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UT’s Warfield Center for African and African American Studies and the Dept. of Art & Art History are hosting renowned video artist, photographer and activist Zanele Muholi on Thurs., Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. as part of the Art in the Black Diaspora Lecture Series. Muholi’s lecture, “So They Have ‘Eyes to See’” is in the Art Building, Rm 1.102, corner of San Jacinto and 23rd St. Muholi, co-founder of the Forum for the Empowerment of Women, was recently named the Rubin Artist-in-Residence at MIT. As a photographer/ reporter for “Behind the Mask” online magazine in Africa, she has represented the black female body in a frank yet intimate way that challenges the historical portrayal of the subject. Umlauf Sculpture Gardens, adjacent to Zilker Park, 605 Robert E. Lee Rd., will be the site of a wondrous gathering of interfaith ambassadors celebrating the diversity of faiths and cultures in Austin. “A Night Under One Sky” takes place on Tues., Oct. 13 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. Austin Area Interreligious Ministries’ annual fall celebration and fundraiser features a tranquil evening of dinner, conversation, and live performance. AAIM works year round to build a respectful, caring and inclusive community where people of diverse cultures and religions combine service with dialogue, creating our slice of heaven on earth. 512.386.9145, www.aaimaustin.org Austin Chamber Music Center presents their free Annual Hispanic Heritage Month Concert featuring the Santiago-Salomon Duo Sun., Oct. 18 at 3 p.m. at Mexic-Arte Museum, 419 Congress Ave. This chamber ensemble blends classical music with the traditional sounds of Mexico and Latin America. The duo, violinist Ana Patricia Santiago and pianist Carlos R. Salomon will perform a program that combines original works by Solomon with traditional repertoire by other notable Hispanic composers. Beloved throughout Mexico, Salomon and Santiago are dedicated to preserving the Latin American classical music tradition. A complimentary Mexican desserts reception follows the concert. 512.480.9373 “We Have Survived,” is the title of the lecture being given by Dr. Mario Garza on Oct. 24, 1- 4 p.m. at the Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River St. The Hispanics Indigenous Identity lecture series brings the Indigenous Cultures Institute, Austin Parks and Recreation and the MACC together to present lectures on the complex evolution of the Hispanic identity— social and historical factors that influenced Hispanics to reject their Native American heritage and embrace the Spanish-European identity. The series runs through Nov. 2009, with each presentation providing historical and cultural information on the identity and ancestral legacy of these original indigenous cultures including the arts, traditions, ceremonies, and languages of the original Texas Indians. 512.478.6222. Shahid Parvez Khan, one of the finest sitar players alive today, and violin maestro Lalgudi GJR Krishnan are dazzling virtuosos who will touch down in Austin on Sat., Oct. 24 at the North/South Jugalbandhi at St. Edward’s University, presented by India Fine Arts. Khan’s global reputation as an awe-inspiring performer is complemented by his ability to spread his music as a dedicated and loving guru. Lalgudi’s innovative genius is unique to the art form of Carnatic music. Each has received international recognition in the spheres of Indian art and culture. IFA members enter free; general public $20, $15 (Stu./Srs.) 512.918.1351 The Texas Book Festival takes place Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the State Capitol, free to the public. The remarkable Belinda Acosta will appear on Saturday from 10-11 a.m. at the “Mama Dramas” session in the Capitol Extension, Room E2.012. Her acclaimed first novel, “Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz,” is perhaps the ultimate coming-of-age story of authentic, contemporary Hispanic culture. Joining Acosta are Katherine Center, Jancee Dunn, and Gwendolyn Zepeda with moderator Helen Thompson. To date the Fest has donated more than $2.3 million in grants to public libraries throughout Texas, and the 2009 version will mark 14 years of bringing authors and readers together. The Carver Museum has a full slate of events in October. “Joan of Arc - The Night Before...” is performed in the theatre Fri.-Sun., Oct. 9-11 at 2 & 8 p.m. Tix are $18 and $15 at the door. “When the Soul Aches,” a drama about a family in crisis seeking the help of God, plays Sat., Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. in the theatre. Presale $10/$15 door. On Sun., Oct. 18, “Handsome Little Devils” is performed at 2 p.m. in the theatre. Free pumpkin carving for the family is offered on Sat., Oct. 24 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on the Carver Dock. Call 974.4926 for reservations. This month’s topic in the Culture Lounge is “Considering Contemporary Art” on Thurs., Oct. 29, 6-8 p.m. in Carver Drum. Folktales Book Club is held Fri., Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. in the classroom, featuring Shirley Sprinkles Morris’ book “From Dunbar to Destiny.”
Health Week Offers Latino Families Support
Cindy Villarreal to Launch “Cheer Channel”
ACC Receives Diversity Award
Binational Health Week (BHW) is one of the largest mobilization efforts of federal and state government agencies, community-based organizations, and volunteers in the Americas whose aim is to improve the health and well-being of the underserved Latino population. The Austin BHW Planning Committee is currently offering several free health events through Oct. 16, all designed to improve the health of local Latino families.
Austin native Cindy Villarreal, owner of Proformance Sports Marketing and Entertainment Inc., has announced the fall launch of Cheer Channel Inc. (CCI), an interactive, online destination designed to support the booming sport. CCI, is the first independent broadcasting network to put its support into the entire spirit industry. Debuting with the latest, cutting-edge technology in online television, mobile and cross-television programming, CCI will serve as the premier media destination for the cheer and dance community reaching close to 14 million users.
Austin Community College has been honored for its outstanding commitment to achieving diversity by Minority Access Inc., a consortium of more than 170 institutions of higher education. “This award recognizes the college’s innovative and comprehensive efforts to promote higher education among traditionally underserved populations,” said Dr. Richard Armenta, associate vice president for Student Success.
The series of outreach efforts include physical activity camps, insurance referrals, stroke, cancer and nutrition workshops, and medical screenings for HIV, vision and other tests. Wednesday, Oct. 7 is a particularly busy day with Ventanilla de Salud’s Health Fair at the Consulate General (800 Brazos Street), from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The fair includes a breast and cervical cancer awareness workshop by El Buen Samaritano from 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Travis County Attorney’s Underage Drinking Prevention Program holds an Alcohol Abuse Workshop also at the Consulate General on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. A Stroke Prevention Workshop with Nutrition and Exercise Information takes place at the Clinical Education Center at Brackenridge Hospital, 1400 N I-35 on Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., presented by the Brain and Spine Seton Family of Hospitals, American Heart Association and Sustainable Food Center. Register at 512.433.4044 Todo Sobre Ti is an outdoor exercise workshop for people of all ages with Joaquin Sifuentes and Keeping Austin Gorgeous being held on Wednesday, Oct. 7 and Friday, Oct. 9 from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. in Brentwood Park, 6710 Arroyo Seco. Those interest can register with Brizy Tait, 512.751.7318. A Project of Sustainable Food Center at Austin Farmers’ Market on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 8 a.m.-noon is also on the schedule at 4th St. and Guadalupe. The same occurs on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Triangle Park (46th St and N. Lamar) from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. W. Eugene George Wins Tejano Book Prize The Tejano Genealogy Society of Austin awarded the Clotilde P. Garcia Tejano book prize for the best book on Tejano History to Austin resident W. Eugene George for “Lost Architecture of the Rio Grande Borderlands.” An architect, educator, and author, George is one of the leading architects of the historic preservation movement in Texas. For over fifty years he’s done much to foster an appreciation of historic architecture along the Texas-Mexican border. George came to the area in the 1960s and found a way of life waiting to be preserved in words, photographs, and drawings. He reactivated the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in Texas during 1961 following a dormant period of more than two decades. Honorable Mentions awards honored Paul Cool for “Salt Warriors: Insurgency on the Rio Grande,” and John Adam Jr., for “Conflict and Commerce on the Rio Grande: Laredo, 1755-1955.” The award is named for Dr. Clotilde P. Garcia, an early pioneer in the fields of medicine and history.
