MIDLAND – The year is about 1974. A fellow dorm mate at Sul Ross is teaching me how to play “The Story in Your Eyes” on the guitar. As I am learning this Moody Blues classic, my “teacher” is bragging of his recent concert experience with the band.  Through a sheer force of ...]]> By TERRY NORMAN

MIDLAND – The year is about 1974. A fellow dorm mate at Sul Ross is teaching me how to play “The Story in Your Eyes” on the guitar. As I am learning this Moody Blues classic, my “teacher” is bragging of his recent concert experience with the band.  Through a sheer force of restraint, I do not smash the guitar over his head.

The Moody Blues rocked the Wagner Noel performance space in Midland on Sunday. (photos by TERRY NORMAN)

Fast-forward almost 40 years and it appears fate is on my side when I learn that the Moody Blues will be playing in Midland. This is an opportunity I would not miss. After all, the last time I was at a concert was in 1971 when I witnessed poor Tom Jones being bombarded with ladies’ undergarments.

Speechless, yet bouts of uncontrollable verbal excitement, that is the paradox that sums up my experience at the Moody Blues Highway 45 tour in Midland on Sunday evening. The tour is so named because this is the 45th year of touring for the band.  It has also taken me this long to see my favorite band in a live performance.

The concert was held at the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center, located between Odessa and Midland on highway 191. Opening in November 2011, the center has been host to talents such as Rod Stewart, Glen Campbell, Ray Price, Greg Allman, BB King, REO Speedwagon.

Merle Haggard, The Mavericks and George Jones are coming in the near future.

Graeme Edge lays down the beat on his DW drums.

I was impressed with the center and from what I could see, there were no bad seats in the house. For a great night of entertainment, I highly recommend you check it out.  For more information go to their website at www.wagnernoel.com.

A quick scan of the crowd gave the impression of an AARP convention, but further review revealed some younger faces. This seemed to fulfill the prophesy of the Moodies 1969 album, “To Our Childrens Childrens Children.” In the beginning, the crowd was a little subdued. It was clear such behavior was unacceptable with this band.

Absent keyboardist/vocalist Mike Pinder, who left in 1978, and Ray Thomas, flute/vocals who retired in 2002, Justin Hayward, 66, guitar/vocals, John Lodge, 67, guitar vocals, and Graeme Edge, 71, drums/vocals, proved to the crowd you’re never too old to rock and roll.

Backed by four talented musicians, the minute the first chords were struck, the house was energized. Hayward and Lodge proved their vocals did not accept retirement as an option.  They were pitch-perfect and showed they still had great vocal range.

It was not long before the crowd joined the band through their time warp.  Any cares or troubles this crowd brought with them, were exorcised by the music that reached into their souls.  Once again, all that mattered was the music.  Our youth was returned to us. Joining Hayward and Lodge front stage, Edge dances a jig around the stage as they sing “Higher and Higher,” showing the crowd you’re never too old to let go.

The crescendo builds as the tame crowd has transformed into a group of wild teenagers.  “Nights in White Satin” invoked a standing ovation – one of many – that lasted for several minutes before the crowd relinquished control to the band. That was short lived. Lodge encourages the crowd to “always smile,” which leads Hayward to let loose with “Question” on his 12-string acoustic. Pandemonium erupts as the crowd is dancing in their seats.

Justin Hayward and John Lodge rock on.

Unfortunately the show had to end. Prior to “Nights in White Satin,” Edge recited, “Late Lament,” which includes the line, “Senior citizens wish they were young.” For one magical evening, the Moody Blues granted us that wish.

Terry Norman is a retired Marfa Border Patrol agent and professional photographer. Contact him at terry_norman@sbcglobal.net.

Not In The Face is singer/guitarist Jonathan Terrell and drummer Wes Cargal.

The Not In The Face duo of singer/guitarist Jonathan Terrell and drummer Wes Cargal take the stage Friday for some blistering ...]]> MARFA – Not in the Face and Slowtrain provide a one-two punch of Austin music at Padre’s on Friday and Saturday.

Not In The Face is singer/guitarist Jonathan Terrell and drummer Wes Cargal.

The Not In The Face duo of singer/guitarist Jonathan Terrell and drummer Wes Cargal take the stage Friday for some blistering blues-pop.

They quickly made their mark on the music scene with a show-stopping SXSW performance and are coming to town from a California tour.

They are described by those in the know as grimy, gritty and raw – Low-Fi and boisterous. Their songs reveal a mean streak and melodic sense that would make Paul Westerberg proud.  The soul behind their sound draws heavily from the experience of living in the no-holds-barred land of oil fields, back roads, and sweltering summers.

