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Flanfire (Duggan Flanakin) is bringing LIFE to Austin music -- and telling the world how sweet it is!
Friday, January 19, 2007
Malcolm Welbourne hails from Shreveport, Louisiana, and as a youngster used to slip into clubs where white boys did not normally belong. He also spent wise time taking guitar lessons and learning other valuable lessons from bluesman John Campbell (whose music is being celebrated at Beerland on January 19 and 20). In my many conversations with this founder of the Imperial Golden Crown Harmonizers, Malcolm once told me about heading to New Zealand while still a teenager and later working with the late Michael Johnson to form what would become Austin's signature reggae band, "The Killer Bees."
Malcolm has six children, all mostly or fully grown, and he got his nickname -- Papa Mali -- from his reggae friends in Burning Spear, but the man has become a father to a new generation of Austin music while at the same time holding himself to the fire since waking up one morning about a decade ago and realizing his life was a mess. He decided to stick around the house and not spend all his time on the road and work on his responsibilities at home -- and the Harmonizers was in large part his gift back to his own personal God who had given him a new chance at a better life. Keeping on this better path, Papa Mali eventually began to feel more confident (and his children were older) and got a new agent and began to tour again -- in fact, you will find it hard to see him (except maybe once a month on Sundays at Maria's Taco X-Press) in concert for the next couple of months. His career has literally taken off -- not that he has gotten that much better as a guitarist -- he has been amazing since the first day I heard him play (on Easter Sunday, 2000, at Shaggy's).
But I digress. Papa Mali has turned "The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster" back into a rhythm and blues - pure soul - singer while producing her brand-new CD that is a MUST HAVE for any serious collector. He also has his own brand-new CD, produced (as was "Thunder Chicken," his debut solo CD) by Dan Prothero, that HAS TO BE PLAYED at any party you intend to throw in the next several years.
To the bricks first with Ruthie (who just got back from touring with Bo Diddley), whose next AUSTIN gig is February 15th at Antone's. Folks, this is Ruth Brown meets Mavis Staples if you know what I mean. Ruthie contributes "Heal Yourself," "Harder Than the Fall," "Mama Said," "I Don't Know What To Do with My Heart," and half of "Beaver Creek Blues" (with Cyd Cassone). She throws in songs from Lucinda Williams, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Son House, the amazing Eric Bibb (son of Leon Bibb), and more ... and plays some piano and guitar -- but not all of it, given the availability of Papa Mali himself and friends like Glenn Fukunaga (bass), George Stuppick (drums), Dale Spalding (harmonica), Gurl Morlix (lap steel), Anthony Farrell (piano, organ - and songwriting), Mike Dillon (vibes, congas), Ned Stewart (special effects), and the Tosca String Quartet. And, by the way, the CD title comes from a Maya Angelou poem, "Phenomenal Woman," who was put to music by Amy Sky and David Pickell and transformed into pure energy by Ruthie's powerful vocals.
My friend Natalie Zoe was blessed to sing backing vocals at Ruthie's holiday show at The Saxon Pub, and she reports that people stood up and applauded for a long time at the end of the set -- "phenomenal" is truly the right word here, and it goes far beyond her on-stage performance. This is a woman who, after all, gave up a promising career in NEW YORK CITY to come back to Gause, Texas, to care for her mother during her last few years this side of heaven -- and is ever thankful for making that hard choice.
You know you are getting a different Ruthie about two notes into the opening number -- the very soulful "'Cuz I'm Here," written by Farrell with Zak Littlefield and Andrew Trube of The Greyhounds. But when Ruthie gets into "Heal Yourself," the house is ROCKIN' -- sounds like Ray Charles! Next, Ruthie channels Sam Cooke on Lucinda Williams' "Fruits of My Labor" (from her "Live at the Fillmore"), turning Lucinda's white trash anthem into a work of wonder.
Then Ruthie goes back to the blues -- Son House's "People Grinnin' in Your Face" is a capella at first; the second verse adds backing vocals and handclaps and footstomps, and the song builds with wails to its climax. Then it's the gospel of Rosetta Tharpe - "Up Above My Head (There's Music in the Air)" -- and you KNOW there is a heaven somewhere when you hear this number (with Papa Mali's backing vocals) -- and, yes, this is gospel funk with that wicked organ and rhythm section (in fact, it sounds a lot like Bobby Blue Bland!).
"Harder Than the Fall" is a fusion between folk and soul -- and (as her bio admits) very open and honest (as is the final cut, "I Don't Know What To Do with My Heart," which features the Toscas). "Beaver Creek Blues" is a shuffle that is indeed a paean to her earlier sets with co-writer Cyd Cassone (and includes some creeklike noises). But it is "Mama Said" that shows Ruthie at her most soulful -- and spiritual. Here, Papa Mali and Dale Spalding weave a mournful tune behind Ruthie's righteous vocals -- musically, this is the top of the mark, and it is clearly personally confessional. The only thing better here would be Ruthie and Carolyn Wonderland doing this as a duet -- and taking about 15 minutes in the process.
Not that it is really downhill from here -- in addition to the Maya Angelou poem (which is akin to a pop anthem), we are blessed with Bibb's "A Friend Like You" -- which is yet another soulful hymn that would stir any congregation (especially any East Austin congregation) on a Sunday morning. "Joyful is my soul every time I think of you, sweet music is the gift you bring... thank you for the songs soaring in my heart, your love makes me sing ...." Just imagine Mavis Staples singing this one ..... And it segues into the Tosca strings ...... and a song that should be Number One with a Bullet on the Billboard R & B charts (do they even still exist?).
This is the MATURE Ruthie Foster -- the one who opens her hands and her heart and is no longer just putting on a great show that gets you hand clapping and singing along (though she can STILL DO THAT!). THIS is a recording for the ages ...
NOW GO TO PART 2.