Cheer Channel Inc. will headline news, entertainment, music and fashion, and showcase lifestyle, human interest and original programming, as well as highlights and promotional insights into the thousands of youth, college and professional market events around the world. The channel’s network includes a highly integrated, peer-to-peer social network allowing members to share rich media and interface with partners and industry participants. CCI will provide interactive experiences on location at events through experiential campaigns and crosspromote via mobile SMS and online through viral campaigns on www.Cheerchannel.com.
Binational Health Week underway around Austin
“Cheer Channel offers unique and unprecedented access to millions of youth, teams, coaches, families and fans. It’s the one-stop place where media can be served, engaged and measured around a trendsetting audience that is engaged and ready to move into the next frontier, ” said Sal Tofano, CCI Board Advisor. Austin’s W. Eugene George honored by Tejano Genealogy Society
CCI boasts a highly distinguished broadcasting and production team with more than 15 combined Emmy Awards and over 100 years of combined television and film experience with such networks as Fox, ESPN, Disney, Cox Communications and Yes Networks. Among the notables is Sandy Grossman, one of the most recognized names in professional sports and entertainment television. Grossman directed and spearheaded the annual cheerleading and dance competitions for the National Cheerleading Championships, changing the way the public viewed cheerleading on television.
Villarreal performed as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Dallas Mavericks Dancer, and served as the director of the Houston Oilers Derrick Dolls. She is also a former Miss Texas and the author of “The Cheerleader’s Guide to Life.” Proformance Sports Marketing & Entertainment’s clientele includes sports talent and properties and nonprofit organizations. PSME is currently finalizing its site search and development around the World Cheerleading Hall of Fame.
04 TODO Austin // October 2009 // TOdoaustinonline.com
College Connection is a program which assists high school seniors through the college admissions process, breaking down barriers to enrollment, especially for first-generation college students. The African-American Cultural Center works to increase understanding of African-American culture, history, and contributions at ACC and in Central Texas. Men of Distinction’s mission is to addresses the high college attrition rates of African-American men. Students are partnered with African-American faculty and staff who help them explore opportunities and challenges that participants face in college. The Latino/Latin American Studies Center focuses on Latino and Mexican-American heritage and contributions. Known as “El Centro,” the center organizes activities that feature Latino culture and provides support to Latino students. The Hispanic Serving Institution Orientations reaches out to Hispanic families and students with bilingual presentations aimed to help families become familiar with ACC.
TODO Austin
Volume I, Number 005
To serve global communities, CCI has partnered with VAN Publishing to launch the first cheerleading and dance publication in Latin America. The consumer magazine will reach more than 100,000 subscribers upon its debut in November. “Our partnership with the Cheer Channel will have a huge, positive effect on the spirit industry in Latin America and in the industry as a whole,” said Zachary Ninemire, VAN Chief Financial Officer and President of Operations.
ACC saw a 19 percent rise in African-American students between fall 2008 and fall 2009 and a 14 percent growth among Hispanic students during the same period. The award highlighted several ACC programs that support diversity, including College Connection, the African-American Cultural Center, Men of Distinction, the Latino/Latin American Studies Center, and the Hispanic Serving Institution Orientations.
Publisher/Editor - Gavin Lance Garcia, Contact@todoaustinonline.com Art Director - Dave McClinton www.dmdesigninc.com Cindy Villarreal nearing launch of Cheer Channel
Contributing Writers/Artists - Brandon Ramiro Badillo, Heather Banks, Deborah Alys Carter, Isabel Corona, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Tyler Guthrie, Philip Jones, Alexandra M. Landeros, Oliver Nicolas, Tom Palaima, Marion Sanchez, Blake Shanley, Maverick Shaw, Kristina Vallejo, Kuetzpalin Vasquez, Shand Walton, Dean Windsor, Jill Winters
Advertising - sales@todoaustinonline.com Kathleen Fitzgerald, Tyler Guthrie TODO Austin is published by Spark Awakened Publishing. © 2009 Spark Awakened Publishing. All rights reserved. Unsolicited submissions (including, but not limited to articles, artwork, photographs) are not returned. Contact@todoaustinonline.com | 512.380.9021
ACC honored for service to minority students
On The Cover: Brandon Ramiro Badillo, Blake Shanley Photo by: www.eclecticimagesphotography.com
Troy Campbell’s “House of Songs” Links Danish Artists to Austin By Oliver Nicolas
Austin musical Renaissance man, Troy Campbell, is the type of inimitable character Denmark’s Hans Christian Anderson might have patterned a story after. No ugly duckling, Campbell swims in creativity and with childlike enthusiasm he’s pouring his heart into a new project with kindred spirits from socially progressive Denmark. “The House of Songs,” a unique collaboration between Austin and Danish musicians, launches in Austin this month. Danish songwriters will join their counterparts in the U.S. to co-write songs and explore new ways of sharing music. The artists will spend a week or more in the city taking in the music scene, working on new material and performing. Campbell, who will serve as “The House of Songs” project ambassador, chief executive and artistic adviser, has co-written tunes that have gone gold and platinum in Scandinavia and elsewhere, including “Jeg Lar Min Dør Stå Lidt På Klim,” a cut penned with Denmark’s Poul Krebs and Henning Kvitnes. The project was born out of Campbell’s visit to the 2002 Danish songwriter’s guilds’ annual international songwriters’ camp. “I was invited to participate in a project called ‘Song Island’ which was a creative experiment based on Samso Island off the coast of Denmark,” said Campbell, who has toured internationally since 1994. “About twenty of us European and American songwriters came together to write songs. I was lucky in that I cowrote a few that were on some successful
CD’s. Most of us became great friends and have helped each other touring and writing together since then. This past SXSW, a group of representatives led by Danish superstar Poul Krebs came to Austin from Denmark to discuss with me the idea of opening a ‘house’ in Austin to do something similar to the tour over there. I jumped at the chance.” The House of Songs’ first showcase is scheduled for 9-11 p.m. Thursday, October 8, at Threadgill’s World Headquarters, 301 W. Riverside Drive. Cover is $5; club information: 512.472.9304. Doors open at 8 p.m. The showcase will feature boy-girl Danish duo, Leaving A Small Town, with band, Danish rock-roots-pop star Poul Krebs, Danish roots-pop/rock artist Kristian Svenningsen, and Campbell. “The House of Songs” program is designed to last a year with visiting artists connecting with top shelf Austinbased songwriters. “When I think of Scandinavia, I think of it being the ‘Live Audience Capital of the World’ in that they have some of the best and most enjoyable festivals I’ve ever experienced,” said Campbell. “I’d say put that together with ‘The Live Music Capital,’ and these two isolated kingdoms could create something even more special and sustainable.” Danish songwriters will also have the opportunity to record demos of the new material they co-create and participate in video blogs and journals, two ways the results of their collaborations will be shared with the world. This underscores “The House
of Songs” mission, to demonstrate what can happen when talented musical artists from two countries that appreciate, cultivate and celebrate live music are linked. Guitarist-singer-producer Niels Chr. Overgaard Simmel and vocalist Stinne Tornøe Frederiksen of Leaving A Small Town recently released their self-titled debut album with a sound that blends delicate melodies, edgy rock and dusty roots music that is reminiscent of the Raveonettes and Sweden’s Cardigans. Poul Krebs, whose latest Denmark release “Angeleno Road” has sold more than one million copies, has enjoyed a 25 year career with covers of his songs totaling more than 300,000. Kristian Svenningsen, after his first trip to SXSW in 1998, established a songwriters scene in Åarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, and hosted monthly “Writers Club” shows for several years. He has released five albums on his own label, Rarlyd, while constantly touring in Denmark. “I’ve spent the last few years focusing on film and animation work and learning a lot about those art forms,” Campbell related. “My animation company had some wonderful projects present themselves that involved working with all of my favorite forms of digital media. I started seeing for myself that the way of the future would involve artists working together for answers and collaborating towards a living. This project allows me to do what I love best, which is bringing people together to find solutions and inspiration and writing songs.”