On Saturday, it’s Slowtrain with Jason Blum.

Slowtrain has evolved over the years – ah, the ever-revolving door of superb musicians in a town full of ace players – according to bandleader, songwriter, and driving force Adoniram Lipton, but “the line-up we’ve got now is the best Slowtrain has ever had,” he said. “Wherever we go from here, we’re going together.  We are a band, pure and simple.

Slowtrain includes Adoniram Lipton, piano, guitar, vocals; Andy Keating, guitar; Matthew Roth, bass; Nathaniel Klugman, organ and keyboards; Doug Walseth, guitar; and Aaron Calhoun, drums.

The songs on the band’s recording, “Bound To Find You Out,” were heavily influenced by Adoniram’s interest in the style of bluesman Son House – subtly manipulating phrasings to impact meaning, a theme that flows throughout the record, both musically and lyrically.

Showtime both evenings is 10pm, with $5 covers. Information: www.padresmarfa.com.

Members of the Big Bend Chamber Music Consort will perform a program that will include excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite for piano, four ...]]> ALPINE – A special concert of Christmas music to benefit the Alpine Food Pantry and the Terlingua Crisis Center will be held at 6pm Friday, December 2 at St. James’ Episcopal Church, Alpine.

Members of the Big Bend Chamber Music Consort will perform a program that will include excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite for piano, four hands, with Ellen Boyd and Carol Wallace and the Christmas Suite for piano, flute and clarinet by Michael Burkhardt.

The Big Bend Chamber Music Consort. From left, Jane Ross, Don Slocomb, Carol Slocomb, Marilyne Dieckert. Seated, Carol Wallace. Not pictured, Ellen Boyd.

Carol Wallace performs jazz arrangements of carols by Brubeck and Yeager, and Big Bend composer Marilyne Dieckert’s three arrangements of carols for woodwinds will be featured.

In addition to the instrumental music, the audience will be part of a sing-along of Christmas carols led by Jane Ross, soprano.

Performers include Jane Ross, soprano; flautists Carol Slocomb and Marilyne Dieckert; Don Slocomb, clarinet; and pianists Carol Wallace and Ellen Boyd.

The Big Bend Episcopal Mission, which includes St. James’ Alpine and St. Mary and St. Joseph, Lajitas, seeks to raise funds to provide 5,000 meals to residents of Brewster County.

“We are more than half way to our goal,” said Dallas Baxter, representing the Mission, “and we hope the benefit concert will put us over the top. Our neighbors are hungry, and together we can do something to change that,” Baxter said.

The afternoon event begins with a 5:30 service of Prayers for Evening and the Healing of the World.

After a short break, the concert will begin at 6:00 p.m. A wine/hot cider and cheese reception will follow the concert.

Members of the community are invited to both the service and the concert, or they are welcome to arrive at 6 o’clock for the concert. The church is located at N. 6th St. and Avenue A in Alpine.

A wind ensemble and concert choir concert is scheduled Thursday, Dec. 8; and the Alpine Community Band will perform Sunday, Dec. 11. All events are free and open to the public.

The student recital begins at 7:30 ...]]> ALPINE – Three holiday musical performances will be held at Sul Ross State University, beginning with a student recital today

A wind ensemble and concert choir concert is scheduled Thursday, Dec. 8; and the Alpine Community Band will perform Sunday, Dec. 11. All events are free and open to the public.

The student recital begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Dec. 1) in the Studio Theatre, Francois Fine Arts Building. The recital will feature wind players, pianists and vocalists.

The wind ensemble and concert choir will perform Thursday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m. in Marshall Auditorium. Each group will present a variety of holiday favorites. Chris Dobbins will conduct the wind ensemble and Dr. Donald Freed will direct the concert choir.

Dobbins will direct the Alpine Community Band in a 3 p.m. concert Sunday, Dec. 11 in Marshall Auditorium. The band will perform a mix of holiday tunes, including a piece for narrator and band featuring Kendall Craig.

For more information, contact Dobbins, (432) 837-8018 or cdobbins@sulross.edu.

Doyle Bramhall

Doyle, 62, was born February 17, 1949, in Dallas.

He had a long, successful career as a singer, songwriter, and drummer. He moved to Austin with his young family in the ...]]> Texas music legend Doyle Bramhall died in his sleep, of natural causes, at his home in Alpine on November 13, 2011.

