Flanfire

Brave Combo has been around for 26 years, with founder Carl Finch (guitar, keyboards, accordians) joined by Jeffrey Barnes (saxes, flutes, clarinet, and other instruments too numerous to name) and bassist (and tuba player) Bubba Hernandez for nearly 20 of those years. Trumpeter Danny O'Brien and drummer Alan Emert joined the band nearly a decade ago. Hernandez left the band earlier this year, and that's how this writer got committed to the band.

Finch explained that he had seen Ann Marie Harrop playing bass with Guy Forsyth a while back and got her card. When he needed someone to replace Hernandez, he gave her a call - and has to date been thrilled with her hard work and talent (and maybe even because she adds a new dimension to the band's sex appeal). Ann Marie is still getting acclimated to playing with what one might call the Grateful Dead of contemporary polka bands, but her boundless energy and broad background in different musical styles makes her the perfect fit for this legendary two-time Grammy winning combo.

Friday night at Antone's was a powerful demonstration that Ann Marie, who may yet do some singing with the band (keep the light on, because this train will be coming!), has found her place in history (or herstory?). Folks, you have to be quick and ready because there is no set list (or at least not one that is rigidly followed). Even if there was, it hardly matters. To wit --
Brave Combo started out with a salsa tune, followed by something that sounded middle Eastern, then slid into the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction" as part of a medley that included something I seem to recall from Doug Sahm. Barnes during this medley has moved from flute to clarinet to tenor sax to fifes (?) to digeridoo - and we have yet to hear a polka tune, with Finch all the while playing electric guitar.

So to introduce the Clarinet Polka, Finch moves to keyboard and plays - after insisting that people slow dance - the Charlie Rich hit "Behind Closed Doors." We then move from polka to cha cha to waltz and back to polka - an appropriately named Oktoberfest song called "Down at the Friendly Tavern." Barnes is back on clarinet for what sounds like music from India during which the multitudinous dancers joined in a circle to dance in the round. Next on the agenda was a song with a Latin beat, with Barnes moving back to sax. Then it is a speeded up Mozart tune, followed by the first appearance of the night of Finch on accordian for a cumbia song off an early Brave Combo record, "No No Cha Cha Cha." Then it's back to another polka, Hernando's Hideaway, and the Tic Tac Polka.

Sixteen (or maybe 21?) songs into the set Finch acknowledges the band's brand-new release, "Holidays," which opens and closes with New Year's songs plus Auld Lang Syne and then celebrates 16 other holidays in chronological order (including Groundhog Day, April Fool's Day, and Cinco de Mayo). The only song of the night from this hot off the presses item was "Vampire Twist," which we understand is getting some airplay in New York City (where the band will be for three nights later this month).

At long last, the Combo gets into the meat of the evening -- the Hokey Pokey (Brave Combo style), interspersed with Walk on Gilded Splinters, followed by the Chicken Dance and then a little Greek music followed by yet another medley that starts with Floyd Cramer and ends with Chopsticks. Then we move to Africa for a medley that includes "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." After a couple more ditties, the band closes with the Muddy Waters polka, "I'm a Man," and finally "Beer Barrel Polka." [Okay, so I'm a Man is really straight-on blues!!!!]

If you are exhausted just reading this, imagine how all the dancers felt (many of whom never left the floor) - and imagine how Ann Marie must feel learning all of these different musical styles in short order and not knowing from one song to the next what the tempo or even the beat will be five minutes later into the evening. Our gal, though, is ready for the task at hand. If you have never seen Brave Combo, you have missed one of the great experiences of your tender life. If you have not seen the new lineup with Ann Marie, you are delinquent in your visits (maybe you broke your ankle and do not want to be tempted to hop around on the dance floor).

The Gene Pool opened - and I missed the entire show not realizing that Antone's shows that begin at 10:00 pm in this case really began at 9:45 - not 10:15. I did catch the last number (their "gospel" song) and they were rocking the house and people were already on the floor. They, too, have a brand-new CD, "Third and Main."

In other news, Austin singer Brooke Axtell will not make her Momo's gig next Saturday, and in fact she is fortunate (as are we) to be alive after being a passenger in a vehicle that was hit dead on at 60 mph last weekend. She was knocked out cold for over an hour. Reports on her progress are spotty, but she was released from the hospital and is in a quiet place to recuperate.

Speaking of Momo's, Austin School of Music vocal teacher Renee French will have her own CD release there on Saturday night. "Two Way Mirror" has 11 songs she co-wrote with various friends, including guitarist Van Wilks ("Deep Like a River," a song Van had scratched out years ago but never recorded, has been updated by Renee). My personal favorite on the CD is "Bedroom Window," which features Joel Guzman on accordian; I also like "Turn These Tides" and the confessional "Shadow of the Light." Renee is a balladeer who clearly has made many friends -- Roscoe Beck plays bass throughout the CD, along with pianist Eric Daub, Steve Samuel (Natalie Cole's drummer of choice), guitarist (and producer) Dave Sebree, saxophonist John Mills, and cellist Shawn Sanders. Plus CD photos by Todd Wolfson and cover art by Billy Perkins

Now I was AT Momo's on Thursday to catch the CD release party being held by Austin newcomer (via California and Oregon) Steven Pile. What a band this skinny fun-loving troubadour assembled for the gig (which I had to leave early to honor a time commitment at home) - Brian Keane on keyboards, El Goins on drums, producer Stephen Doster on guitar along with Sara Shansky (Steven's singing partner dating back to his Oregon daze), and Brad Hauser on electric bass plus tenor and baritone sax. As a bonus (well planned, to be sure), the lovely and very talented Rachel Loy stepped up to play bass while Brad was on horns. "Home for Right Now" reflects the lad's travels. I was around long enough to hear personal favorites "Honey Bee" and "Faultlines," which I envision having been sung decades ago by Al Jarreau. Steven obviously is a good guy, evidenced by the fact he toured with songwriter-novelist Dao Strom during the summer and that the amazing Wendy Colonna was in the house for the show. [Well, in fact the crowd was chock full of musicians and others of great taste - ]

Other tidbits picked up - Rachel Loy is readying an EP release very soon. Wendy is off to New Mexico and then Louisiana before the holidays. The new Tahni and the Toneheads CD is about ready for release. And El Goins has still not gotten around to recording and releasing any of his own songs since tossing one of them onto the San Jose Hotel saints and sinners project far too long ago.