By TODO Staff
Indian Bharatnatyam Dance
Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Renunciation Day
Austin Film Festival
India Fine Arts presents legendary Indian dancer/choreographer Alarmel Valli accompanied by a live orchestra in an evening of classical Bharatnatyam on Sat., Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m. Valli is internationally acclaimed for her subtle, deeply internalized, personal dance. Uncompromisingly classical, she is widely lauded for creating awareness of Bharatnatyam. Valli has extended the frontiers of her dance tradition to evolve her own distinctive style, and her Austin engagement will include “The Forgotten Seed,� an attempt to remember a dismembered harmony, a fractured unity between the sensual and the sacred. $50 (reserved); $25 (general) & $15 (Stds& Seniors). At Texas School for the Deaf Auditorium, 1102 S. Congress Ave. 512.918.1351 www.austinifa.org.
They say that Fo Guang Shan Hsiang Yun Buddhist Temple in West Austin, surrounded by cedar trees, is often submerged in a cloudlike fog. Thus, the Buddhist temple’s name: Hsiang (fragrance) Yun (cloud). Autumn is just the time to visit the temple and there’s no better time to check ennui at the door than at the Commemoration of Kwan Yin Bodhisattva Renunciation Day on Sat., Oct. 17 (5-6 p.m.) and the Great Compassion Repentance Service on Sun., Oct. 18 (10-12:30 p.m.). Sunday includes a post-pilgrimage, a free dinner of as you-wish noodle. Kwan Yin is a source of unconditional love, liberating the suffering from their karmic woes. Free. 6720 N. Capital of Texas Hwy, 512.346.6789. www.ibps-austin.org
The 16th annual Austin Film Festival & Conference (Oct. 22-29), the premiere film festival recognizing writers’ and filmmakers’ contributions to film, television and new media, is upon us. Cheryl Hines’ feature film debut, “Serious Moonlight,� opens the fest Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre with Hines in attendance. The Festival boasts the best of narrative, animation and documentary features and shorts, including premieres, advanced screenings, and independent films, accompanied by energetic Q&A sessions with cast members and filmmakers. Closing the fest is “Up in the Air,� directed by Jason Reitman playing Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. at the Paramount. 800.310.3378 www.austinfilmfestival.com
Mediterranean Festival
Barsana Dham Divali
Austin Lyric Opera’s “La Bohèmeâ€?
One of the most moving events to witness is the annual Barsana Dham Divali, the festival of lights, Sat, Oct. 17, 5:30 p.m. The spiritual significance of Divali is to enlighten the heart with the flame of Radha Krishn love and remove the darkness of worldliness. To mark the occasion, celebrants share in a dinner prasad followed by chanting, discourse and darshan of the Deities in the main Shrine. Following arti and homage to Radha and Krishn, all proceed outdoors for fireworks and raas garba (lively devotional dancing) with live music by Sur Sangam on the colorfully lit Maharas Mandal. Free. 400 Barsana Road off of FM 1826 (Camp Ben McCulloch Rd.). 512.288.7180. www.barsanadham.org
After the extraordinary, unorthodox beauty of “Dialogues of the Carmelitesâ€? concluded Austin Lyric Opera’s 2008-2009 season, there was no doubting this company was committed to raising the bar on the performing arts scene. How does ALO follow up such unusual perfection? With Puccini’s wildly popular “La Bohème,â€? at the Long Center Nov. 7, 11, 13, 15. “La Bohèmeâ€? is number one in the repertory. For the uninitiated, this is the season to catch an ALO production, a combustible mix of songs, lights, costumes, choreography, narrative, emotion, atmosphere, and spontaneous miracles of the larynx. $20 and up. 512.472.5992 www.austinlyricopera.org
Philhellenism rears its head every fall in Austin at the 77th St. Elias Mediterranean Festival on Fri./Sat., Oct. 16-17 (6 p.m. to midnight). The fest is an event for the entire family, with a kids’ oasis of games and activities. Take in exotic dance demonstrations, live music from nationally acclaimed Greek artists such as Stavros & Maria, Greek folk musicians and Middle Eastern DJ Chris Ferris. The renowned foods of Lebanon, Palestine, Greece, Eritrea and Romania offer gyros, kibbeh, rolled grape leaves, baklava, kefta, hummus, tyro pita, spanakopita, mici, Arabic coffee and other delicacies. $5. 408 East 11th 512.476.2314. www.mediterraneanfestival.org
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Paved Streets of Prosperity
By Gregory Cantu
Gentrification of the East Side I was born and raised on East 3rd Street. East Austin is the land of my birthplace and I have deep roots there. I still know a lot of the people in the community and I work primarily in the real estate industry with a focus on East Austin.
I started my company with a mission to help people. I found out, unfortunately, that most of the real estate agents just wanted quick money. There was little interest in helping long-time East Austin residents sell to people who would actually live in the homes.
The goal back when I was young was to graduate from high school, join the military, return for higher education and let the government pay one’s tuition. But that wasn’t my story. I didn’t want to work in East Austin, I wanted out.
At 62 years of age, I learned about reverse mortgages and homesteads. What I found is that, in short, homeowners can get a certain percentage of equity out of their home and make no payments for as long as they live. Their heirs then pay back the loan after the owner dies out of the sale of the home. You can defer property taxes also; that state law was passed more than thirty years ago.
