Jungle Rockers, Jeff Hughes and Chaparral, The Twilight Trio 2-4-11

by Kimberly Caterino

The calendar on the Ruta Maya website titled the evening "Greasers vs. Country Boys" -- the greasers being Jungle Rockers and the country boys being Jeff Hughes and Chaparral.  

But before any rumbling started, the evening began with a set from the Twilight Trio: Joanna Ramirez on vocals/acoustic guitar/snare, Grego Anderson on lead guitar/dobro, and Jeff Hayes on a mammoth standup bass.  They dub their brand of Americana "retro roots revue", an easygoing sound that is rhythmic, twangy, bluesy, and nicely led by Ramirez' golden alto vocals.    Definitely enjoyable was the stated pair of "Valentine songs"-- one cover, "Cupid" by Sam Cooke, and one original-- "Satisfy Me"..  saucy, slow, and swingy.  

If the night was any sort of contest, Jeff Hughes and Chaparral proved themselves immediately worthy with a full dance floor of twirling couples from the first note-- and this was on Austin's "snow day"-- snow being a substance that makes most Austinites melt (i.e. stay home).  Jeff Hughes and Chaparral are two parts country, and with the heavy-hitting Lee Potter on the drum kit, sometimes one part rock and roll.  They're a five piece band, complete with pedal steel player Danny Hawk, whose joyful playing was sometimes audibly lost in the amplified force of the more rockin numbers, but what a delight it was to suddenly hear him clearly again when the orchestration of the moment called for his instrument.  

Chaparral's bassist Vic Gerard took a moment to honor Alex Napier, who passed away from illness the day previous.  (Alex was an integral part of Austin: played bass for the Cobras with Stevie Ray Vaughn, was a founding member of the Leroi Brothers, did light shows at the Vulcan Gas Company, opened a club that later became the Soap Creek Saloon..   Rest in peace Alex.)

The band concretely delivered variations on country's themes, ranging from country rock to swingy ballads to rockabilly, with nice harmonies and guitar solos woven throughout.  The covers and the originals, like the original "Lazy Good For Nothin", attracted equal amounts of dancers, but some of those covers were entertainingly countrified--and very well done!  Did you ever two-step to The Cure's "Just Like Heaven"?  Or Guns 'N Roses "Sweet Child of Mine?"  One of my favorites was the haunting, forlorn version of Neil Diamond's "Solitary Man".  Of course this was all delivered by lead vocalist and front man Jeff Hughes, whose voice was born for country singing.

And then it was greaser time..  

Discovering a band like the Jungle Rockers reminds me of why I built LMC Radio--  to share great music with the listeners who should know about it--and how much joy that sharing brings.  A 5-piece band, a couple of Austin years old, the Jungle Rockers plugged in and got us jumping immediately with the opener "Cool It Out"-- the title track of a previous EP (their latest CD is Guns and Gold  and I highly recommend).  Greased hair, black shirts, and cool street attitude-- their musicianship and their sound is as clean as a slick of fresh Pomade.  The subtle fashion statement is a simple matter of fact, and not an overdone costume for the sake of nostalgia.  The music lives up to and exceeds the look.

The Jungle Rockers are where the 50's meet the 60's, the basics of rock and roll-- a Bo Diddley simplicity in rhythm, a Chuck Berry drive in guitar phrasing-- overlaid with the serpentine, circular harmonies and melodies of early 60's surf rock.  Add a splash of garage to keep it blue collar, grounding bass lines to keep us grinding or pelvises close to the floor, and one of frontman Jason Borkowski's wild howling screams for good measure.  Alas, it is Jungle Rock, and aren't we glad these fellas moved it on over from Cleveland to Austin.  Hey: we have the retro-themed Continental Club, not Cleveland.

According to the band's Facebook Page, the members are on a first name basis with the world:  Jason on lead vocals and guitar, Mike on lead guitar, Jeff on bass, Adam on drums, and Corey on percussion (tonight--maracas, cowbell, tambourine).  

Gone were the twirling couples from the dance floor, and up stepped the tattooed and the leathered, jumping and rocking-- there was even a pompadour.  In my own corner-- I shagged, I twisted, I surfed.  Some of the cuts we heard: "Midnight", "Shake It", "Trouble",  and of course "Jungle Rock"-- where the solid rhythm section created a continual foundation for the lead guitar to spiral-- and the show closer "Devil in my Head".  Sexiness, debauchery, primal rock and roll.  I couldn't stop moving.  The Jungle Rockers are not a mere tribute to some of rock's greatest (like Buddy Holly, Little Richard), but a remarkably schooled and honed blend of influences many of us were born too late to hear in person.  (Except-- get this: they opened for Little Richard in 2007 at a UT show!)  This band points directly and remarkably to some of rock and roll's inventors.  I completely raise my broken beer bottle to them.

As for the country boys versus the greasers-- who won?  Deducing from the props Jeff Hughes and Jungle frontman Jason were giving each other and from the handshake between them after the show, I'd say it was an Austin-style musical tie.  That's my kind of rumble.