Photo by Alicia Granica
Texas Dave Trio
Texas Dave Trio
Singer-songwriter Texas Dave isn’t from the Lone Star State. Dave Matzner was born on Milwaukee’s East Side half a block from where he lives today. But in the late ‘60s, he spent a lot of time in Austin, where he learned about country blues. “I would hitchhike down there and hang around,” he recalls. “Even then, it was a music town.”
The Texas moniker sticks to him as he enters his sixth decade as a performer. His latest album with the Texas Dave Trio, Thru the Years, features 10 tunes he wrote over the past 30 years. “Dance” opens the disc on a lively, sing around the campfire note. Distant echoes of ‘60s soul are discernable in “Women of the World” and Buddy Holly on “Good Love.” At moments, “I Found a Groove” could be a rough-edged addition to the Great American Songbook.
“I know what we aren’t,” he says when asked to describe the music. “We aren’t heavy metal, hard rock, rap or alternative.” He pauses a second. “We’re original Americana using elements of country, rhythm and blues and toe-tapping tunes.”
The “we” refers to his current group, the Texas Dave Trio, with Barbara Hunteman on violin and Jared Drake on electric bass. With various lineups and as a soloist, Texas Dave has played in town since the ‘70s at venues that sound nostalgic nowadays: Century Hall, the Blue River Café, the Stone Toad, the Globe. He co-led a band called Bullfrog with the late Paul “Fly” Lawson from the Psychobunnies.
Original songs have always been part of his repertoire. “I’m still prolific,” he says. “I’ve gotten better at knowing when to throw a song away when it’s not working out.” Many songs on Thru the Years are personal but some recent entries, including “Back to the Blues,” comment on the reckless swerve of contemporary society.
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At no point did he earn a living playing music. He never had that expectation. “I’ve always loved music. I’d rather play for one or two people who are paying attention than a roomful of people starring at their phones or talking among themselves.”
The Texas Dave Trio will perform 8 p.m. Thursday, April 17 at the Uptowner; and 9 p.m. Friday, April 25 at Art*Bar. Admission for both shows is free.