So I sold my mother’s house for what I thought was a reasonable amount. I remember showing the house to prospective buyers; most were looking for houses for their kids who were attending the University of Texas or pursuing work in grad school. I was asked if I had other properties available for purchase in East Austin. I knew of some homes for sale, having known the neighborhood, and I soon realized that I could specialize in real estate in East Austin. At a later time, a mortgage loan officer approached me and asked, “Have you ever had a ‘farm’—a particular area you work?” At the time, my sales territory was mainly addresses in South Austin. Per his suggestion, I select the place I knew best—the East Side. As an independent real estate agent, I was not well versed in marketing, direct mail and advertising. A friend of mine had just gotten his license to conduct commercial sales and asked me about residential opportunities. I suggested we do mail outs to East Austin homeowners. Eventually, we decided to open up a real estate company to help people in East Austin called Centex Real Estate. By 2005, developers and investors were flashing money at the folks in East Austin. Limousines were gliding down East 4th Street, looking to see what was available. They were buying entire blocks of real estate; I knew it was developing too fast. I’m all for growth and cleaning up neighborhoods, but mowing down homes – that’s not good for the little old lady next door.
have paved streets where we used to have caliche. If you fell, it hurt – those caliche rocks are sharp. The community won’t become entirely Anglo as many of the older Hispanic families will stay. There is some evidence that somebody many years ago drew a line on Interstate 35 and said, “Over here on the east is where Blacks and Hispanics will live.” Then UT led the way and built their baseball field on the “other side” of the freeway. They were perhaps the first to wake up and realize that land is only five minutes from downtown. When I was young, we used to walk a few
minutes to Congress Avenue to go to the movies. But Mexican Americans will not disappear from the area. When I think about the gentrification of East Austin, I’m reminded of the 1990 film “Dances with Wolves.” It’s 1863 and a Sioux medicine man asks a lone Anglo soldier how many white men are approaching their homeland. The foreboding reply is, “as many as the stars.”
After the age of 65, the owner can defer property taxes by going to local county appraisal district and filing an affidavit proving their age and they will see deferred taxes (8% simple interest to defer taxes). So a homeowner 65 or older can do that and benefit from the appreciation of their house in 20 years. I also recommend investing in a term life insurance policy instead of putting money into taxes that will be paid when you die out of the sale of the home. A homeowner’s heirs can have a lot of cash left over from the insurance policy and after the taxes are paid on the house when the house is sold. As for the evils of gentrification in East Austin, I don’t see any. There are educated people moving into the East Side neighborhoods and that’s helping everybody. The demographic change is providing a good mix of people from various ethnic backgrounds. Of course, Mexican Americans feel like it was their land to start with. After all, Texas once belonged to Mexico. They’re not necessarily immigrants from another country—they feel this is their country. Still, many of the younger kids want to move out to areas more anglicized. That’s part of life’s cycle. We as a community have a come a long way together and change can be hard. My sister still lives on East 2nd Street by the Pan American Center. Things are good here. We
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Sometime this century the question may be asked, “Which is the more popular celebration in Austin, Halloween or Día de los Muertos?” Already one of Mexico’s major holidays, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, celebrations in the United States are becoming more common in areas with large Hispanic populations.
The TODO Guide to
Día de los Muertos 2009 By TODO Staff
The ritual is quickly growing in popularity in Texas’ capital city as new events are launched each year. None are more spectacular than Austin’s signature Day of the Dead fete now in its 26th year, Mexic-Arte Museum’s “Viva la Vida Fest” on October 24 at 5th and Congress. The Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC) hosts their third annual Día de los Muertos Festival the following week on Sunday, November 1.
highlights a different region of Mexico; this year the museum pays homage to Puebla. The exhibition also showcases contemporary art pieces by local artists incorporating Dia de los Muertos imagery and/or environmental/health themes. The Funeral Art from West Mexico exhibit features fine art replicas of pre-Columbian funerary artifacts of Northwestern Mexico, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in San Antonio.
Día de los Muertos’ origins in Latin America can be traced back to the Pre-Columbian era when death was viewed as a natural transformation. In contemporary times, friends and family gather to honor and remember ancestors.
Viva la Vida Family Festival
The MACC and Mexic-Arte have built a diverse following for their annual homages to friends, family and cultural icons. Together, the festivals will feature exhibitions of contemporary art and community altars, educational programs, street celebrations with traditional foods, hands-on art activities, retail booths, live music and performances, and Mexic-Arte’s grand procession, a quintessential Austin experience. Here’s how to join in the fun.
Paper-mâché Workshops Saturdays through October 17 - Mexic-Arte Museum, 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. / 419 Congress Ave. 512.480.9373
Learn from local artist, Patricia Greene, the skill of creating a paper-mâché prop masterpiece which can be used as a participant in the Grand Procession. Classes are free for members and $5 per session for non-members.
Community Altar Exhibition Build a Community Altar to pay homage to a passed loved one or hero and submit your art for the Día de los Muertos Exhibition at Mexic-Arte. Go to www.mexic-artemuseuminfo. org to download forms.
Mexic-Arte Museum Art Exhibition Exhibition of Community Altar, Contemporary Art, and Funerary Art from West Mexico Runs October 12 - November 22, Museum hours: 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. M-F; 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Sat.; noon-5:00 p.m. Sun.
This year’s Viva la Vida Fest Exhibition presents traditional and contemporary Día de los Muertos altars created by individuals, schools, and organizations in the Austin community in remembrance of friends, relatives, and heroes. The main altar is designed and created by Mexic-Arte Museum and each year 08 TODO Austin // October 2009 // TOdoaustinonline.com
Saturday, October 24, 2:00-10:00 p.m. E. 5th Street at Congress Ave. and Mexic-Arte Museum
This year marks the second day-long street festival. Highlights this year include do-it-yourself arts and crafts booths for children including altar building, mask painting, paper flower art, artists booths (Etsy crafters, Devilgirl Design, Diamonds and Guns by Action Jackson, SweetWolf, and Waxela, Drive By Press, Industry Arts, The Amazing Hancock Brothers, and Collin Welsch), traditional foods from tamales and mole to pan de muerto (from Sazon Mexican Cuisine, MMMpanadas, La Mexicana Bakery, Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant), and the Día de los Muertos Marketplace, a one-stop-shopping hub for marigolds, sugar skulls, and an assortment of items to create an altar at home or the office. The performance stage will feature Folklorico Dance and the music of Maneja Beto, Bocastria, Peligrosa All-Stars DJs, Tiburon, Manuel “Cowboy” Donley, and Mary Welch y Los Curanderos, plus DJs representing a variety of energetic Latino music. Free bike valet service provided by Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop.
The Grand Procession Saturday, October 24, 5:00-7:00 p.m. - Plaza Saltillo (500 Comal St.) to Mexic-Arte Museum (5th and Congress Ave.)
One can only guess at what the Spanish Conquistadors who landed in present day Mexico over 500 years ago would make of Austin’s Día de los Muertos Grand Procession today, a parade celebrating death and the cycle of life. All are welcome to walk or bike in the procession which begins at Saltillo Plaza in East Austin, flows down 6th St to Congress and pours into the Viva La Vida Fest on 5th, marking the transition from the afternoon fest to the more daring evening portion of the street festival. Participants are encouraged to wear a costume, bring a prop or just wade into an orgy of the macabre. The Procession includes traditional, contemporary, and Austin “weird” costumes, props, live music, dancers and floats, with 2009 themes being Pre-Columbian Americas, Colonial Mexico, Modern Mexico, Contemporary: Mexico meets United States, and Families of Austin.
