Austin: Live Music Capital

I’ve seen it at the old airport, and I’m sure it’s all over the new one, too: Austin: Live Music Capital. Another version says: Austin: Live music capital of the world. More than one local person has groaned under the sobriquet, too, and like I’ve observed before, in Austin, one is never more than two degrees away from a musician. One of the guys who lives in the trailer park plays with a band. My favorite cab driver plays regularly. Another former neighbor is now doing percussion with Three Penny Opera. Okay, I’ll give them a listen. He slid me the CD, and I was rather stunned because it wasn’t a distinctive “Austin” sound (Texas Blues Rock Jazz Country Metal Latin thing). One time I took a friend to hear Three Penny Opera and she just couldn’t get over the fact that the lead guitar player looked exactly like her college chemistry professor. But the strength of the band is probably America Alva’s vocals. She has a strong, clear voice. I checked them out again last night, a humid summer night in Austin. The band closed their set with two songs, first, a “B” side from the bass player that is going to go places, and then America’s tip of the hat (?) to salsa. And the friends I didn’t hook up with last night? No, I didn’t take my phone with me because it’s now an established fact that I can’t hear my phone ring when it’s in my pocket, or when I’m in loud club — give it up. Did I mention that Three Penny Opera also has a violin player? No, not a fiddle, a violin. There’s a difference, and this is a violin. In a town where everything begins to sound the same, here’s a group that sounds different. “Los Super Seven” cycled up on the CD player next, and maybe there is a tinge of Latin music in Three Penny Opera, but trying to shovel the band into a single category does them a disservice. It’s a unique band, and surely destined for broader appeal. www.coyotemusic.com should have their first CD for sale.