!Viva La Resistencia! y Viva Raul Salinas!

"Jazz Hipster | Pinto | Cockroach Poet | Human Rights Activist | Xicanindio | Elder" that and much much more was Raul Salinas, sadly now departed. I'd add "street fightin' Tzadik" and "lover of the printed word" to that myself.

Now, he's gone and I can't see anyone coming up behind him to take up the banner of truth, human dignity and justice.

Find out about the man at these sites, raulsalinas.com, his wonderful bookstore, and this recent tribute. Along with the passing Clifford Antone and Doug Sahm, Austin has lost one of the strong voices that made us such a great town to live in.

!Viva La Resistencia! y Viva Raul Salinas!"

Box of Wine - Mardis Gras 2008

Hours prior to the parade leaders arrest that evening (and that's a whole other story wild related here,) the Panorama Brass Band works out a litte Ornette Coleman number for the revelers.

Note the trumpet fiddle in the hands of former NO Klezmer All Stars fiddler Rick Perles.

How do get a musician to complain?

Easy.

Book him for a gig.

No really, I'm just about up to my eyeballs in all these one-time professional musicians complaining about how "I can't make a living anymore, " and "there's nothing but day-job cubicle monkeys by day,rock-stars by night" no talents clogging up the clubs, playing for free to an increasingly unsophisticated crowd of patrons who think of music simply as something you do for fun.

Well boo-hoo.

To quote director Werner Herzog, "do not succumb to the culture of complaint!" Either get a job like everybody else and stop playing for beans, or go out there and eat off the plate that is offered and say thank you very much. Life be funny sometimes, and it's getting nearly comical lately.

Either way, please leave me out of it. Or at least be of good humor. I have a hard enough time remaining positive about our culture's situation as it is, and I just recently made a gun purchase.

Many thanks.

Panorama Brass Band - Krewe of Babylon -2008

Mardis Gras 2008, Krewe of Tucks, Panorama Brass Pand

So here's my first report from this years Mardis Gras. The first nights parade, Morpheus, was a horror show as it was rained out and then rescheduled to roll after the next nights parades. That meant that there we 4, count 'em 4, whole parades that lined up at 6pm.

To accomodate our commitments to both Krewes, the Panorama band broke into two 6 member band, with your truly on a borrowed tuba. We didn't get to the parade end until nearly 1 am, and the last parade rolled in much later. Absolute chaos reigned, which was ironic as the Krewe of Chaos actually canceled their parade, wussies....

It was night time and a camera was out of the question, which is fine as the Morpheus folks were a supreme let down. Last year, Morpheus had the kickingess floats and best throws and had me wishing we were rolling with them rather than just watching them go by. But this year we rolled just behind the "King" who couldn't be bothered to toss the band a throw, so we had to contend ourselves with Krewe D'Etat throws from the previous roll. The floats were mighty weak, the throws kinda lame and the Krewe members less than neighborly, but that's just one tuba players opinion and as usual he could be completely full of shit.

The next morning brought on a much more happening Carnival experience with my 3rd time rolling with the Krewe of Tucks. Its the whole 12 piece brass orchestra this time and these musicians are among the finest I've ever worked with.

Here's some candid shots from the parade:

A pre-roll jam out, on an Ornette Coleman composition I believe...

The view from behind float #21. Nice folks these Tucks.

The very welcome trumpet of 1st time Carnival marcher Ben Holmes of Brooklyn NY.

Fat man got him a new hat.
The band really wishes he put down the damn tambourine though....

Band leader Ben Schenk and the mid-horn section: yours truly and Don Godwin on tenor, Patty Farrel on alto.


Ben is a characteristically uplifting pose.

Tucks float #22 right behind us broke down and slowed the whole thing down a bit, and the local paper had a moment by moment coverage of that very float. Dig it here.

Tomorrow we roll Babylon in the AM and then Box of Wine Marching Club around 4pm-sh. It's a technical impossibility to play bothy, but we plan on bending time and space to do so. In a first for me, I'll be marching Mardi Gras with my mighty Vega tenor banjo that Vinnie Mondello made for me. More reports then.

Happy Mardi Gras, y'all!!

Fine n' Kline, the real story...

So just for giggles, I have a er, "rudimentary" blues duo act with my pal George Carver. We named it after a famous ladies bag shop in Manhattan, but purposely mis-spelled the name to avoid unpleasantries.

Then George sent me this note about the real Fine and Klein.

Doesn't get more unpleasant than a failed murder plot, but it sure will make good fodder for a blues tune.....

Gordon Starrett RIP

I was just informed today of the passing of my old pal Gordon.

