BY DOT FOWLER
Special to the View
Beto and six of the always-phenomenal musicians known as The Fairlanes filled the jam-packed room with joyful noise at the Spicewood Arts Society’s February jam session at the Spicewood Vineyards. It often sounded like at least twice as many instrumentalists. I took my up-close seat, and drummer Steve Summer leaned forward from about two feet behind his drums and cymbals to ask if I could see his hands.

He recalled that the last time I saw the Fairlanes, they closed with a memorable rendition of “Sing, Sing, Sing.” That time, I left my seat and stood close enough to watch close up Summer’s phenomenal drum solo, but the drummers were mostly unseen. This time he was up front and sensational, along with conga man Arturo Garza. Skiles, at the piano, announced “another Zyda Beto, a new Orleans sound,” to kick things off.
Beto declared “Dancing with the Stars” his favorite TV show, saying he has written a cha-cha for them, called Chinga-chinga, “A cha-cha with a dip.” I didn’t catch the name, but it’s the fastest song I ever heard! It goes Latin at top speed.
Saying that “we had to have Tony tonight because we don’t have a girl vocalist,” Beto put Tony Campise’s powerful singing talents to the test. He passed with flying colors, opening with “Georgia on my Mind.”
Reverting briefly to his “Robert Skiles” persona, Beto said this side of his musical skill comes from his still lively mother, a concert pianist and the queen of the very first World’s Fair. It’s a soft, evocative piano solo from his CD “The Noble Grapes” which describes his melodic “wine list.” The mood does a quick switch as the whole band swings out in a bit of “Sing! Sing! Sing! with a special nod to famed drummer Gene Krupa.
After the break, Skiles opened with another of his own piano pieces, then announced Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Song of India,” also an arrangement first heard at Carnegie Hall. Mike Mordecai’s trombone came out rich and clear and he looked splendid in his jazzy white suit and snappy hat. A switch in mood had Tony Campise singing “What a Wonderful World,” followed by “Michelle” as a saxophone solo.
Question of the evening: what’s a “clave?” Bassist Spencer Starnes, the least visible member of the group, displayed his highly prized 192-year-old bass, which towers over its owner. They make beautiful music together, as do all these multi-talented guys. Trombone, piccolo; strange but wonderful sounds circulate among the musicians. The drums and congas just rare back and nail it. Rich Herring’s mellow trumpet puts the finishing touch on the evening. And folks, that’s jazz!
There are just two more events on the 2008-09 calendar, with no program in April. For tickets the March and May performances: Check www.spicewoodArts.org for availability. As always, there’s a “Meet the Artists” reception with delicious finger foods. Enjoy a glass of the Vineyard’s own fine wines, for sale before the performance, at intermission and during the reception.
n Saturday, March 14, Michelle Schumann, Director of Austin Chamber Music and the Schumann String Quartet plays torrid, passionate music. Her “Hot Enough For Ya” program is always a sell-out.
• Saturday, May 16, the “High C Diva”, Colleen Mallette, the Lemaze School of Singing presents “How to Birth a Song”. Laughs, music, applause for American Cabaret, then switch to musical irreverence, ala Victor Borge and Anna Russell, to end the season on a high note.