Day of the Dead Symposium Sunday, November 1, 2:00 p.m. Mexic-Arte Museum
“Why Do the Dead Come Back? Culture, Life, and Transformation from the Aztec and Mayan World Through the Present.” Day of the Dead is a cultural ritual that can be looked at from an interdisciplinary humanities perspective. Mexic-Arte presents a panel to discuss the context of daily life in Mesoamerica and how Day of the Dead fits into that cycle of life, explaining why the tradition exists in some places and not others and how we know what we know about preColumbian history and the cultures within it. Toni Nelson Herrera moderates with Dr. Enrique Rodríguez-Alegría and Amber O’Connor from UT, and author Claudia Alarcón.
Mexican American Cultural Center’s Día de los Muertos Sunday, November 1 - 600 River Street, 512.478.6222
¡Que Empiece la Fiesta! The third annual Día de los Muertos Festival at the MACC promises to be the best yet with displays of community altars on view throughout the celebration. The ancient belief of commemorating loved ones with altars can be found in elaborately decorated shrines full of sugar skulls, flowers, photographs, and favorite foods and memorabilia of the deceased. Individuals and organizations will display their otherworldly best at the MACC, but the traditional Hispanic music and food along with family friendly activities will be sure to raise spirits. Prior to the festival, the MACC will hold workshops on sugar skulls and paper maché skeletons. Call 478.6222, extension 239 for more info.
Austin Community College’s “Big Read” Dia de los Muertos Sunday, November 1 - 600 River Street, 512.478.6222
The Mexican American Cultural Center and Austin Community College present “The Big Read: Día de los Muertos Celebration” featuring Jane Madrigal Day of the Dead Altar and Play. The Big Read is an ACC program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts which promotes reading on college campuses and throughout the community. ACC’s events showcase the book “Sun, Stone, and Shadows,” an anthology of Mexican short stories and the collaboration with the MACC is sure to be a winner.
Hot Time at Güero’s For great tunes and great rita’s! Please join us for live music on our outside Jardin Stage, every Thursday through Sunday. All outdoor shows are “weather permitting”
October Line-up
Taco Bar
1412 S. Congress Avenue • Austin, Texas 78704 Open Weekdays 11am-11pm; Weekends 8am-11pm
Thu 10/01 BOBBY FUENTES & THE ALL STARS Fri 10/02 LOS FLAMES Sat 10/03 THE JUANA B’S Sun 10/04 TEX THOMAS & HIS DANGLIN’ WRANGLERS ----------------------------------------------------Thu 10/08 RONNIE CAYWOOD & CEDAR GROVE Fri 10/09 LOS FLAMES Sat 10/10 TED RODDY Sun 10/11 TOO BLUE (5:30) ----------------------------------------------------Thu 10/15 LARRY LANGE & HIS LONELY KNIGHTS Fri 10/16 LOS FLAMES Sat 10/17 EVE MONSEES Sun 10/18 HARD PROOF AFRO BEAT ----------------------------------------------------Thu 10/22 PONTY BONE & THE SQUEEZE TONES Fri 10/23 LOS FLAMES Sat 10/24 HARRY BODINE Sun 10/25 CHICKEN STRUT ----------------------------------------------------Thu 10/29 JOHNNY GIMBLE Fri 10/30 LOS FLAMES Sat 10/31 TRENT TURNER & THE MOONTOWERS
www.GuerosTacoBar.com
The 47th Annual Production of
The Nutcracker
Austin’s holiday tradition
Choreography by: Stephen Mills | Music by: Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky Musical Accompaniment by The Austin Symphony
DEC 5- 23 | THE LONG CENTER Tchaikovsky takes us to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy as we present Austin’s holiday tradition, The Nutcracker. With the world’s most recognizable music, our 47th annual production continues to bring families together in celebration of Texas’ longest running production of The Nutcracker.
For Tickets:
Visit www.balletaustin.org or call 512.476.2163
[driv-uhn]
as to succeed or excel: the will behind motive.
www.drivnapparel.com
TODO Austin is a free online and print journal for all of Austin highlighting our multicultural heritage. TODO Austin celebrates what unites us while closely mirroring the changing demographics of Austin. TODO Austin will provide you an attentiongrabbing, affordable advertising medium to tap our rapidly-evolving population.
For advertising information, contact Kathleen Fitzgerald at Kathleen@todoaustinonline.com
TODO Austin is circulated free at more than 200 locations, from West Lake Hills to the East End, providing you access to the widest market penetration available.
www.todoaustinonline.com
UT Honors Local Music Legends By Dean Windsor
Three Austin music champions known for hearts as big as their legacies will be honored this month by the University of Texas Project on Conflict Resolution (UTPCR). Harold McMillan, Cyril Neville and the late Clifford Antone will receive the 2009 “Bridging Divides Award” in an evening of music and reflection on October 15 at Antone’s Nightclub. The award was inaugurated in 2007 with Willie Nelson its inaugural honoree followed by Tejano music legend Little Joe Hernandez in last year’s presentation. This year’s recipients are being celebrated for their charitable endeavors in the community over the last quarter century. “Our honorees embody the kind of peaceful tolerance that can resolve conflicts – whether it’s through their music, their venues, support for the underdog and disenfranchised or drawing attention to a spectrum of causes,” said Dr. Madeline Maxwell, founder of the University of Texas at Austin Conflict Resolution Center and a professor in the Department of Communication Studies in the College of Communication. “Their charitable efforts have advanced peace and understanding among diverse audiences.” Harold McMillan is noted for his social advocacy and his championing of musicians, a calling he sees as a “broad mission to promote and expand cultural awareness and appreciation of the arts in Austin.” His contributions as founder/director of DiverseArts Production Group, an Austin-based nonprofit which produces multidisciplinary art and cultural projects and programs, have made him a leading force in Austin’s music community for more than 25 years. “I’m a cultural worker . . . and so the stuff that I do is tied to some notions of fairness and telling the truth.” Today, the jazz and R&B artist is primarily known for his efforts Harold McMillan
Clifford Antone todd wolfson photographer
to provide access and exposure to artistic traditions derived from African-American culture, most notably the blues. Through DiverseArts, McMillan has created notable series with a view that is multicultural and multidisciplinary in scope, including the Clarksville Jazz and Arts Festival, Austin Jazz and Arts Festival, and the Austin Blues Family Tree Project. McMillan has also exerted great effort to re-establish East 11th Street as a destination for live music through programming at the Victory Grill and the DiverseArts venue, Kenny Dorham’s Backyard, and the New East Gallery, at 1601 E. 5th, dedicated to showcasing Austin’s emerging and established visual artists. The October awards show will also be highlighted by a tribute to the late Clifford Antone. Arguably the single most important figure in Austin music history, Antone broke down social barriers while conveying the importance of blues music. Antone’s appreciation for music was generated during his youth on the Texas-Louisiana border. “I had that great Louisiana influence,” Antone told a student audience during his stint as a lecturer at UT. “That is where the only soul left in America is, down in Louisiana from Port Arthur to New Orleans and Lafayette.” He brought that spirit not only to Antone’s hallowed stage, which saw some of the most dramatic moments in Texas live music history, but to his tireless efforts for a myriad of charity organizations. Antone’s “Help Clifford Help Kids” has become American YouthWork’s annual fundraising event. Started in 2001 by Antone with his sister Susan Antone and intimates, they’ve helped raise more than $1,000,000 for youths in need. But mostly, the recipient of a lifetime achievement honor by the National Blues Foundation was noted for the way he centered his life
Dr. Antone: the Real Deal “You know, if people wanna know why a brother can do down, can get down so much and really do the blues, it’s cause he lived the blues, he lived the blues.” —James Brown, “Like It Is, Like It Was” 1970 One of the happiest turns in my life was getting to know Clifford Antone personally through our mutual friend Gavin
around musicians, feeding many, housing others and generally appreciating all those with a like passion for music. Cyril Neville came to Austin already a bona fide American musical treasure after Hurricane Katrina chased hundreds of former Louisiana residents to Central Texas. When he decided to put down roots, he announced that “the gumbo has spilled over into the chili.” As percussionist and vocalist of the New Orleans based outfits, The Meters and the Neville Brothers, Cyril rose to prominence while never forgetting the struggle artists have surviving by their trade. He founded the New Orleans Musicians Organized (NOMO) to help musicians with business advice. After settling in Austin, he likewise helped form “Project Chumbo,” an organization which promotes, preserves and encourages New Orleans’ culture in Austin. Neville, who has released several solo albums including “The Fire This Time,” “New Orleans Cookin’” and “Soulo,” has collaborated with artists ranging from Jimmy Buffet to Bob Dylan. He will be toasted in Austin for his many charitable efforts across the country, for helping pave the way for New Orleans’ expatriates in Austin and for his ability to unite people across racial lines as a musical crusader for peace.