He was an irascible character with a generous heart and a head filled with wild tales, many of them actually true. I enjoyed many happy hours at the violin shop when Gordon would stop in to show us a new fiddle he just found or bring us a CD or LP of some fine music that he felt compelled to share with us. His presence was so appreciated that we kept a coffee cup and and stool emblazoned with his name always at the ready. We didn't see much of Gordon after we moved away from his neighborhood and evidently not long after he suffered a debilitating stroke. His son Bill, a fine fellow evidently raised well, and who works down at South Austin Music, and he told me the news just today.

His stool is still here, waiting on him. He'll be sorely missed, (even if he played that annoying Irish music I just can't stand....)

Here's the formal obit:
Gordon Craig Starrett, SSGT, USAF, Ret, age 75, of Austin, passed away peacefully at home following a long illness and a courageous effort to overcome it. He touched many lives with his generosity, wonderful sense of humor, and his fine musicianship. He was loved and respected by all who knew him, including many members of the Austin music community. Gordon served in the Air Force during the Korean War and retired from the service in 1971, making his home in Austin. He partnered with James Ray to form Ray's Electronics Company. Gordon was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, and his beloved first wife of 30 years, Agatha Starrett. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of almost 18 years, Sharon Westbrook Starrett; his children, William V, Patricia and Margaret Starrett, and Kathrin Schaefer; his granddaughter, Katy Margaret Starrett; and sisters, Shirley Townsend and Sharon DeBoer.

Gordon was an accomplished musician, starting classical violin at the age of 4. He played with the Peter Meremblum California Jr. Symphony Orchestra. He played during his Air Force career in many countries, including with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. In Texas, he was a long-time member of the Texas Fiddlers' Music Association, and played and judged in many contests. Gordon taught many aspiring musicians, including Tara Turner and Heather Starcher. In later years, he became interested in Celtic music and is the founder of the Austin Celtic group, Ptarmigan. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at Assumption Cemetery. Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be sent to the American Diabetic Association. There will be graveside services for immediate family and close friends. A celebration of Gordon's life is planned for March 30, 2008, for all his friends and associates. Location will be announced at a later time.

Obituary and guestbook online at http://wcfish.com

Cookie and Josh

Klez Kamp Staffers Cookie Segestien and Joshua Horowitz relax and play a tune between classes:

Andy Statman, Arkansas Traveller, excerpt

From the 2007 Klez Kamp staff concert, Andy Statman and myself work out a little bit on the old Arkansas Traveler.

Ugly Sweater Party

So every year my old pal Lucinda throws a Holiday party at her and her husband's lovely house in the Oak Cliff neighborhood or Dallas. December is the first time we Texans pull out our sweaters from storage, and then only when there's a little nip in the air at night in fact. The concept for her party is that you have to show up with the ugliest sweater you can find. There are prises for the most appalling and vile sweaters. To date, I have been unable to attend but this year I did find a vintage photo of myself in a poorly chosen sweater and submitted it for the contest.

I share with you now, clipped from the Daily Norman (OK) Transcript, 10/28/81, from an article about the naming of the Norman High Student Congress, representing the marching band, yours truly:

The frighteningly swift end of Traditional Culture

It's hard for me to admit it, but in my relatively short life in music I have witnessed the demise of a traditional art here in Texas, Puro Conjunto better known as Tex-Mex music. It's a long sad story that I will relate here someday, but suffice it to say you've probably seen and heard the last of the traditional San Antonio style Mexican American dance band in it's native environment. It sure will live on I'm sure on festival stages here and there, but only as a faint echo of a once vibrant culture. Texas Bohemian and Czech music is on it's knees for years and doesn't look too well, and Brian Marshall has completely shuttered his Polish dance band for simple lack of interest in his own community.

Then I read this Time article on Polka music and it's current status. My folks used to travel from our home in Northern Oklahoma to polka halls in Kansas and Nebraska, and I grew up in a house where Square Dance and Polka music were family activities. It explains a lot about my musical career since. I passed the Times link around to my local Polka people and they shared with me their perspectives.

From Brian Marshall:
"it's happening everywhere...I played in Eunice, LA last Saturday at the The Liberty Theater (with a Cajun band)...a well known gathering place....played to a crowd of about 90 people.

I believe it's just a cycle...there will always be a desire for the traditional styles....but maybe never as prominent as it once was."

And from Jeff Brosch, drummer for Mark Halata & Texavia and son of legendary Texas Czech band leader Jimmy Brosch:

"Interesting article. The decline of Polka is not news to me. I've watched decline for the past 20 years. It started in the late 70's actually. Of coarse I can only base this from playing with my dad. I did get to witness Polka it in it's hey day however. Large crowds, Etc. But even my dad wanted to play something more progressive like country music.
He always found he could draw a bigger crowd if you played everything, not just Polka.

