Brave Combo at Gruene Hall Aug 20 August 20, 2010

Brave Combo Celebrates Its New Album, Kikiriki, with a CD
Release Party at Gruene Hall, Friday, August 20, 8 p.m.

Denton’s Brave Combo is pleased to announce the release of their newest CD, Kikiriki (Dentone Records); the album’s twelve tracks showcase Brave Combo at its globally-inspired best. To celebrate the occasion in Central Texas, the band returns to the legendary Gruene Hall on Friday, August 20. Combo founder Carl Finch enthuses that, “We’re always thrilled to have another chance to play Gruene Hall. As the oldest continually running dance hall in Texas, we’re a really good fit for the room. And with the Kikiriki CD release party we’re going all out: T-shirt and album giveaways, balloons, free candy, and lots of surprises.”

Kikiriki (pronounced kee-kee-reé-kee) marks the latest musical exploration for the two-time Grammy winning ensemble, and finds them in top form—from the Serbian brass band infused title track, to the polka-swinging rendition of “Just Because,” to the haunting, rain-drenched take on the “Polish National Anthem” and beyond, the CD explores the head-spinning wealth of musical styles that Brave Combo’s known for. Who else could make happy bedfellows of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the Bee Gees “Holiday,”a techno take on a Sara Hickman ballad, and a traditional Russian waltz? Leave it to Brave Combo.
Over the course of its 30+ year career, Brave Combo has won two Grammys, worked with David Byrne on his True Stories cult classic, been animated for an episode of The Simpsons, had songs featured in numerous TV and film soundtracks, and redefined givens of “world music” as a genre. Polka, salsa, rock, cumbia, conjunto, cha cha cha, merengue, and tango are only a few of the styles the band has made its own, and always with a distinctly Brave Combo-esque touch. They’ve been called “America’s Premier Dance Band” for good reason—a typical night will have even the stodgiest audience member joining a conga line or discovering his inner Chicken Dancer.
Band members are keyboardist, guitarist, accordionist, and singer Carl Finch, Jeffey Barnes on woodwinds, sax, and harmonica, trumpeter Danny O’Brien, drummer Alan Emert, and Little Jack Melody on electric bass; all but Emert contribute vocals to the mix as well.
Don’t miss the Kikiriki CD release revelry on Friday, August 20 at Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Rd. in Gruene Historic District, New Braunfels, TX, 78130, (830) 606-1281; show time is 8 p.m., with Ponty Bone opening for Brave Combo. Tickets are $10.