Cyril Neville
bruce tuten photographer
The University of Texas’ UTPCR Bridging Divides Awards @ Antone’s Nightclub, 213 W 5th St, 512.320.8424 Thursday, Oct 15, from 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Featuring: Gary Clark, Jr., Eve Monsees, Cyril Neville, James Robinson, Pamela Hart, Big Chief Kevin Goodman, Tim Culver, Gaynielle Neville and more Complimentary Tix available at Waterloo Records ($10 suggested cover)
By Tom Palaima
Lance Garcia. We became friends at lunch at Hoover’s on Manor Road just after New Year’s Day 2004. I had, of course, seen Clifford at his club at least a hundred times since my first time there in late December 1983, when, in my memory, Cliff had managed to bring in the reclusive jazz-inflected bluesman Fenton Robinson. What made Cliff special, even from a distance, was the respect and courtesy
he conveyed in introducing the blues artists who graced his stage and his own child-like happiness in being able to hear them live, close-up and personal, and to give the gift of their music to people like me who were smart enough to realize that a night of music at Antone’s was the best thing Austin had to offer. Continued on Page 15
“That night we had By Brandon Ramiro Badillo
some 300 elated people dancing, drinking, eating, and absorbing something new.”
Music inspires me to create the events I feel are necessary in bringing people together to share one among many things in common. Smiles. Over the last year, I have fallen in love with East Austin and its community. It’s eclectic nature and diversified culture fills my heart with joy. As I roam around with my iPod on shuffle and witness the history and beauty of East Austin, I envision hosting events for the community to enjoy in the perfect setting and atmosphere. East Austin is my canvas. I’ve established myself as an event promoter/producer who focuses on Urban and World music and currently have a string of regular shows at The Victory Grill including “Souled Out,” a live soul night every 2nd and 4th Thursday, and “Afro Beat Saturday” happening every 1st Saturday. This community has welcomed me and continues to embrace me, my vision, and my passion. I hope to share with you my journey in the pages of TODO Austin as I introduce the people, sights and sounds of the thriving East End and its surrounding neighborhoods. As I endeavor to preserve the East Austin ethos through performance art, I will likewise present other cultures from around the World to our city. One event in particular with that goal in mind is “Xemumba.” On October 24th, “Xemumba” will return to the East Side marking its 3rd year. Back before I started my event production company, Bemba Entertainment, I created a small Latin American music festival pronounced SHEH-moom-BAH. “Xemumba” came about from my fascination with Los Amigos Invisibles. They are one of my favorite music acts, this group from Venezuela who feature a vast range of styles
influenced by the different regions of Latin and South America, as well as the U.S. Their music inspired me to build a celebration of the music derived from Latin and South American regions. This was one idea I couldn’t let go of. It grew into something bigger than a party; it became “Un Festival De Musica Latina.”
group, mariachis, a salsa band, a Cuban son troupe, and a Latin experimental rock group. That night we had some 300 elated people dancing, drinking, eating, and absorbing something new. I knew that I couldn’t let it end there. I found my love, my niche, my passion. Last year’s event was spoiled by Hurricane Ike, so I decided to move “Xemumba” up in 2009 to provide a more comfortable environment far away from summer’s unpredictable weather. This year, the event is an all day affair welcoming all ages, and will be held at Kenny Dorham’s Backyard at 1106 East 11th St. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door and doors open at 10 a.m. with music starting at 11 a.m.
Azul
The name “Xemumba” is borrowed from the Aztecan “X” (sh) combined with the rhythmic tone that appears when pronouncing words like samba, rumba, and mambo. It wasn’t by accident that I found a Pan American name to suit the event. My grandpa, Francisco Badillo, was battling cancer at the time and accrued an insurmountable amount of medical bills. So, I turned Xemumba into a benefit for him in September, 2007. Xemumba made its debut highlighted by five bands performing music inspired by various regions of the Americas. There was a samba
12 TODO Austin // October 2009 // TOdoaustinonline.com
Proyecto Saoko and Buscando El Monte will bring the Afro-Cuban and rumba sounds to light, with the Gabriel Santiago Quintet performing Brazilian jazz, and Ritmo 3 following with the body-moving sounds of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Krudas Cubensi will bring hip hop to the stage, Cubana style. Este Vato is a Latin rock outfit and Azul will win your hearts with her beautiful ballads Mexicana. Os Alquimistas are an experimental Brazilian funk duo and La Guerrilla will follow with a Latin-skagypsy fusion. Seu Jacinto specializes in Northeastern Brazilian folk while El Tule will close the festival with Merengue and Cumbia. Xemumba is not just a Latin Music festival, it is a performance for all the people. Horns and percussion fill the air, people dance, drink, sweat, and laugh with one another. Find more at www.bembaentertainment.com or become a fan on Facebook. Together, we’re going to make this world stupendous.
