𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗟 𝗣𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘𝗡 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗔 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬'𝗦 𝗘𝗟 𝗛𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗢 𝗗𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗘

Emilio Crixell and Border Soul

El Hueso de Fraile, 827 E. Elizabeth Street, the only downtown venue carrying on the spirit of Ben Neece's Crescent Moon, was the fitting place to hold "Benito's Party," a musical remembrance of Neece.

Both El Hueso and the old Crescent Moon resembled some of the smaller venues along Beale Street in Memphis, where the music was just as good as anywhere else in the world.

One of Brownsville's living treasures, the Foncerrada family, Adrian, Sr., Laura and their three sons, promote the various strains of Latin American music at their venue; Brazilian, Argentinian, Cuban and Mexican, something they did out of a station wagon during the 90's.

"You don't have to be Black to sing the blues," a line from Joan Baez' "Miracles" was running through my mind as Emilio Crixell and Border Soul ran through a snappy 50 minute blues set.

Blogfather Jerry McHale listened patiently as I dropped names of old bluesmen I'd witnessed during my annual pilgrimages to "Memphis in May" in the late 80's, early 90's, while Stan Raines nursed a club soda at the same table.

McHale eventually broke away to talk real estate with developer Dennis Sanchez as Border Soul kept playing.

Three of Neece's sons and their significant others were focused on a montage of pictures of their dad and family on a large wall screen. 

When I told Bryan Neece that his dad had performed our wedding ceremony on a deck overlooking the resaca at Laura Miniel's home, he asked me to send pictures.