Flanfire

Living in Austin is just one big joy after another. After noshing on East Side Pies at the Austin Music Foundation mixer at Rio Rita's, my friend and I strolled (well, drove) over to the Scoot Inn for the Aimee-Hilary showcase. Caught a set by the wonderful Brennen Leigh -- big happy surprise was brother Seth playing electric guitar (with Justin Kolb on bass). We stuck around for Aimee Bobruk's set, which featured Kullen Fuchs bringing out his French horn (a debut performance?) along with trumpet, TWO different accordians, and the xylophone with and without fiddle bows. Darwin Smith on guitar and vocals made this yet another Aimee set not to be missed -- and she claimed she was not wholly well. I have added Sandy Denny as one of the few singers I have ever heard with such a clear and gentle voice. Aimee's CD will be out in a month or so -- but catch her every Tuesday and fall in love all over again with just pure singing!

But that was just the appetizer this night. Jen had insisted we get over to Momo's to catch up with yet another Austin newcomer -- Joanna Barbera hails from New York City, but spent her last five years in San Francisco where she really began singing in public. Wearing a dress she claims to have "stolen" from a close friend, Joanna quickly established herself as a flanfire favorite -- she had me with her big beautiful eyes.

Looking a lot like Maria Muldaur when I first met her, Joanna proved herself to be a talent worth watching (and listening to) in about a New York minute. Great songs, great hooks, a top notch band -- the amazing jazzman Kyle Clayton on bass (About! Blank!; Free Brass Cartel), J. J. Baron on guitar (Slaid Cleaves, Ted Hadji and the Wholly Ghosts, and his own highly acclaimed music), Jordan on bass, and Ann on harmony vocals, tambourine and dancing on stage and wearing furry boots. [She's from Indiana.]

Joanna had just gotten in a supply of her new sampler EP with four of her songs (some of which you can find on her myspace page). "Beautiful Life" is a story of moving from automaton to living, breathing soul -- "I can't lay here six feet under in a life of nine to five." I want to know who is playing fiddle on these songs, especially "Red Roses" talks about moving as a child from the Lower East Side to a better home for raising a family -- and a trek across country after "a long trail of tears" from leaving that home -- and the loss of a parent. There's more, but you will just have to get out to her shows -- Momo's on January 29th (and again twice in February) or Botticelli's on January 31st.

Now for the teaser -- at the AMF mixer, I ran into the lovely Jane Bond and encouraged her to go hang out with her buddy Brennen at the Scoot - which she did. Jane is playing a set at the Aimee-Hilary showcase NEXT Tuesday (Jan. 22) with Country Matt Giles and Cornbread -- and she just looks great. Apparently she was for a while out doing some recording with Benmont Tench and friends in Los Angeles -- and if "Why You Wanna Hurt My Heart" and "Skeleton Key" are samples from those sessions, Jane's next album will be a MONSTA!!!

Flanfire -- Bringing LIFE to Austin music.