Austasia: It's a Mixed Up World
By Danté Dominick
 The annual South by Southwest
music festival and conference is enormous in scope, highlighting
a myriad of musical styles and all ranges of bands, from garage
to superstars, from around the world. The difficulty does not
lie in filling all the unprecedented amount of concert slots,
but wheedling out who won't make the cut. Many truly incredible
bands may be left out but this is perfectly acceptable; it would
be infinitely impossible to include all aspiring performers.
"Unofficial" showcases sprout up and generally everyone
agrees this is a good thing. So the fact that many remarkably
gifted local Austin performers will grace unofficial stages should
be no surprise. But one such showcase in particular is mind-boggling.
Buffalo Records is showcasing part of its Austin roster at
Tambaleo on Friday (19th) afternoon. The lineup is remarkable;
not just in its presentation of variety (jazz, gypsy, western
swing, singer/songwriter and indescribable melee are all represented)
but the conglomeration of so many world-class players in such
a concentrated set is unprecedented even by SXSW standards.
World-class should be taken literally here as Buffalo's Austin-laden
lineup routinely sells out performances spanning three continents.
(Click here for schedule
details for the Buffalo Records showcase.)
Never heard of Buffalo Records? How has such a local beacon
been passed by Austin's energetic self-promoting music scene?
Well, for starters, they're far from local. Very far. Buffalo
Records is a small Japanese label catering to the small niche
of American roots music lovers in Japan. In addition to producing
original, Japan-only recordings of some American treasures, Buffalo
works to distribute small label and independent American releases.
Buffalo's owner, Douglas Allsopp, has made it easier to find
some incredibly talented and heartfelt American artists in Japan
than in their own local communities (let alone country), by reworking
the packaging and liner notes to Japanese and sometimes adding
extra cuts or footage tailored to his steadily growing audience.
Initial hard-to-believe reaction may subside with the recognition
that the Japanese seem to regularly embrace American culture:
baseball, cowboys and, yes, pop music. But this fascination
is entirely fixated on the mega-popular icons of American culture
and myth. Buffalo Record's catalogue is overwhelmingly comprised
of artists who are recognizable to but a tiny fragment of American
music-buyers and concertgoers. And don't think the internationally
savvy Japanese are being duped in thinking otherwise. Allsopp
admits his line-up "is a very hard sell in Japan."
The label began in 2000 with Allsopp importing just a few
hundred copies of current Austin recordings (Asylum Street Spankers,
The Gourds and Texas Trumpets) and turned them into "quasi-Japanese
releases" via the aforementioned re-packaging. In March
2002 Allsopp worked with Hot Club of Cowtown to create two compilations
of the band's music complete with original packaging. These
two discs, available through Buffalo only, remain the label's
best sellers (about 4000 each). Their impeccable brand of western
swing was a shoo-in to sell out theaters during the band's 2002
Japanese tour -- providing the Japanese fans an opportunity to
don their cowboy/western regalia only intensified the event's
exhilaration.
Another top-seller has been In the Land of Dreams by
Stanley Smith. Smith finally got around to his solo debut after
four decades as a professional musician. The popularity of Dreams,
a singer/songwriter recording from a jazz virtuoso, certainly
proves this phenomenon is out of line with mainstream Japanese
pop devotion to American kitsch: nothing flashy, no gimmicks,
just uncompromisingly great songs beckoning listeners to kick
off their shoes. Smith's dreamy, well-seasoned voice and his
guitar melodies erase tension from your comprehension. "It
is surprising," Allsopp reflects, "how many people
have written to tell us how much they absolutely love that album.
Far, far more than for any other album we've released."
In response, Smith and Stephen Doster (the record's producer
and co-guitarist) were ushered to Japan where the Japanese personally
showed their love by withstanding long lines to receive autographs.
Reporters, assistants in tow, crowded the pair and fashion magazine
photo shoots were arranged. On the whole, a certifiable media
frenzy as compared to the dozen or so listeners on hand for his
weekly Austin gig.
Among Buffalo's most recent releases is the Jazz Pharaoh's
Old Man Time. The Pharaohs play spirited traditional
jazz of the highest caliber. Their lineup has traditionally
revolved over the decade, but anticipate twin guitars, clarinet,
trombone, saxophone and swinging rhythm of bass and drums. Scour
Chicago or New Orleans and try to find a better jazz club experience
than their weekly happy hour gig in Austin at the Elephant Room.
