Dreaming...

 When I go to sleep at night my brain, my subconscious, or my other other self, whatever you want to call it or whatever it is goes to places I used to be 40 or 50 years ago. Maybe it's because I am old but a couple of nights ago I dreamed I was walking down old Press Road in Southern Nacogdoches County, Tx. 

They may have some blacktop on the road these days but in my dream it was a dusty, red dirt trail through pine woods and dotted with old country houses. I was walking in the hot summer time and I soon arrived at the old rent house where several friends lived and trudged up the driveway. As I arrived it suddenly became apparent to me that I was naked. 

My friends sat in old wooden chairs in the yard (this was the days before we all had bag chairs from big box stores) and I don't really recall particular people that were there. The people in my dream were just composites, familiar to me so much that I was comfortable to to be naked to them. 

There was one feature of the yard that was not there in reality but in my dream I saw a faint woods trail, wide enough for cars leading from the pine and oak forest behind the house around the edge of the property and joining the driveway at the main road. As my naked self approached the people in the yard a car and some foot traffic appeared on this dim, little used path. 

The car was old ragged and rusted. The people and it seemed to be all women in the car and on foot were also ragged and a bit rusted like people in old depression era dustbowl photos. I was ashamed of my nakedness and I lay down in the dry leaves accumulated under a strip of trees between the road people and the people in the yard. I lay facedown and tried to cover my shinny hinny with the leaves. It was taking a pretty big pile of leaves. 

Eventually traffic on the road subsided and someone directed me to an outdoor shower set up at the edge of the road. Somehow I had a green fishing shirt that I wear to the lake and camping and I wrapped it around my waist as I walked to the shower. This is the most recent photo I could find of the green shirt. Apparently I wear it playing guitar also. 

I was ready for a shower because I was dirty from laying in the leaves and summer time in the hinterlands of Nacogdoches County is a great place to discover yourself covered in ticks. Right at that moment another woman came down the road. She was younger, fair skinned and wearing a long ragged dress. She pointed out a plant growing around the shower area. It was like a green onion but with a large bulb at the end and two foot long green shoots for leaves. The woman said, "when we shower, we scrub with these."

For some reason this tip flared my temper with impatience. I told her, "I know that!" 

I woke up from the dream and sat on the side of the bed. It was about four in the morning and I needed to urinate. My stomach told me I should have just had two pieces of left over pizza instead of four. After I took care of my businesses I sat on the bed and thought about the dream. This is not unusual, to wake and have my mind get busy in the middle of the night over what it's been doing when I have not been actively driving it. 

As I write this it occurs to me that there are several people that lived in the old house on Press Road might read about this dream and I wonder if they have dreams also.    

  

       

Del Castillo at The Live Oak Listening Room...

 I often find myself (yeah, you, self) mystified when excellent music that me (and many of my friends, yeah, you know who you are) hold in high esteem is not well known to the average Joes (yeah you know if you Joe) of the world. Last night the  Del Castillo Trio played the Live Oak Listening Room in Nacogdoches, Tx. and it was a fantastic show to a full venue.    

The Del Castillo full band played at Stephen F. Austin State University a bit over a year ago and that was my first time to see them. Last night was the first time to see the Trio format which the only difference from the big band might be a bit of electronic trickery on the guitars that adds delay, spacy ambiance and violin type sounds to blazing fast flamingo style fret work. 

In the course of audience interactions, which the band enjoyed because this is a cozy space and made fine gig encouragement on their end of the show they mentioned playing Europe, releasing music sung in Italian with musicians from that country and the age old joke of being "big in Japan." Del Castillo is an Austin, Tx based band and it seems that they stick to a circuit of clubs in Texas that I am very familiar with visiting, many of which are close enough I could attend a gig at and then drive home afterwards. Probably where that average Joe listener most likely may have encountered their music is in the movies of director Robert Rodriguez.