El Tule
Gabriel Santiago
By Blake Shanley
I don’t remember exactly what made me start thinking seriously about moving to Austin. My brothers had both moved here and I suddenly started hearing people talking about the music scene. But really, it just happened. I was ready to leave Los Angeles and was thinking New York or Austin, and since I don’t do well in the cold and the snow, Austin it was. I moved to Austin without having ever coming to visit. I immediately got my real estate license and started working with a small brokerage firm that specialized in the representation of new mixed-use development in the urban core, with a focus on the east side. I worked so much that I really didn’t have time to explore the new city into which I had abruptly transposed myself. What I did see when I ventured out was a complementary mix of new
and old, an incredible energy buzzing about, a seemingly health-conscious community, an appreciation for the outdoors, and a relaxed attitude. All these were things I took notice of after having lived in Los Angeles. I was, however, if I’m to be honest, concerned about moving back to Texas for fear that it would under nourish my desire for a true melting pot of cultures, nationalities, religions, belief systems, styles, industries and activities. I was born in El Paso, moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico when I was 8 years old, then to Los Angeles after college where I stayed until moving to Austin three-and-half years ago. I moved to L.A. to be surrounded by diversity, progressive thinking and creative people, but actually found it lacking in an integrity and genuineness that is a necessity for me. I gratefully acknowledged that Austin possesses these social aspects, but, not to be judgmental, so much of its uniqueness and diversity seems at first to be contained rather obviously and awkwardly to one particular side of a highway. A curious thing . . . Having spent the majority of my professional time, and much of my personal time, on the east side of that road, I have been fascinated by some people’s ignorance to what lies on the other side of Interstate 35 even though it is wellknown, frequented and greatly appreciated by so many. There is a multitude of awesome small businesses, both long-existing and newly
opened. There is amazing history and culture. There are cool and interesting people. There is heart and soul. And I believe there is a genuine interest in being a part of something special by everyone who lives and patrons east of I-35, myself included. It’s been an odd thing to witness, but I have watched in the short time that I’ve been here, dramatic change occurring in the city. The growth has been substantial and exciting; it has been painful. There isn’t, unfortunately, merely one simple answer to the questions involved in finding the best way to facilitate growth in this town. But what I know to be true is that, thankfully, there is a consciousness behind a lot of it. I think it’s headed somewhere wonderful, and I’m excited to be a part of it. This past year, I have dramatically stepped outside of my frequently introverted bubble and have immersed myself in this town, growing a very soft spot for the east side, and I’m really starting to enjoy it. What essentially started as my need to sell a nearly-completed mixed-use development on E. 11th St. has turned into a true desire to see the area flourish and to witness people and businesses working together to build one of the most interesting, most eclectic, most vibrant and unique communities in Austin. If I can help to do that by talking to people, listening to their stories, connecting them to one another, supporting and promoting their businesses, and helping to give a voice to those who may not be frequently heard, then that is what I intend to do. Hello, Austin. I’m happy to be here.
Volume 1.3
Chronicles of Undercover Mexican Girl By Alexandra M. Landeros
photo by Shand Walton
You probably know about the Texas State Cemetery on Navasota Street just east of Interstate 35, which according to its website is “the final resting place of Governors, Senators, Legislators, Congressmen, Judges and other legendary Texans who have made the state what it is today.” You may have even been to Oakwood Cemetery a few blocks north – the oldest cemetery in Austin with graves dating back to the 1760s. There is one cemetery, however, you may have never heard of. It’s not the oldest, or the largest, or the most historically significant, but it exists as an oddity, frozen in time, inconspicuous between new apartment complexes and restaurants. Perhaps you’ve sat at Trudy’s palapa bar off Stassney without realizing that right across the street is Williamson Creek Cemetery. It’s completely enclosed by a chain link fence and padlocked gate, designated by the Texas Historical 14 TODO Austin // October 2009 // TOdoaustinonline.com
photos by Alexandra M. Landeros
Commission. Although I do not necessarily encourage illegal trespassing, there is a secret way to enter without disturbing the fence. I made sure to remain on the remnants of the foot pathways – all for the sake of undercover journalism! Most of the tombstones are crumbling and their inscriptions are weathered, or the markers are simply gone with only sunken earth as evidence of a decomposed grave. The Austin Genealogical Society cemetery database doesn’t give a clear record of the earliest grave, but the Austin History Center does have a complete inventory. Tombstones date back to mid-nineteenth century. There is one newly-placed plaque at the foot of a live oak tree but while the marker is obviously recent, the grave of James P. Eagle is dated 1863. I experienced a sensation of strangeness being in this cemetery, not because it was haunted, but from my fleeting encounter. Because I had a feeling that I shouldn’t be there
as the sun was about to set, I had but a brief period of time to absorb the details of each grave: the variation of the carved letter types and decorative motifs, or the way they were neglected with overgrown weeds and not a single fresh flower. Clearly, some of these sites had not been visited in years, or maybe even since the time of burial, yet someone had taken the time to try to reconstruct some of the broken tombstones. Already, my memory of the cemetery’s particulars is hazy with only a few photographs left to remember the visit by. In this way, I think about my maternal grandmother, Maria Ines Lopez Gurrola, who passed away on January 8, 2007. Sometimes, my sadness comes not just from the fact that she is no longer around, but that I wasn’t able to take in more of her while she was alive – her stories, her mannerisms and her intelligence. The only things that remain are her belongings, photographs, a few home videos, and a cassette tape with her final childhood recollections in Durango, Mexico during the Cristero War. She was in many ways, the undercover Mexican grandmother. She did not cook very much, leaving that chore to my grandfather. My most distinct memory of one of the few times of her making something in the kitchen involved Lebanese kibbeh and homemade yogurt. She was mostly busy running accounts for the flower shop, Florería Mayali, she owned in Aguascalientes. She did not teach me how to sew or iron, but she did teach me how to read and how to drink a small glass of wine with dinner like European children. As I grow older, I think about how much of life is consumed by technology and recording personal histories. I see people more focused on how a photograph will look on a social networking profile the next day rather than letting their minds capture the moment. When we are at the end of our lives, will we clearly remember our experiences, or will we have to do an internet search to find them?
