{"id":7107,"date":"2019-10-21T23:22:16","date_gmt":"2019-10-21T23:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/?p=7107"},"modified":"2019-10-21T23:22:16","modified_gmt":"2019-10-21T23:22:16","slug":"southwest-regional-folk-alliance-austin-tx-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2019\/10\/21\/southwest-regional-folk-alliance-austin-tx-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Southwest Regional Folk Alliance – Austin, TX – Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Eddie Ferranti – September 26-29, 2019<\/p>\n

It is always great when the calendar flips to September for me. Football is back, major league baseball is heading towards the playoffs, and the anticipation of fading the Texas heat finally comes into focus.\u00a0 That is all great, but the main thing about late September is the annual visit to Austin, Texas for the Southwest Regional Folk Alliance. I have lost track of how many years in a row that I have participated in this wonderful gathering.\u00a0 Spear headed by \u201cthe Queen of the Ball\u201d for twenty years running, Dalis Allen, the event kept the same format.\u00a0 And why not?\u00a0\u00a0 If it ain\u2019t broke why fix it?!\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday at 5pm Dinner at the Pool is a buffet of great food laid out by the folks at Berkalin Records , which includes wine and cold beer! Hats off to Brian and sweet Pam Kalinec for sponsoring that delicious deal.\u00a0 Open Mic by the Pool follows from 6-10pm hosted by Butch Morgan and John Whipple.\u00a0 which is a one song and done format for the artists who put their name in the jar.\u00a0 42 artists participated and the return of Butch always makes it a classic affair.\u00a0 It is a cool way to see if a performer catches your ear so that you can search them out over the next three days.\u00a0 Plus it is neat to catch up with folks you have not seen for a while. Day one closes out with the Official Alternates Showcase in the Elm Room emceed by Charlie Stewart and sound by John Whipple from 10:30pm-Midnight.\u00a0 Eight artists are given the floor for 3 songs. Not a bad start to the weekend indeed!<\/p>\n

Friday is a buzz saw of a day that kicks off from 9am with concurrent seminars that are most beneficial to the artists themselves. Topics range from helping you find your touring team, first timers advice, distribution, booking, arts funding, showcase tips, and how to find the right venues to play.\u00a0 After having a killer lunch the seminars steered to writing and instrument playing tips along with a talented list of One-On-One discussions with industry professionals. There is also an open exhibit area where all registered artists can display their goods.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Music gets in full swing with 3 rooms on the 9th<\/sup> floor hosting showcases for First timers only. Then from 3:15-5pm sponsored showcases take place on floors 7-8-9!\u00a0 The welcoming party (with a free drink ticket) is at 5pm followed by dinner at 6pm. Official Showcases take place from 7:30-10pm in the big Hill Country Ballroom which gives 8 hand qualified performers 3 songs on a big stage with excellent sound emceed by Rich Warren. All bets are off from 10:30pm -??? for in-room showcases which take place on floors 7-8-9!!\u00a0 This is a stunning way to catch tons of talent up close and very personal.<\/p>\n

Saturday is pretty much a carbon copy of Friday except the afternoon only features the one and done pool open mic for those who did not make it Thursday. Twenty seven participated in the Elm Room due to weather issues. Seminars included more tips on vocals, harmony singing, and a great forum on live streaming .\u00a0 A gem of a panel discussion called \u201cWisdom of the Elders\u201d moderated by Rich Warren featuring John Lomax III, Bobby Bridger, and Bob Livingston. Then we off to the races catching lots of good music!\u00a0 Everything is so easy going at this event and love is in the air. When it is all said and done the main focus is hearing artists you know or want to know for the first time. The following is Houston Music Review\u2019s \u201cBaker\u2019s Dozen\u201d of the ones who grabbed us in 2019.\u00a0 Believe it is hard to cut it down this small, but not enough time to write up all the talent we witnessed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>AMELIA EARHART RETURNS- Texas based \u201cAmeri-grass\u201d acoustic duo of Kristen Hart and Linda Schaible were fun and engaging.\u00a0 Had a bigger than life feel to them especially in the hotel room setting. Kristen can play her guitar and they harmonize quite well.\u00a0 Not short on cool hats and \u201cTexas Honey\u201d was a tune that stayed with us for sure.\u00a0 Hope to see them in Houston down the road\u2026.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>ALICIA STOCKMAN- This singer-songwriter from Utah made HMR\u2019s Baker\u2019s Dozen in 2018 and found her way here again. Her brazen confidence filled style that she wears on her sleeve grabs you.\u00a0 You can tell she has been influenced by the likes of Patty Griffin and Susan Tedeschi .\u00a0 A tune about being a bartender really showed her open and cool attitude. Good guitar on \u201cFull of Grace\u201d and Sheryl Crow type feel on \u201cCourthouse\u201d.\u00a0 Plus she digs Buc-ees!\u00a0 Word is that Alicia is working on touring in Texas in 2020.\u00a0 Hope to be in on that\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>THE WHEELWRIGHTS- They are listed as an acoustic Americana trio out of Austin, but I think they are more than that. The variations we saw of a 4 piece at Alternative Showcase and two piece in rooms showed versatility of upbeat harmonies , soulful tenderness, and \u201cjangled type jams\u201d!\u00a0 \u201cStone in the River\u201d was a bad ass tune.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>NICOLETTE GOOD- This Texas lady won the Kerrville New Folk artist in 2012. She has been on the HMR radar for years. She has a new release called \u201cReverie\u201d and \u201cLittle Boat on a Wave\u201d was good before that one.\u00a0 We are lucky she has showed up in Houston and hope to catch her soon.<\/p>\n

