Flanfire

A little gathering at Momo's tonight shows a lot about what Austin music is all about. Kim and Karen Deschamps had sent an e-mail to various friends encouraging folks to come out at 10 pm sharp (I was late!) to hear Canadian singer-songwriter Andrew Walker, who is in town to record a new CD with Kim (word is the work is going great!), and then to stay and hear Kim's new blues band, El Kabong (featuring Willie Pipkin on guitar, Tony Velasco on bass, and Ram Zimmerman on drums).

Kim is a virtual music god in Toronto - and still an unknown here after years of playing with the Charlie Robison band, sitting in with Shelley King and a long list of players, and being the unsung hero of the Cowboy Junkies' seminal work, The Trinity Sessions. But tonight top Austin musicians like Jane Bond, Nathan Hamilton and Billy Brent Malkus, and Will Dupuy (Pipkin's South Austin Jug Band compadre) showed up, with friends, just to hear the band. The night was hot, but the music was hotter. Willie will be fishing next Tuesday down in Florida, but the band will be back - as will Andrew Walker.

Walker will also be doing a break set on Sunday night, when Warren Hood and Blue Light Special are filling the slot normally held by the touring Resentments, and this will be a show to see and hear and enjoy. He will also be playing with Leeann Atherton on June 12 and at various other gigs around town.

Meanwhile, another super singer-songwriter, Aaron Hamre, and his wife Jennifer, have just moved to Austin from northern New Mexico (via southern California) at the behest of Dallas native (and songwriter for Steve Miller and many others) Chris McCarty. Aaron is getting organized to bring his music out in the open here very very soon.

For the record, Nathan and No Deal are working toward recording a new CD later this year. The Jug Band just got back from a furious West Coast trip that took them, among other gigs, to the Strawberry Festival (where once again they ran into other Austin bands). They are playing Gruene Hall on June 2 - a great dance hall gig for those able to drop in. This writer will be at the Carousel to hear Dark Holler.

One more plug. My daughter's car was hardly running, so I took it all the way to Oak Hill to my mechanic, Bob Walden (telephone 630-5952). My daughter and her husband had thought the vehicle was ready for the junkyard - that repairs would be very expensive. But Bob quickly pinpointed the problems as a leaking water pump (the car was overheating) and some friend spark plug wires (the car had little startup energy). In and out in a single day - and running just fine, thank you very much, right now. So, if your vehicle needs help, give Bob a call. And tell him I sent you.