Credible Jazz from Austin Musicians

In the late eighties I was working at one of the computer research laboratories in Los Angeles that was active in laying the foundations for what would eventually be called the Internet. I had been invited to interview for a recently-opened laboratory in Austin, Texas, which would provide an opportunity for me to return to my favored specialization in artificial intelligence. This was a time when my wife and I were enjoying an abundance of opportunities to attend both symphonic and chamber music concerts, along with the emergence of the Los Angeles Opera. When I told my interviewer of my interest in music, he assured me that Austin was an ideal venue with more country music outlets than one could possibly imagine!

To be fair, I have since learned that there is now far more to Austin than I had been led by that interviewer to believe. In 2007 the Austin Lyric Opera gave the premiere performance of Philip Glass’ Waiting for the Barbarians. While news of the Austin Symphony Orchestra has never registered on my radar, the city hosts two historically-informed ensembles, the Austin Baroque Orchestra and La Follia Austin Baroque. This morning I learned that the city also houses at least one credible jazz combo.

The name of the combo is Jazz Daddies; and much of its repertoire consists of original songs by its guitarist, Randy Larkin. The front line consists of saxophonist Andrew Malay and Shane Pitsch on both trumpet and flugelhorn. The rhythm section has two bass players, Marty Mitchell and Gary Feist (never playing at the same time); and Kenny Felton handles the percussion.

My first encounter with this group was the album Moontower Nights, released about a month ago; and, at least for now, available for only streaming and download. The title is a local reference. Moontowers were the earliest sources of light before systems of street lights was installed and deployed. Here is a nineteenth-century engraving of one in our own city of San Jose, providing light for (among other things) a trolley being pulled by a team of horses:

A San Jose moontower (nineteenth-century engraving by an unknown artist, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

The moontowers of Austin are protected structures, and one of them serves as a public Christmas tree of lights.

I am not convinced that the title track of the Jazz Daddies album evokes much, if anything, having to do with Austin moontowers. However, all ten of the tracks of Larkin’s compositions offer much to appeal to listeners that are still devoted to straight-ahead jazz. As can be guessed, he allows himself ample opportunities for solo work; but he is just as accommodating to the other members of the combo. If none of the tracks are strikingly outstanding, they consistently honor past traditions of “modern jazz,” perhaps with the same attentiveness that the Austin Baroque Orchestra and La Follia Austin Baroque bring to their own slice of music history.