Uncle Daddy "Long Time"

I love the Urban Dictionary! It is a wonderful exercise in people stepping up to define words, situations, and it is at times a total hoot. Other times it is crude, lewd, and rude, but ya can’t have it all, I guess. The definitions for Uncle Daddy are pretty funny. Yikes, it is yet another rabbit hole to fall down! But wait, I want to introduce you to today’s band…Uncle Daddy. Friday is a good day for discovery, don’cha think?

Uncle Daddy is a 6-piece roots rock band from Los Angeles whose debut album Good Mourning just came out two weeks ago. It blends country and folk and foot stomping blues. Hell yeah. LA Weekly called them "a full blown roots rock machine." Me, I like the name.

The band is from the west side of LA and consists of front man/guitarist TJ Stafford, violin player Robbie Anderson, cellist Jacob Szekeley, mandolin player Andrew Jed, guitarist Noah Needleman, and drummer Christopher Allis. Don’t you love that roots is growing in the densest of urban areas? Here is the song “Long Time,” one of the tunes from the new album Good Mourning. 

- Jessie Scott

Robert Ellis "Bamboo"

I want to share one of the coolest things I ever did. In Hawaii some years ago, I hiked up to the splendor of Seven Sacred Pools, on the other side of Maui from Lahaina. We wound our way up the mountain; through different kinds of foliage, crossing streams, doing a bit of climbing on flat black volcanic rock covered with red ants. There were pastures with high grasses, and copses of bamboo, with its cool feel and crisp bark underfoot. When we got to the top, we stood under the waterfall, allowing it to pelt us, and not even being able to hear each other over the din. Then our guide gave us two choices; we could walk back down (oh no!!!)….or we could take the water route! He turned us around to the waterfall that poured into the highest pool. It was a healthy jump, but we did it, and made our way down the mountain jumping into each successive pool and backstroking in the calm water. It was at once exhilarating, exhausting, and awe inspiring. I haven’t been back in years, but as it is in Haleakala National Park, I trust it hasn’t gone away.

Most times, it is hard to go back. You just don’t know what you might find in the name of ‘progress’. Paved, built up, cut down. Different. Robert Ellis brings it home in a touching and personal way in the song “Bamboo.” It seems Robert is always on the road. He is in Europe for a string of festival performances before he comes back stateside for more festivals and some club dates.  He is a must see, by the way. Here is the Music Fog recording of one of the songs you will find on his 2011 album, Photographs. This was filmed at Americana Fest last year in Nashville during the Fall Music Fog Marathon at Marathon Recorders. “Bamboo.”

- Jessie Scott

Jess Klein "Riverview"

Kind of crazy night on Monday, as we had actual rain in Austin. Everything here is desiccated. I haven’t had to mow the lawn since May, not that I am complaining. And we ain’t talking a drizzle, but crashes of thunder, and a power outage at Threadgill’s before the show started. I was basking in the glow of my iPad, in an otherwise lightless restaurant for a few minutes, kind of kooky. On the way there, was a huge rainbow with the proverbial pot of gold at the end of it, was that the show was amazing. Buggaboo headlined and Robert Steel opened. I like a night with two upright basses, what can I say.

I am really happy to be doing the School Night series at Threadgill’s, which of course was started by our Music Fog Marathons happening there during SXSW. I am celebrating a year this month! I had Jess Klein come play ten days ago, when she brought an incredible band, an amazing presence, and a sterling voice. She simply rocked the room. This is part of the reason why I love Austin so. The depth and breathe of the artistry here is quite amazing. Jess Klein made her way to Texas a year before I did. She has a new album out called Behind a Veil, and will be touring Europe at the end of August.  Here is one of the excellent tunes, done solo for the Music Fog cameras from Cherokee Creek Music Festival a year ago in May.

- Jess Klein