What with the success of Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones - both of whom rose to prominence last year using Jones' horn happy band the Dap-Kings - there's no shortage of full-on soul revue outfits like Eli "Paperboy" Reed working a nuevo-retro groove at SXSW.
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears are an Austin blues variation on the young guns gone old-school idea. They're an inter-racial seven piece band - there are three other guys out of the photo, to the right of Lewis, who's on the right (sorry, I'm new to this picture taking thing) - who pump out a rough, ready and brassy Texas blues blend, in the tradition of T-Bone Walker, Hop Wilson and Johnny Copeland. I caught them in the Yard Dog Folk Art gallery backyard on Thursday, after similarly excellent sets by Okkervil River and Blitzen Trapper, whose arty roots rock was most impressive, and who play Johnny Brenda's March 26.
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