Top Music Events- Late April Houston International Festival
The downtown extravaganza emphasizes West African music this year. The first weekend (April 20-1) includes O.J. Ekemode, Black Umfolosi, Babatunde Olatunji, and les Quatre Etoiles; the second offers Cesaria Evora, Tabu Ley Rochereau, Samite, and Salif Keita.Louisiana Swamp Romp
Austin's salute to the French-speaking cultures of Louisiana April 20-21 on west Sixth Street features such cajun and zydeco heroes as Queen Ida, Wayne Toups, Beau Jocque, Boozoo Chavis and Beausoliel.Moontower Madness
The Austin Music Hall inaugurates its outdoor stage April 20 with East L.A. Chicano-rockers Los Lobos, supported by Dallas psychobilly the Reverend Horton Heat, Austin rocker Alejandro Escovedo, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band of New Orleans.Bob Wills Day
Turkey, his west Texas hometown, honors the King of Western Swing April 26-7. The main event will be dance concerts featuring former members of Wills' Texas Playboys.Carr in Overdrive
Local-girl-made-good Vicki Carr sings pops and show tunes April 19-21 with the San Antonio Symphony, and on May 4 hosts a golf tournament to benefit her scholarship foundation.ZZ Hill: The Complete Hill Records Collection/United Artists Recordings, 1972-1975 (Capitol)
This groping-for-a-hit twofer covers the East Texan's transitional phase, between his '60s debut as derivative bluesman and his '80s reign as down-home classicist.Lydia Mendoza: First Queen of Tejano Music (Arhoolie)
After two-plus decades of recording solo or with family members, the Houston pioneer signed with Alice-based Ideal Records in 1950; until 1964, she collaborated there with many of Tex-Mex's biggest stars. These 26 tracks are cherry-picked from that era.Waylon, Willie, Jessi, Tompall--Wanted! The Outlaws: 20th Anniversary Edition (RCA)
This was country's first gold album, hurling the Texas "outlaw" movement into the mainstream. But even with some additional tracks, scraped from the bottom of the reissue barrel, it's more a marketing than an artistic triumph.George Strait: Blue Clear Sky (MCA)
By playing it Strait, as always, George satisfies hard-core fans even when he's uninspired. The radio-friendly production subverts his sound, but keeps the ol' dog a step ahead of the young pups nipping at his heels.Oliphant, Dave: Texan Jazz (UT Press)
Researched with much ardor and written with little style, this is the first complete account of the state's deep, diverse contributions to jazz.John's Previous Column