Truth & Beauty By Deborah Alys Carter
Q: “Dear Deborah, tell me about a time when you were forced to make an unpopular decision. How did you proceed?”~ Deciding in Clarksville A: Dear Denver, this is hard for me to answer because I’m always making unpopular decisions. Just try to remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of the people doing anything in this world (like fixing your car, cutting your hair, bagging your groceries) do it poorly to average; 20% do things in an average way to above-average. Only .05% of that 20% are rock stars at what they do. Using this formula, if you make a decision and 80% agree with you, you are probably wrong. What you want is a scant 20% to go along with you, and .05% to really get what you’re trying to do. If you’re a leader, trying to play to the masses is futile and, if you succeed, will make you mediocre. Write Deborah at Contact@todoaustinpress.com
Continued from Page 11
I brought to our lunch at Hoover’s a paper I had presented at a Fulbright conference in Austria in November 1992. I had discussed blues and race relations in the United States, which was then a hot topic in circles such as Living Blues magazine. My sweetheart back in the States, Carolyn, had gone to the old Antone’s on Guadalupe one afternoon and, with the kind permission of Susan Antone, had taken slide photos of the whole interior and its many memorabilia, so that I could show Austrian students the environment for the music I was playing them: Zuzu Bolin, Herbie Bowser and T.D. Bell, Jimmy Rogers and the Antone’s House Band, master-ofthe-telecaster Albert Collins, Junior Wells and James Cotton. Well, talking about all these blues legends was okay twelve years later at Hoover’s, but it was when I mentioned a special set I had heard at Cliff’s club by the great husband and wife team Carol Fran and Clarence Hollimon that Cliff said to Gavin, “The man knows his blues.” When the bill came, I went to pay. Cliff insisted that he pay. I said I would take $20 from him, but only if he signed it. That bill is now framed on the wall of my office, Andrew Jackson staring over at the big C in Clifford’s signature and the Antone 04. Below in the same frame is Cliff’s business card with Pinetop Perkins’ autograph from the interview I did with Pinetop for an Austin AmericanStatesman commentary. Cliff had brought Pinetop to Austin and had seen to all of his
living arrangements when it became known to him that Pinetop was being taken advantage of by music people up in Indiana. The Cliff I knew was the real deal. I think that Cliff, like Bob Dylan, heard music all the time. Once we had him to dinner with a small group of aficionados of other kinds of music. I thought it would be nice to put some Antone’s Records CD’s on softly as background. Impossible. In the middle of a conversation, Cliff would suddenly say, “Listen to what Kaz (Kazanoff) is doing here.” Or his conversation would stop as he was transported away by Kim Wilson playing harp alongside Jimmy Rogers. Most remarkable was this. Denny Freeman had then just started to play with Bob Dylan. I had put on a bootleg which had Bob and his band doing a beautiful, spare, bluesy version of “Standing in the Doorway.” Cliff, again in the middle of talking, said, “Hey, listen to Denny.” Cliff was the real deal and he respected real music. I remember getting a call from him saying, “The place to be tonight is Jovita’s.” When I got there, Cliff was dreamily taking in the Cornell Hurd Band. And it was Cliff who turned me on to Hard Core Country Tuesday at the Broken Spoke, with James White and Alvin Crow and Johnny X playing genuine country music. Cliff heard the reality in their non-amplified, front room renditions of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and country blues yodeler Jimmie Rodgers. The place where Cliff’s deep love of blues music, music-makers and people in
general really came across was in the course he taught with Kevin Mooney at UT Austin, “The Blues According to Clifford Antone.” I was lucky enough one semester to be able to sit in regularly. Cliff would walk in with a suitcase full of DVD’s, VHS tapes, CD’s, books and photos and then give as much of it as he could to the students. Enrollment grew from 60 in 2004 to 180 in 2006. As Kevin recalls, “Cliff’s excitement was infectious, as it always was when he showed us an extremely rare film of B.B. King sharing the stage with T-Bone Walker or a video clip of a young Stevie Ray Vaughan taken from his private collection.” Cliff often said: “This film is so great, I can’t even watch it.” I can corroborate what Kevin says, “He liked to answer questions and showed an enormous amount of respect for the students. He would ask them if they had ever heard of a certain musician and often seemed shocked when only a few hands went up, but that reinforced how important it was for him to be there.” Cliff died just weeks after the spring 2006 semester ended. I remember getting a call from Gavin while at a dinner before a lecture I was giving in New York City. The bad news sucked the life out of me. What one student wrote on his course evaluation sums Cliff up perfectly, “I have never seen someone so passionate about music. He wanted everyone to feel what he felt and he kept everyone interested with the hundreds of stories he had.” He lived the blues.
ESPERANZA DEVELOPMENT
The historic, diverse, eclectic and rapidly growing
EAST END 11th Street - Jazz + Arts District. Come see what you didn’t know was right under your nose.
EATS + DRINKS + LIVE MUSIC Blue Dahlia BISTRO 1115 E. 11th St. // 542-9542 www.bluedahliabistro.com East Side PIES 1401 Rosewood Ave. // 524-0933 www.eastsidepies.com HOOVER’S Cooking 1104 E. 11th St. www.hooverscooking.com J Kelly’s BBQ 900 E. 11th Street // 499-0910 http://jkellysbbq.com/ Kenny Dorham’s BACKYARD 1106 E. 11th St. // 477-9438 www.diversearts.org LongBranch INN 1133 E. 11th St. // 472-5477 www.scoot-inn.com Primize Osteria ITALIAN Cafe & Wine Bar Primizie CATERING//472-9299 1000 E. 11th St., Suite 150 // 236-0088 www.primizieaustin.com VICTORY Grill 1104 E. 11th St. // 472-8669 www.historicvictorygrill.org
DiverseARTS 902 Juniper St. // 477-9438 www.diversearts.org
East Side YOGA 1050 E. 11th St. www.eastsideyoga-austin.com
VROOM Scooters 1111 E. 11th St. #150 // 524-1455 www.vroomscooters.net
Door Number 3 1050 E. 11th St., Suite 250 // 391-1773 www.dn3austin.com
SOMA Vida 1210 Rosewood Ave. // 628-1580 www.somavidaaustin.com
MORE BUSINESSES ‘N SUCH
ECLECTIC Images Photography 1200 E. 11TH St. #101 // 947.7864 www.eclecticimagesphotography.com
STYLE Rite Beauty Salon 1000 E. 11th St. // 472-5731
Paperoot STATIONERY 1210 Rosewood Ave //334-9199 www.paperoot.com ProArts COLLECTIVE 1009 E. 11th St., Suite 100 // 236-0644 www.proartsaustin.org Shoehorn DESIGN 1010 E. 11th St. // 478-4190 www.shoehorndesign.com Staats PHOTOGRAPHY 1150 San Bernard Ave. // 473-2277 www.peterstaats.com Studio 107 1111 E. 11th St., Suite 100 // 477-9092 www.studio107.com
YOGA + SERVICES + SALONS
Austin REVITALIZATION Authority 1105 Navasota St. // 469-1705 www.austinrev.org
Telepathic TATTOO 1101 Navasota, Suite 1 // 478-5752
Balcones RECYCLING 1101 E. 11th St. // 472-3355 www.balconesresources.com
Tim Sample MASSAGE Therapy 1210 Rosewood Avenue // 426-0083 www.somavidaaustin.com
BiGAUSTIN 1050 E. 11th St., Suite 350 // 928-8010 www.bigaustin.org
STORES + SHOPS + GROCERY
Carver Museum and CULTURAL Center 1165 Angelina St. // 974-4926 http://ci.austin.tx.us/carver/
Car-Nu CARWASH 1201 East 11th St. // 494-0023 Harrie’s ANTIQUES 1000 E. 11th St. // 322-5147 Ideal SOUL Mart 1326 Rosewood Ave. // 320-9929 J & J Drug 1131 E. 11th St. // 472-5328 QUICKIE Pickie 1208 E. 11th St. // 479-0136
ARTS + DESIGN + CREATIVES
Austin NATURAL Family Medicine 1210 Rosewood Ave. // 909-1600 www.somavidaaustin.com
Bercy Chen STUDIO 1111 E. 11th St. Suite 200 // 481-0092 www.bcarc.com
Complements by Abram Professional Hair Designer 1101 Navasosta, Suite 2 // 469-940
Snake Eyes VINYL 1101 Navasota // 220-7019 www.snakeeyesvinyl.com
BYDEE Art Gallery 1050 E. 11th St., Suite 120 // 480-3100 www.bydee.com
Eastbound ACUPUNCTURE 1210 Rosewood Ave. // 506-1608 www.eastboundacupuncture.com0
Trailer Space RECORD Store 1401 A Rosewood Ave. // 542-9001 www.trailerspacerecords.com
RS FOODS 1219 Rosewood Ave. // 320-0082
ECOXERA 1111 E. 11th St. #100//628-1300 www.ecoxera.com Esperanza DEVELOPMENT 1111 E. 11th St., Suite 250//480-9844 www.esperanzadev.com NOKOA-The Observer 1154 Angelina St., Suite B // 499-8713 www.nokoatheobserver.com Paradigm Shift Charles Medearis - Attorney at Law Sandra Ramos Political CONSULTING 1200 E. 11th St. The VILLAGER 1223 Rosewood Ave. // 476-0082 www.theaustinvillager.com