Doyle Bramhall

Doyle, 62, was born February 17, 1949, in Dallas.

He had a long, successful career as a singer, songwriter, and drummer. He moved to Austin with his young family in the early 1970s and was an integral part of the burgeoning live music scene.

He is survived by wife, Barbara; son, Doyle Bramhall II; daughter, Georgia Bramhall, and their mother, Linda Cannon; twin brother, Dale Bramhall; stepchildren, Jim Winn, Chris Hunter, and Logan Hunter-Thompson; grandchildren, Sophia Bramhall-Jordan, Martin Doyle Bramhall III, India and Elle Bramhall; Will, Tatum and Marigold Hunter; Gracie and Mae Thompson; and Sunny and Morgan Winn. His niece, nephews, and numerous cousins also survive him.

His parents, Francis and Lonnie “D” Bramhall; a sister, Shirley Watson; and a brother, Ronnie Bramhall, preceded him in death.

Memorial services were the afternoon of Monday, November 21 in the Chapel of Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin. There was a celebration of Doyle’s life at Antone’s later Monday afternoon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of the following organizations: SIMS Foundation, P.O. Box 2152, Austin, TX, 78768 

Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), P.O. Box 301496, Austin, Texas 78703-0025

Austin Pets Alive, P.O. Box 6247, Austin, TX 78762

Arrangements are by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home in Austin.

MARFA – Marfa musician Andy Schneider now is offering guitar and bass lessons, and he is performing weekly at Jett’s Grill at the Hotel Paisano.

Andy’s weekly gig begins at 5:30pm on Fridays.

Schneider’s been a professional musician for 24 years, and he enjoys passing on his passion for ...]]> Andy Schneider plays guitar and accompanies himself on drums.

MARFA – Marfa musician Andy Schneider now is offering guitar and bass lessons, and he is performing weekly at Jett’s Grill at the Hotel Paisano.

Andy’s weekly gig begins at 5:30pm on Fridays.

Schneider’s been a professional musician for 24 years, and he enjoys passing on his passion for music.

“Music lessons should be a fun way to learn more about how music is made and open the door to a lifetime of musical enjoyment,” he said.

On Saturday, December 3, he performs at Padre’s, taking the stage at about 8:30pm.

To take lessons, give Andy a call at 432-386-8544 or email him at andy@andyschnieder.com.

MARFA – It’s a record collector’s dream: a neglected gem of a recording, salvaged from a thrift store bin, the sole output of a long forgotten band.

These are the circumstances that define Marfa sound artist David Hollander’s recent efforts to shepherd the reissue of Army Service band East of Underground, a group comprised ...]]> By DOUG MATUS

MARFA – It’s a record collector’s dream: a neglected gem of a recording, salvaged from a thrift store bin, the sole output of a long forgotten band.

These are the circumstances that define Marfa sound artist David Hollander’s recent efforts to shepherd the reissue of Army Service band East of Underground, a group comprised of active soldiers stationed in Germany in the early 1970s.

It was the height of the Vietnam War, and the U.S. Army Entertainment Division was, as stated in Field Manual FM 12-50, busy in its effort to “provide music for ceremonial and morale support.”

Army bands were utilized for troop entertainment, of course, but also to promote a popular depiction of an armed forces connected to a larger social and cultural sphere.

David Hollander

East of Underground, a talented group of soul and funk musicians, gathered under these auspices and won a battle of the bands competition.

The prize was a professionally produced recording session, the results of which were their only LP, Hell Below.

As Hollander states in his liner notes to the reissue, “This music functions as a time capsule, a snapshot of our own culture during this politically charged era.

The soldiers who played on these records – some of whom were drafted – not only served abroad during wartime but left us with a rare glimpse of a vibrant but fleeting musical scene within the Army.”

The sheer exuberance displayed in these recordings mark them as valuable purely as examples of great music. What makes them particularly interesting, however, are the circumstances of their production by a group of players who have all but disappeared.

Their obvious talent notwithstanding, only one of the members of East of Underground has been located – the lead guitarist, Lewis Hitt. He has no answers about the fate of the group’s other members.

“I can not explain why this music, and the players involved in the LPs, have disappeared,” said Hollander.

“No doubt some of it has to do with Army bureaucracy, since official records from the period have been destroyed. We are hoping that as a result of this being released, we will hear from others who were involved.”

The current compilation, issued by Now-Again records and distributed by Stones Throw, also contains recordings from Army Service bands SOAP – who tied with East of Underground for first-prize in their competition – The Black Seeds, and The Sound Trek. The Cd or MP3s can be purchased directly from Stones Throw, at www.stonesthrow.com. Neglected certainly, but at least no longer forgotten, East of Underground and company live on.