KARYN OLIVER- This lady\u2019s booming voice got our attention at the Thursday Pool party. On her bio it says she is part Joan Osborne, Janis Joplin, and Emmylou Harris. Well said.\u00a0 Raspy, soulful, and tender her voice comes after you in a spell bounding manner.\u00a0 I also had the pleasure to visit with her over some beers and she is genuine neato ta boot!<\/p>\n

AMANDA PASCALI- This sweet pop tart of a lady was born in Queens, NY and calls Houston home. HMR has been following her and were quite impressed how far this woman has come as a performer.\u00a0 Her side kick , Addison Freeman, really enhances the gig with his multiple instrument talents to compliment her sexy and sincere vocals.\u00a0 Her music has been coined Immigrant American Folk and she is getting her message across quite well. We were also lucky to get to hang with them over libations and it was a treat.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>LYNNE HANSON- Any time an artist makes the trek down from Canada to SWRFA it is always a winner. 2019 was no exception when this Ottawa, Ontario based lady amped it up with her bluesy delivery and attitude.\u00a0 Besides her rockin\u2019 in room gigs,\u00a0 performing \u201cGotta Have Rain\u201d unplugged on a table at her Official Showcase was stellar!\u00a0 Love to see more gigs from this woman for sure.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>GRIFTER AND SHILLS- This is another group that made HMR\u2019s Baker\u2019s Dozen in 2018 and slid in again. Or should I say stormed in?!\u00a0 Nothing gets ya going at SWRFA like a foot stompin\u2019 riot that these two can blow at you!\u00a0 Fresh off the release of new album, \u201cPretty Little Secrets\u201d, they seem to be getting better and better enjoying themselves along the way.\u00a0 Two very nice individuals rat there, too my friends!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>JENNY REYNOLDS- This Boston native who moved to Austin in 2003 is a fiery performer whom I known since the infamous Will Sexton room gigs at Folk Alliance International in Memphis. She was hanging with heavy cool company then that got my attention major.\u00a0 I love her raw sincere and heartfelt delivery.\u00a0 Been too long and hope to see her more.\u00a0 Hit her up-she is looking for a house concert near you!<\/p>\n

CHERYL CAWOOD- Fresh off HMR\u2019s slick coverage of CC\u2019s latest album (by Jane Ponte) we got to party with this bigger than life fun lady! Check out review-http:\/\/houstonmusicreview.com\/wordpress\/2019\/09\/21\/cheryl-cawood-love-pearl-album-review\/<\/a><\/p>\n

God bless this stay busy woman who is caring as much as she is talented\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>AMERICAN DREAMER- This power house outfit rattled the room in a free for all of Indie folk jamming that was fun to behold. Calling them upbeat swing does not seem to do them justice, but will have to do.\u00a0 Bud John Egan gave me the tip on them and was sad I only caught them once.\u00a0 They are coming to Anderson Fair in Houston on 11\/19\u2026\u2026\u2026play a bunch in Austin, too.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>BUTCH MORGAN\/BRIAN KALINEC- HAD to put these two hard working , fun loving, and TALENTED guitar playing gents on the list. Morgan was back after a one year break and was honored by SWRFA big time for his massive contributions over the years. His sense of humor and hat wearing tickle me to death. Brian is a just a tireless performer who \u201cshows up\u201d seemingly everywhere at gigs! The dude even drove to Brownsville area and back hardly missing a beat at SWRFA.\u00a0 His duo set with John Egan was a true highlight of this year for us!\u00a0 God bless them both\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>BIRCH PEREIRA AND THE GIN JOINTS- SWRFA scored another far away winner with this Seattle based threesome. Birch on his deep and dirty bass yukulele was unique and quite effective following shredding lead work of Park Evans! Wrapped all around it was the sexy presence of the opera trained vocals of Jenny Littlefield doing her damnest WOO HOO\u2019s to the crowd\u2019s delight.\u00a0 \u201cSt James Infirmary\u201d was smokin\u2019 hot good.\u00a0 Sure hope to hear from them down the road of life\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u00a0HONORABLE MENTION- A big lift of a cold one to the following:\u00a0 Marcus Abrahams,\u00a0 Jordi Baizan, Langham and Gill, Ken Gaines, Wayne Wilkerson, John Egan, Pushing Chain, Helene Cronin,\u00a0 Joel McColl, Jaime Michaels, Andrew Delaney, and Tom Tranchilla. PLUS thee entire staff of worker bees who follow the tireless leadership of Queen Bee Dalis!\u00a0 The hours these folks put in are amazing and we all benefit because of it.<\/p>\n

What SWRFA still allows me to do is get off the grid of life and feel loved. Sounds simple and when you attend this \u201cFamily Reunion\u201d it is.\u00a0 Lost track of all the times I heard thee event described as such a loving experience.\u00a0 In closing Dalis, Brian, Pam, and Ken treated us like gold.\u00a0 Tears me up thinking about it.\u00a0 Nice feeling indeed all throughout the building for 72 short hours in our too hectic lives.\u00a0 God bless live music and events like this\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026. http:\/\/www.swfolkalliance.org\/<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Eddie Ferranti – September 26-29, 2019 It is always great when the calendar flips to September for me. Football is back, major league baseball is heading towards the playoffs, and the anticipation of fading the Texas heat finally comes into focus.\u00a0 That is all great, but the main thing about late September is… <\/p>\n

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