If you haven't been to the Live Oak Listening Room you should go. Last show they had was the Denton, Tx based polka band Brave Combo which is another band I think should be world famous along with Del Castillo and have their music blasting out of everybody's radio. The order of business the night of a concert is cook some good food to share at the pot luck which begins at 6pm. Get a comfy seat as these are civilized shows starting at 7 where you get to sit down unless you want to get up and dance and there's plenty of room for that. I might mention there is no admission ticket but you know how much a show costs so just drop your money in the tip jar or scan the handy venmo code to assist with operating expenses.

A great band, playing in your neighborhood is a treat. What if everyone went to see that? It would create some logistical problems for the venue but it might be the start of a transition from average Joe to something else and that's what's good for the world.  

         

        

Local Musicians Playing the Live Oak Listening Room...

 I guess it's been awhile since I played a guitar gig. When I finish something like that the amps are usually turned over, the strings are half off the thing, any kind of stand on stage has been stepped on and I didn't even play any of the songs I had intended to. This was not the case Sunday afternoon at local musicians played a Salute to Texas themed show at the Live Oak Listening room. My wife Cathy and her old college friend Anne played and instead of the usual potluck dinner before shows there everyone brought sweet treats.  

Cathy and Anne have been singing together since they met 45 or so years ago. They performed Willie Nelson's Hands on the Wheel and Shake Russel's Deep in the West. 

The Old Time Gospel Project

Dale performed two songs as a tribute to one of the more colorful local musical characters, Mike Nix who recently passed away. RIP Mike. You always wanted to be a gruff old blues man and you did what it took to get there. One of the tunes Dal sang was the Mike Nix Boogie. If he ever plays it for you, sing along. The words are, "Mike Nix, Mike Nix." 

Chris Edwards. 

Vicki is married to Dale and they often play together but here she is backed by Rodney on guitar. 

Karon Cook 

Girls with Guitars

Charlie Jones and Jon. 

Paul 

Cindy

Rodney and John

Lyndia K, Jay and the Hartz. 

Steve is the sound guy and I once worked with his wife Kerri. Steve is a wonderful musician. 

All in all a very nice afternoon of music where nothing got broke except the dew berry pie I made. Next show at the Oak includes the Mighty Orq on May 17th. 

   

Evelyn Rubio at the Live Oak Listening Room...

The Friday night performance by Evelyn Rubio and band at the Live Oak Listening room in Nacogdoches, Tx was off the charts. Though she has played there three times it was a first for us to catch her show and it's easy to see why the friends that we always see at this venue consider her a favorite. 

Evelyn, a native of Mexico City covers a wide variety of music. Her honking sax digs deep into the blues rock idiom with detours into almost bebop jazz and soul. Her performance credits include touring as Mary Madelene in Jesus Christ Superstar and I bet this band could play a mean cumbia if they had to. 

Speaking of the band, the drummer and keyboard player seemed to be regular members but the bass player was new, played well and the guitar, Paul Ramirez who was a last minute substitute blew the top off the place with big bold solos and intricate interplay with Evelyn's sax. You would never guessed that he was sitting in. I mean how would you react if you got a last minute gig and they said, "oh yeah and then we cover this Joe Bonamassa tune..."       

Now you may be watching the big stars on your TV or phone but they have been living in gated communities so long, make so many millions and are so famous there are is no connection between who you are and them. Sitting in a small room with people playing music for all they are worth up close and personal makes me believe in the good things and good people in the world and how much it matters that we listen to what they have to say.  

 It's also worth a mention that the potluck dinner before the show, which is always good was really on point and a good start off to a wonderful evening. 

 

Good Day for a Hike and a History Lesson...

After a day of cloudy, windy rain and overcast skies Saturday was sunny and warmer so we took the opportunity to drive to San Augustine, Tx to check out Mission Delores State Historical Area for the history and some light hiking.  

Of course the Spanish Franciscan Priests probably had good intentions when they first came in 1721 to build a mission but there was some soldiers and politics involved and since there was the possibility of the French employing the same program heading west from Louisiana this and other missions build through East Texas served as an early warning for foreign intrusion. It's a familiar strategy that's still in use today in various places around the world. 