Did I mention? I think Polka is really a blue collar love affair.

I've never met a millionaire that wanted to hire or sponsor a Polka band.
But if you mention a name brand artist then they're all over it. The sky is the limit for payment.

Playing Polka took me to many Czech wedding parties. I was NEVER over paid. Often negotiating downward to play the wedding and stay booked up. The caterer was making $5000 and the band made $500. Make sense?

The next generations of Czechs are more educated, more employed, more successful, therefore more removed from the immigration process of past years. Not really embracing there heritage. So... the culture is simply a VERY watered down version of past generations.

I can't every see this changing again in my lifetime."

Sadly, nor can I.

Insert YOUR culture here and pause for a moment. What do we lose when we let go of an unbroken chain like this? Or do we simply get the culture we deserve?

KGOU and the trick of memory

Found this in my email in box today:

Hello, fellow KGOU alumni: In January, KGOU is celebrating its new studios and the 25th anniversary of becoming a public radio station. You and any significant others are invited to a reunion! When: Saturday, January 19, 2008 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (Come and go) Where: KGOU’s new studios, Copeland Hall, Room 313, on the OU campus What: Free pizza and salad buffet There’s a place on our website to leave contact info, RSVP, take virtual tours of the old and new facilities, and share your memories: http://www.kgou.org/reunion.php I know some of you date back to the pre-public radio days (me, too!). Come swap stories and see what has become of KGOU! Laura Knoll Membership Director/Webkeeper KGOU

Here's my RSVP:

Hello Laura,

Though charmed as I am to be included, and genuinely surprised that you found me, I reckon you're not familiar with my tenure there at KGOU as host of "Roots, Rock, Reggae." Nor I guess are you aware with the circumstances of my swift dismissal there and acrimonious departure which would preclude my wanting to be feel even a tad positive, much less nostalgic about a reunion. I am however cheered by the notion that the guy who gleefully fired me dropped dead soon after, so no chance running into him again any day soon. At least, I hope. Regardless, all the best and congratulations on the milestone, Mark


Oh dear, there are soooo many stories I could tell you about hosting alternative radio is a two-horse Midwestern college town. A lot of my musical life from 1981 up until they kicked me out in 1983 was wrapped up in co-hosting a weekly, 3 hour heavy manners Jamaican Reggae radio show. Back before the Wal-Mart like NPR uniformity was brought on, just like here in Austin today and everywhere everywhere else, there were a handful of pretty damn well programmed Alternative Radio shows in KGOU.

That is, until John Mooneyham played FEAR's "Fuck Christmas" one lovely Christmas Eve. I was actually there in the control room when a boozed up University booster, dragging along his equally inebriated trophy wife, stormed the station hurling epithets and then actually swing punches at the hapless DJ, while myself and a few other local punks mocked and laughed at them gleefully. In the aftermath, we were all one by one singled out and cashiered in the fallout, and when they finally succumbed to the NPR juggernaut, I lost my paying gig there as a Classical announcer, simply by dint of association.

Truth is, I was in that control room quite a bit, sampling the newest releases from the library in the production studio while John, or Kurt on "Fear Of Music" or some other local freak was playing the latest Bauhaus 12 inch dance mix at 2am. For me, it was a finishing school for the radio end of the music business and a genuine education. More than I ever got in the RTF department there I assure you.

It would be years later before I got a chance at the radio again, this time at KUT. But alas, nearly the same series of events occurred here as well, and no longer will you hear my programming on the radio. Trust me when I say I'm not too sad about it however, as anyone can see it's essentially a dying, if not already dead, medium.

Why my hometown is cooler that yours, continued..

OK, let's assume your done with the turkey leftovers like we are here at Casa Hasta no Vista. While everybody else seems to head for the malls, we sleep late, crawl into our PJs and head up Lamar Blvd. to Fuego's.

It's kinda tricky to get to as they are in a terrible location, accessible only from the south bound access road where Hwy 183 meets Lamar. But people, it's well worth the hassle. The menu is California style Mexican which is quite a bit different than the manteca based Tex-Mex we have around here mostly. Pictured is my favorite, the Carne Asada Fries, which are just what is says it is. They have possibly the finest salsa verde in town, though Taqueria Arandas #3 on Burnet Rd. may still hold that title.

It's a little Mom and Pop operation dedicated to the slow food experience of fresh ingredients prepared to order. The experiences we've had there routinely rival the finest gourmet restaurants. Like many small independent businesses, they're struggling to stay open, but folks seem to be catching up with the place. Do your self a favor and check it out. The Cheese Enchilada plate, the Shrimp Scamp and the entire breakfast menu (Lemon Ricotta Pancakes!) all get high marks in our household. Call ahead as they are closed at some mighty odd times. (512) 524-1164