Remarkably, Old Man Time is their first CD. In less
than five months since its release it has sold nearly 1500 copies
in Japan (perhaps Stanley Smith's tenure in the band coaxed the
sales a bit). Smith wanted to make some copies available to
Austin fans despite Buffalo's lack of direct American distribution.
Allsopp shipped copies to Texas for the cost of production,
allowing Smith to keep the profits if he is able to sell them.
"I'm not a real hustler," Smith sheepishly understates.
Word-of-mouth praise, however, should assist Smith in selling
his allotment. Needless to say, they will be available when
the Pharaohs get the Buffalo showcase rolling this Friday at
1:00 pm.
The Dave Biller Combo is up next to explore the world of Django
Reinhardt-style gypsy jazz. Virtuoso is the bare minimum requirement
to consider a stab at this style of flowering, single-note guitar
work that blossomed from Django's childhood in a wandering gypsy
caravan. Biller (who sometimes records as Leroy as opposed to
Dave) appears on a multitude of recordings by local artists,
but to find a copy of his own recording -- you guessed it --
go to Japan. Allsopp is currently working to export Biller's
disc, Leroy's Swing, to record stores in the musician's
hometown. In the meantime, Leroy's Swing marks is part
of Buffalo's latest approach to expand its market: CD Baby (www.cdbaby.com),
the popular on-line independent music store, is now carrying
the disc.
The Dave Biller Combo's gypsy exoticism is the perfect segue
for TOrcH. As the name implies, the spirit of jazz's greatest
"torch" singers fuels the group. Seela's wistful vocals
are enchantingly alluring, as seductive as warm breath inches
from your ear. Weather is unpredictable, but some bands are
not. Whether Friday finds a bright, sunny sky or the day is
awash with rain, TOrcH will make the perfect soundtrack by creatively
approaching jazz standards in a manner beset by the mood at hand.
Stanley Smith will return to the stage sans jazz ensemble
to perform from his solo recording with Stephen Doster. Smith's
guitar style is as if Freddie Green (Count Basie Orchestra) became
fascinated with bossa nova. Doster provides tasteful leads with
smatterings of nuances from George Harrison to flamenco guitar.
Neither will solo with rapid-fire, Django-style succession,
rather allowing the spirit to wander on the waves of more serene
musical forces.
The final two acts are as big as acts can get and still not
be considered mainstream. Both enjoy far more success than most
non-radio-friendly bands here in the States as well as in Buffalo's
territory. The Hot Club of Cowtown trio perfectly wed Bob Wills
with Gypsy Django. Hot Club may be the most exciting western
swing band touring today; their joy is infectious as the music
is incredible. The band's smiles alone could carry them to Japan
where the ebullient fans have rendered a reprise of their 2002
tour. Hot Club packs their bags for Japan in October.
The globetrotting Asylum Street Spankers will close out the
show in doubtless roaring fashion. An all-acoustic spree spanning
bluegrass to rap, Spankers' performances are notorious for creating
sinful amounts of fun. At times ribald and randy, other times
just a great blues band; the Spankers are truly an anomaly.
The Spankers very recently released a new disc on their own Spanks-a-Lot
Records as well as a two-hour concert DVD. Both have been released
in Japan on Buffalo where they are sure to relish the 30-minute
segment from their Japanese tour.
The showcase, a bit off the SXSW path on a Friday afternoon
is yet flying a bit under the radar. Existing on the fringe
is old hat for everyone involved though. As a matter of routine,
those who make it will be yapping incessantly how they saw the
best show of the week. Free food and cheap drinks may help the
draw, but I'm still taking odds the majority of media to show
up will be from Japan -- look for the movie the next time your
in Kamakura (seriously, there will be a Japanese film crew).
Fret not if you won't be making it to Japan in the near future.
Allsopp will be on hand with plenty of Buffalo CDs. If you
miss the show: the Buffalo website (www.buffalo-records.com) is limited in English,
but there is enough to navigate the site to see what is available
-- ordering is the tricky part. For now, e-mailing Allsopp at
doug-at-buffalo-records.com
is likely to be easiest.
As for the performers, they perform in Austin on a very regular
basis.
dominick-at-rockzilla.net
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