Mama K & The Shades are definitely a local must-see with their jazz-soul-R&B-funk combo of high-energy sound of a 10-piece band you have to see to believe. If you're a night owl, catch them on the SXSW schedule: Maggie Mae's Rooftop Bar on March 15 and Half Step on March 18, both at 1 AM.
Who exactly is this dime? Well, the vocalists are the leading —and only— lady Kelsey Garcia and Willie Barnes. The instrumentalists consist of: Johnny Storbeck (guitar), David Thacker (keyboard), Lee Braverman (bass), Chris Barnes (drums), Wesley Gonzales (percussion), Joseph Morrow (trumpet and flugelhorn), Dustin Hunter (tenor and baritone sax), and Donald McDaniel (trombone). Whew. Yeah—it's a lot. Which means—big sound! Big sound does not always mean great sound, but in this case, it truly does. Somehow, they make ten people on a stage look and sound like every band should follow suit.
Their first album, "Honey Made," is dedicated to David McKnight, their original sax player who passed away two years ago. Their second album is in the works and will be out next year.
If you'll be at home avoiding the SXSW craziness this year, they're also really excited to open for Big Freedia and The Soul Rebels at Mohawk on April 1. Or hey, need a vacation? Mama K & The Shades will be heading to Denver for their first out-of-state gig and the start of their first tour April 20! You get it—you have a ton of opportunities to check out these awesome local artists on their race to the top of the charts.
Remember when music was recorded on tape—a few takes, in the moment, no digital sound effects with a million computerized edits along the way?
Galen James, who recently moved to Austin to be a part of the Live Music Capital of the World, remembers, and wants to recapture that purity.
Galen is the real deal—he even worked with Doug Messinger, the guitarist for Van Morrison, to create his Pop-Jazz fusion analog tape masterpiece.
When he's not trying to bring back the transparency of music, the Jazz Studies major is teaching piano, jazz theory, and voice lessons at Eastside Music on 5th Street.
He's played on Rainey Street, at Lucky's Lounge, Speakeasy, and more eclectic spots all over Austin—and is lining up more shows currently.
If you haven't looked this guy up yet—do it! His style is truly hard to place, which is awesome—you're not sure what genre you're listening to, but the jazzy undertones are amazing. The only close comparison that I can make is Jason Mraz.
Galen has two albums out right now and is releasing a new EP this summer. You can find all of his work on Amazon, BandCamp, or purchase them at his next live show. Visit his http://www.GalenJames.com for more info!