I kind of imagine a young Spanish GI, he's a long way from home. In the 50 on again off again years the mission there might be a few priests, two soldiers and the local Ais Indians. The soldiers probably did the work of hunting, fishing, building and gathering firewood. After a day of this they returned to the mission to be quizzed, "See a Frenchman in the woods anywhere?" 

We know from evidence unearthed at the site that it probably was not this scary for a young solider to see a Frenchman in the woods. With everyone so isolated there seems to have been illegal trade that went on between the groups. Pottery shards made by the Indians and from England, France, Holland and China have been found around the site. Like the song says, come on people now, smile on your brother...           

 

We also visited Lobanillo Swales, the preserved ruts of the El Camino Real. These 12' deep ruts were made by the traffic of 300 years worth of travel by anyone that was anybody going between Louisiana and Mexico City. LaSalle and de Leon passed through here. Early Texas pioneer Gil Y'Barbo had a ranchero nearby. Chances are you know some of his kin folks. They are still in the area. Miguel and Milo, instead of making history on this spot were simply considering the eternal question. Mexican or Cajun this evening? 

Seems reference material indicate two swales but the historical marker indicated three trails running parallel. I could see three provided this is not a four wheeler track since this is on private land. Visitation by the public is welcome just behave. 

Mary and the boys on a creek at the mission campground. Good looking spring water was one of the reasons for settling here and if this flows all year might be a worthy spot this summer to cool it.  

Cathy hikes down the swale. Her shoulder replacement is fine and we will probably resume water aerobics tomorrow. This light hike was good conditioning for some inactivity due to a couple of other ailments that cropped up over the last month. 

We did pick Cajun for supper and the kids would not eat the catfish. The screamed, "Not the same as Pop-Pop's!"  

Seven Years or So in a Cycle...

Once I was sitting around an old kitchen table, in an old house out on old Press Road in the oldest town in Texas and in the course of discussion someone mentioned that singer/songwriter/poet/rock star/Pulitzer Prize winner Bob Dylan said that every seven years you had been through a total skin shedding and that at the end of this period you were a totally new person. 

Since then Dylan has said and had many things attributed to him and with the advent of the Internets I have never checked the seven year shin shedding theory. There were many quasi metaphysical and false intellectual ideas broached around that kitchen table which all might have had to do with the fact that that particular parcel of land was quite fertile for the growing of Texas Red Dirt Marijuana. Eventually a damper was put on those high minded sessions when one day while no one was home the sheriff came, cut down the crop and left his business card sitting on a stump. The sheriff never came back and regardless of what you think about what Dylan said there was some skin shed over this incident. 

My oka crop has done pretty good this year but I think I can detect some type of 5 year cycle I'm on. Every five years everything I own breaks. I think five years ago it was the septic system and the roof which gave me an opportunity to replace those things while I was still drawing a pay check instead of relying on retirement income. This five year cycle begins with the air conditioner, the hot tube and the lawn mower on the blink. 

Fortunately the air condoner problem was resolved quickly thanks to Felipe of Action Services. The hot tub needs a part and the repair people have required gentle prodding over the last week to come and diagnose the problem and I may have to prod some more to make sure the part is ordered. The lawn mower runs pretty good engine wise and cuts well but something with the steering  makes me look like the guy that cut those crop circles due to the patterns and path required to trim the yard. 

Speaking of crop circles that reminds me that I once heard that a guy, Red Eagle, who lived on out Press Road in the Shawnee Bottoms built landing pads for flying saucers. I don't know if they were ever used but that would be another blog post written after participants in that skin shedding were interviewed.

What do you think Dylan said and what exactly was Red Eagle up to? My kitchen table is not too old and I usually only sit at it while eating but I'll think about these things while relaxing in the hot tub after mowing the yard.   

             

Live Local Music with Chris Edwards Release Party and the Piney Rats Opening...

There's a music scene happening with local bands in Nacogdoches, Tx. Last night Maklemore's a restaurant located just a few blocks north of the campus of SFASU was the venue for a record release party sponsored by the Fire House Nac for Chris Edwards with Celtic punk band the Pineyrats opening.  

