shooting for the Moon," the first cut, is a remake of an older Tahni song about moving to Austin, but with a new twist. The title track is a gentle ballad about seeking a new and deeper spark in an old flame -- as "I'm running out of time, and I miss you oh so bad, what I wouldn't do to kiss you."

"Roll the Dice" is the rockiest cut here -- features a heckuva guitar solo! "Been a loner all my life, that's the way it is...." "For the Last Time" is my favorite (though I also really like "That's Who I Am" and "This Time Around," which reminds me of Pat Benatar). I have to say just how much I like the backing vocals throughout this recording, and here again Tahni has written great vocal arrangements. "I wanna go out with you tonight, I wanna make everything all right ..." This is a great pop rock ballad -- deserves a duet with fellow Italian Jon Bon Jovi or Joe Perry (you get the idea!). [But locally, why not Craig Marshall?] TURN UP THE VOLUME!

Maybe Austinites will naturally want to check out "No Work Today" - a catchy tune about a sunny day with clouds that roll on by -- "drive up the coast, wind blows in my hair, if you see me hanging around I'll see you there...." EVERYBODY will want to join in on the chorus! Sheboygan fans will love this music! And then there is "Heartache," another ballad ... reminiscent of a Kacy Crowley tune. The last song, "In the End," was recorded at Church House with Cochran on David Boyle's 1913 baby grand -- this is a lament about a loss of a friend. "You never know what you will get, but if you listen you will find your way ... you never know what you find in your condition, might as well be blind ..."

Jodi Adair in Wonderland!


Jodi Adair flew away from New Caney, Texas, at age 18 and went to Europe, and just kept on traveling. Not that long ago she landed in Austin, to be taken in by such friends as Carolyn Wonderland, Karen Deschamps, Shelley King, and a host of others. Jodi is a singer, a songwriter, an artist and a poet -- and a story teller with a childlike quality and the overflowing love given to her by her man Jesus! I met Jodi months ago, but only recently got to hear her songs -- and find out just how much she is loved by so many of my dear friends.

Take Gregory Truett Smith -- whose upcoming project is to paint the Book of Revelation and who has been churning out amazing art for as long as he has had fingers. Flanfire has Smith's Humpty Dumpty in the Southwest on his kitchen wall -- and is in awe of the works he had recently on display at Thunderbird Coffee. One popular piece is the poster art for Carolyn Wonderland's "Miss Understood World Tour" - here she is an angel of light. Another is Courtney Audain, whom Jodi chose to produce her record after hearing what he had done for Steve Carter's wonderful "In Love Again." Then there's my dear friend Kris Brown, on stage on bass, and Cole El-Saleh on keyboards with Carl Ryals on drums. And, who else but Carolyn on trumpet (her new 1920 model), her hand-made mandolin, and of course guitar? Later, the fabulous LZ Love joined in on "Chauffeur Blues," which featured solo verses by all three of these God-loving dynamos.

The evening at the Amsterdam (which HAS to be the best new music venue in town!) began with a soaring solo set from Aimee Bobruk, whose bright-eyed mom was in the house shaking a leg and spreading joy all around. Aimee brought lots of energy to her set, including playing to the dozen or so folks sitting outside (through the window glass) in the smoking section. The crowd swelled for Jodi to standing room only -- some had surely come to hear Carolyn play, but this was the newcomer's night -- and the real coming out party for the Amsterdam.

You meet Jodi and you feel the love. She reminds me so much of Donna Fargo -- a country girl with a big white Ford truck and an even bigger dog -- but a HUGE heart! So when she opens her set with "Sunshine "Worry 'Bout the Weather)" you feel you are in church (and you are, of course), and then when she continues with "Let Me Love You," the answer is a resounding YES! But back to the record. Jeffery Bouck is on drums, and W. C. Clark gets the lead guitar on "Bad Man Blues." My buddy Oliver Steck blows his horn on "Praise," an honest to God worship song, and Price Porter is on pedal steel on "Daddy Was Gypsy." Otherwise, Carolyn and Kris Brown split electric guitar leads, El-Saleh provides keyboards and even "strings," Audain adds just about everything else, and Jodi provides the songs, the voice, and the joy.

"Devil's Beating His Wife" is just Jodi and her acoustic guitar -- the way she plays Wednesday afternoons 4:30 till 6:30 pm at Mesa Ranch (south) -- and look for Jodi at the Hole in the Wall on Sunday, November 2nd -- a MUST ATTEND SHOW! But back to the show - and the CD. As noted, "Bad Man Blues" is just hot stuff! "Wild Fire" and "Cabin Fever" are songs I will not easily tire of hearing -- "Lessons Rough" is very different from the rest of the record, reminds me of Raina Rose. But then "Daddy Was a Gypsy" has that pedal steel and that story about "a pretty Texas queen" who stole daddy's heart and about the girl who also became a gypsy who "settled down easy" after traveling the land -- and yet this is also a song of praise. Indeed, Jodi's myspace moniker is "The American Gypsy."

"I Love You More" is an amazing song about faith in the faithless -- shows Jodi's range both vocally and emotionally. Gotta love Cole's piano here (and Courtney's organ adds). "Spoiled Child" is an edgy number -- "what makes you think you matter to me?" "I'm just a spoiled child out there in your world," Jodi sings -- and you know she is being honest even with herself. Now my pal Gregory beamed when Jodi started singing "Big Texas Smith," but I suspect the song is about a blacksmith ... this one features Kris Brown on dobro slide guitar and Jodi's own rough-hewn acoustic guitar and the story of a man whose legend might rival Paul Bunyan or Big John.