Rhythms of the Bay

BY PATTY ANDREW PHOTOS BY GH ANDREW

asketball, St. Patrick’s Day, crazy

Bweather, and great live music – it truly is March Madness! Grab your favorite leprechaun and college jersey while we sip Irish Whiskey and review some of the month’s best local entertainment.

Brett Axelson has evolved from his previous onstage persona in the tremendously popular band Rat Ranch to performing his own songs solo or with his new band, Axelson. Even when he is playing alone, he performs with backup tracks of guitar, drums, and harmony all provided by Brett Axelson. It’s easy to see why he was first runner up for “Best Band” in the Best of the Bay awards.

Axelson’s musical range and song writing is so very versatile. He can change his vocal style to match the music such as the reggae, “She’s in My Head,” or a very bluesy version of ZZ Top’s, “She’s Got Legs” (one of his few covers of the evening.) His smokey “The Corporate” is very reminiscent of the Beatle’s psychedelic period.

Axelson is a high energy performer who gives everything as he sings and then, takes the time to chat in between, telling the stories of how his works came to be. He has been writing songs most of his life, but only starting performing them solo in the last few years. Brett

they warmed up the night with hits such as, “Listen to the Music,” “Mary Jane’s Last Night,” and “China Grove.” Galen Medlenka on bass, Randy Hughes on guitar, Curtiss Beinhorn on guitar, Don Bonner on sax, and Jeff Hoke on drums play one lively set after another as they all pitch in on vocals.

Most of The Navigators have been with the band 20 years or more (except for Hoke) and their enjoyment of playing together shines through their performance. They have played together for so long that they only occasionally rehearse, particularly on new material that fits them as a band.

Hoke modestly says that he is there mainly to keep time, but his percussions liven up each song and add to the entertainment. He says, “Playing with great musicians cause you to step up your game and makes you a better player overall.”

The Navigators are certainly full of talent and greatness. Bonner is a superior saxophone player that shoots lightning from his horn and does mean Louis Armstrong vocals during the

gig. Medlenka, Hughes, and Beinhorn add excellent strings that keep the caliber of The Navigators high and fun. All-in-all, everyone will find something that has them singing along or dancing in the moonlight.

Follow them on Facebook at The Navigators Band to see where their upcoming shows are going to be exciting folks next.

Rocking around the Clear Lake area since 1998, The Navigators are a popular cover band that provide audience-pleasing music to local crowds. On an unusually cold night at T-Bone Tom’s, The Navigators brought joy and heat as

lets you peek into his soul with his very honest and direct song writing, often based on personal memories and experiences.

The rock ballad, “Lament,” is about the woman that got away because he was committed to his first love, music. He tells the bittersweet story in “Solid Ground” of his daughter leaving home to join the military at 18. Axelson recalls the heartache of the lonely musician so far away from home in “Miss My Friends.” Axelson’s authentic, funny, and complex show is relatively new for him. It has only been a few years since he left Rat Ranch and he has had to build this new way of reaching listeners. He affectionately calls his Facebook friends the Brett Pack and he brings them along his journey with video updates and livestream.

As he takes the time to greet his friends and family at his shows, he shows his genuine appreciation to those who are supporting him. Follow Brett Axelson on Facebook, You Tube, You Tube Music, Spotify, and more.

It’s been a couple years since the area had a good St. Patrick’s Day and this year, we were not to be denied. We joined many of you out there adorned in Irish green and standing room only crowds.

Local bridge construction forced March Madness level itinerary planning and we scored a win by starting the evening’s adventure at Scotty’s Pub on the Bay - a special location where many gatherings have happened over the years and this evening was no different.

Packed with live bagpipes, plenty of green beer and Irish attired revelers, the night’s opening at Scotty’s proved to be a true neighborhoodhangout in an Irish flavored bar.

Our venture continued joining up with many of you at Jackie’s Brickhouse for a St. Patty’s eve of fun with “two” live bands: The Band Hennessy playing for the packed palapa covered patio, and, Breakfast at Tiffany’s cooking up the fun on the indoor stage. Not too shabby for a Thursday night!

THE BAND HENNESSY’S SHOW was an acoustic arrangement suiting the Irish-For-The-Day celebrants perfectly fine. Intelligent conversations and fun filled the air. This band sits on my list of local Avant Garde music and are very effective at pairing well with audiences.

It was good catching up with the Hennessy folks who recently lost their beloved percussionist, Giovanni Capelo, award winning, music instructor and young father, to cancer – RIP. The group didn’t let the pandemic time-out hamper matters, working hard to release a wellproduced hot new song/video “There’s No Stopping Us.” Testimony to this nifty ditty is the band earning airtime on the 94.5 Buzz and Rod Ryan show -- Houston’s “Next Big Thing.” Pretty cool, eh?

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S has fired up scores of dance floors for regional Boogie Shoe partiers since before the days of Cullen’s. The band’s resume includes appearances at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Rock the Dock, Houston Astros games, neighboring casinos and the old Sherlock’s/Baker Street Pub circuit - a proven high energy and solid entertainment band. Credit Breakfast at Tiffany’s for keeping the live music fire burning through the pandemic and for relighting the flame making them a March Madness sure bet.

Spring has returned and in the month of March. The Band Hennessy & Breakfast at Tiffany's along with the service industry teams at Scotty’s & Jackie’s gave northern Galveston County us a “well earned” St. Patrick’s day celebration - Nice comeback!!! Sláinte!