Chris Edwards is a singer songwriter square in the the long Texas traditional of the many troubadours who have drawn on the culture of the Lone Star State and Nacogdoches is a town where most of them have performed so this was a fitting stage for the release of his Homebrew album which you can purchase on Bandcamp. If you order a physical copy it will come autographed. I am occasionally lucky enough to play in the Brazos River Rats with Chris and once he autographed a copy of his book "Nobody Comes to Visit Anymore" for me. I suggest you get your autograph while he's still giving them out.   

Once Cathy and I were up on stage playing a Todd Snider song at a show. Suddenly out in the audience the damndest whooping and hollering I had ever heard broke out. It was just Chris having a good time hearing a song he liked. In a day and age where we often feel we have to choose this because it's not as bad as that Chris is a real and generous person. As Cathy says "I'm a Chris Edwards fan because he's my fan." 

The band was good and I'm sorry but I did not get their names.     

Opening for Chris was local Celtic punk band the Pineyrats. It was their first show and they did well. I've seen the big Irish punk bands, Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys but I had to get in my car and drive several hours or buy a plane ticket and fly several hours. It was very nice to catch this show 30 minutes from my house. Music at many of the local restaurant venues can be a country band or DAG (dude and guitar) act grinding out pretty much the same set list and if your music tastes are as eclectic as ours punk music can be a palate cleanser. It's people up there with backs to the drum riser making a stand with music about things that mean something to them.     

I visited the Pineyrats facebook page and did the old copypasta so you could have the band members names. 

Bryan Stokes - Bass
Casey Sizemore - Vocals/Guitar
Justin Oakley - Guitar/Banjo/Other Strings
Jeff Jurgonski - Drums

To add in some authentic Celtic/Irish flavor they had tenor banjo. Where else can you go in East Texas to hear tenor banjo? Cathy's late father was a tenor player in the traditional jazz style and I can fake it on tenor banjo but my playing is better suited to an African gourd banjo style but this was the real Irish punk thing. I bet you have used the expression "keeping it real." That's what this guy did.     

The Piney Rats even punked up a Chris Edwards song and I think that leads us to one of the most significant observances of the night. There are those that play it safe with their music. They put it on the channel they like and dump the recliner back. They pull the phone out and let the algorithm do the picking. Luckily we have the people that combine two kinds of music that really don't go together into a live show and it works. It's fun. People came out to the gig, watched and danced. It was a thing that happens in other places in the world and it happened here in East Texas last night. 

P.S. 

We ate supper at Maklemore's. It was good. I had the PhillyNac sandwich which had good fresh peppers but the cream cheese stuffed flank steak Cathy ordered would have fed both of us.    

 

Preserve the Voice...

Cathy used to now and then catch me off guard with the question, "and how many guitars do you have?" I'm sure she means to include in that count anything which has one to eight strings though some may question the merits of a turtle string with an axe handle affixed as a guitar. Of course when asking this question she does make it known that she has one guitar which certainly serves her well but over the years I think she has softened a bit as I have proven that for my creative purposes all those stringed instruments do something different and it's something I usually make good use of eventually. I guess I should count myself fortunate that there have been no challenges to the two tubas, the baritone, the tenor horn or the trombone. Most of those I don't play as well as I do the turtle shell with the axe handle affixed but I did mention good use, eventually. 

Some instruments I have bought because it's what I wanted, some like a stray cat have found me, some were rescued from junk no one wanted and of course there are ones I have made. Whatever the case I do like to get the instrument's voice on video or audio for the record so to speak even if it's a weird thing buried in a thick sonic mix that some nerd will use an AI program to isolate long after I'm gone just like they did to find out what television show John Lennon was watching while he wrote songs and recorded them on cassette while sitting at his kitchen table.

Most people know my cigar box guitars and other primitive instruments I've made and I'm sure a few readers own one. I could never sell this Elvis Christmas Tin guitar. I thought Elvis, people love him but like the two tubas, the baritone, the tenor horn and the trombone I have often misjudged what's going to be the next big thing in the music business. The Elvis Tin never sold. It was more kind of an art piece because the long box of the body kind of threw the scale off so it did not play as well as most of my inventions. 