The first TubaChristmas was held in 1974 at the rink at Rockefeller Center in New York and concerts have continued, now celebrating the 38th anniversary.

All baritone, euphonium, and tuba players are invited to join in the 2011 TubaChristmas Big Bend.

Entry is $5 ...]]> ALPINE – For the first time, TubaChristmas will be held in the Big Bend.

The first TubaChristmas was held in 1974 at the rink at Rockefeller Center in New York and concerts have continued, now celebrating the 38^th anniversary.

All baritone, euphonium, and tuba players are invited to join in the 2011 TubaChristmas Big Bend.

Entry is $5 and TubaChrismas books will be available for sale on a first-come, first serve basis.

There will also be a prize for the best Christmas outfit and the best decorated instrument.

The rehearsal and registration will be held at the Sul Ross band hall in the Fine Arts Building starting at 1pm.

There will be a performance at 6pm as part of the Alpine ArtWalk.

Come join in and make this a tradition in the Big Bend.

Please contact Chuck Wilson at 432-837-7710 at the Alpine High School or at wcwilson@alpine.esc18.net for any questions.

ALPINE – Doyle Bramhall, the legendary Texas singer, drummer, songwriter, and music producer died at his home in Double Diamond south of Alpine on Saturday. He was 62.

“He was a gracious, gentle, insightful human being, brimming with talent, I’m going to really miss him,” said Alpine guitarist Mark Pollock.

Bramhall’s last recording, “Is it ...]]> By MARK GLOVER

ALPINE – Doyle Bramhall, the legendary Texas singer, drummer, songwriter, and music producer died at his home in Double Diamond south of Alpine on Saturday. He was 62.

“He was a gracious, gentle, insightful human being, brimming with talent, I’m going to really miss him,” said Alpine guitarist Mark Pollock.

Bramhall’s last recording, “Is it News” a work of original Texas blues tunes, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2008.

“What I really loved about him was that he was human,” Sul Ross English Professor Ira Blanton Jr.  said. “He didn’t have his nose up in the air. Made friends everywhere.  A special guy.”

Bramhall and his childhood friend Stevie Vaughn played in a band called in The Chessmen that opened for Jimi Hendrix in Dallas in 1969. Soon after, they headed for Austin.

“Stopped by the Texaco station where I was working on a Rambler Nash,” Pollock said. “I bought ’em a tank of gas.”

Doyle Bramhall, right, gigs with his son, Doyle Bramhall II. (photo courtesy of IRA BLANTON Jr.)

In Austin, Bramhall formed The Nightcrawlers with Jimmie and Steve Ray Vaughn and Marc Benno.

“I watched them play at the Armadillo and the One Knite, a famous little Austin place in 1972, that (Marfa resident) Gary Oliver used to own,” Pollock said.

Bramhall’s sojourn through the Texas music world included many trips between Dallas and Austin, including a Dallas reformation of The Nightcrawlers that included Pollock on rhythm guitar.

Bramhall also played with Marcia Ball, Cold Blue Steel, Johnny Reno and the Sax-Maniacs, and he produced through his 2:30 Music Co. some of Jennifer Warnes early work before releasing his first redording, Bird Nest on the Ground in 1994.

While in The Nightcrawlers, Bramhall co-wrote the tune “Dirty Pool,” which appeared on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s debut album, Texas Flood. He would write or co-write several other songs for the younger Vaughan, such as “Life By The Drop” from SRV’s The Sky Is Crying album, and he played the drums on the Vaughan Brothers first and final album, Family Style.[1]

“We played together a couple of times here in the front room,” Alpine musician and guitar maker Mike Stevens said from his Double Diamond studio and workshop. “He was an incredible singer. I think I first met him at Antone’s.”

In 1975, Clifford Antone opened what was to be the first of many nightclubs on 6th Street in Austin, that has become the home of Texas Blues.

“It was a wild scene,” Blanton said. “Antone brought the blues back to Texas,and Doyle was right in the big fat middle of it.”

Bramhall is survived by his wife, Barbara Logan; a daughter, Georgia Bramhall, who owns Honeycomb Hair Boutique in Austin, and a son, singer, songwriter, and guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, who has worked with Eric Clapton, BB King, Susan Tedeschi, and a host of Austin-based and national A-list musicians.

Services for Bramhall will be at 2:30pm Monday at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd. in Austin.