Luckily in Nacogdoches there is a place, an old church turned into a listening room where local artists have their art hanging and fortunately for me they love Elvis and I donated the guitar to the residents and owners of The Love Oak Listening Room, Jerry and Patty. Jerry strikes a mean pose and the guitar fits the décor.   

Of course I recorded it to preserve the voice. Maybe a little more Arthur Big Boy Crudup than Elvis but as they say, that's alright. 

Oh yeah, never trust a man with out a guitar, a trombone, a turtle shell or two tubas in his house. Let the voice be heard. 

 

    

  

A Visit With Old Friends...

 We spend a great day yesterday in Houston with friends Scott and Ellen. We had a lunch line real Cajun meal at a little café and spent the afternoon looking around the Menil Collection. Scott and Ellen recently retired to Santa Fe and built a house with a view and this was our first visit with them since then. 

Cathy thinks she met Scott and Ellen around 1977 when they were neighbors living on South Pecan in Nacogdoches.. Scott and Ellen moved out to the area near Lake Tonkawa when it was still a place hippies snuck into so they could swim naked and advised Cathy of a cheap house she could rent next-door. I can place my meeting of Scott and Ellen at the old Press Road House probably no later than 1980ish but maybe earlier.

Of course all this is in the hazy past with lots of water over the falls since then so I welcome any and all corrections to this possible timeline in the name of accuracy and protection of the innocent. 

As I say the visit was great. Plans are laid for a travel trailer trip to Santa Fe this summer. Go see your oldest friends. There's no one else like them. 

And just for the record I'm not saying anyone swam naked in Tonkawa or anything like that but again I welcome any corrections to the record and the memories.       

The Matchsellers at The Live Oak Listening Room...

The Matchsellers are a a bluegrass/old-time fiddle, guitar, banjo and mandolin group out of Kansas City. Andrew and Julie said they have been coming to Nacogdoches, Tx to perform and make friends for 10 years. They played to a happy, receptive crowd at the Live Oak Listening Room last night and their quirky, catchy songwriting combined with the traditional sounds of the bluegrass instruments makes you wonder why the whole world is not singing these songs.  

This was my first time to see them. Many of my friends are their friends and I can say that we've been missing out on some good shows. Nacogdoches and the fans there are a special place for The Matchsellers.  

Looks like some good venues they play especially if you like to sit and listen to music in a beer garden, a festival or a listening room. Apparently they do a full band show sometimes but this was a great, intimate performance.   

Catch some music at the Live Oak. Pot luck dinner starts at 6pm and the food was out of sight last night. I ate two plates of various casseroles and salads, two pieces of cake and a slice of pie. Music starts at 7pm. Donations to support local live music are welcome. 

 

 

Tribute to Guy Clark at the Live Oak Listening Room...

There were many nice musical things to see this weekend in the East Texas area. There were professional acts, plays, marching bands, a old time music festival, downtown celebrations and more. I was only able to make it to one show and it was at the Live Oak Listening Room. It was local musicians putting on a show in remembrance of the great Texas singer songwriter Guy Clark. 

If you don't know the Live Oak it is an old church where some fun minded folks live but turned the sanctuary into a listening room. With the help of others sharing the same "Nac Tribe" vision they host a season of local and pro touring bands. There's no admission but donations are expected and before the music there is a meal so bring your best pot luck. There is no reserved seating so grab an old church pew or settle into a comfortable couch and be ready to dance when the groove gets good.      

I'd try to name all the folks involved but I'd probably leave out a name so enjoy the photos. 

If you don't know Guy Clark and call yourself a Red Dirt/country music fan you need to school up a bit. All the groups each performed two songs and it was a deep dive into his catalogue. Still left room for many favorites like two of mine, Rita Ballou and Cinco de Mayo in Memphis.   

There was a final "all star" jam with all musicians onstage. 

I think I bought Guy Clark's "Old Number 1" album in 1975, the year it came out. 

Check out the Live Oak. Nov. 11 you can see the Evelyn Rubio Band

 There is a lot that goes into making a viable music community for playing and listening. There is no other venue like this in town. Thanks again to all who make these shows possible.