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BIO

Crystal Flavola (flay-VOE-luh) is a harmony-heavy seven-piece over-hyphenated Austin-based original folk-rock band led by singer-songwriter David Jones. The ensemble grew, or perhaps staggered, out of late-night theater parties with actors and sound designers harmonizing, not to Broadway tunes (think Mamet vs. Sondheim), but to Dylan and the Stones.

Flavola released their first full-length CD, Automatic Monkey, in the summer of 2008. The collection of 13 original songs run the gamut from heel-kickin’ (Dance, Happy Town, My Way Home) to thinkin’ -n- drinkin’ (Guitar & an Ashtray, Ruined, A Little Less Broken) and everything in between.

Most of Flavola's members have deep connections to Austin's nationally acclaimed theater scene. Jones and singer Katherine Catmull are award-winning actors. Singer Andrea Skola performs, produces and directs for various companies. Jimy and Gordon Gunn (bass and lead guitar), a.k.a. The Gunn Brothers, have designed sound for more plays than you can shake a spear at and have the awards to prove it.

The remaining band members have wisely chosen a more stable path. Keyboard player Brad (B-rad Puddin' Son) Johnston is pursuing a masters degree in music composition at UT-Austin. Drummer Mark Baram (Bam Bam) not only keeps a hell of a beat but can also cure your ailing BMW.

Since 2005, Crystal Flavola has been playing their original songs (and a few really strange covers) at venues like the Saxon Pub, Jovita's, Ego's, Garrison Park Harbor, the Posse East, the Pecan Street Festival, Hyde Park Theatre and the Blue Theater. They've also been featured in the Music at the Gap concert series opening for Grammy nominated Caroline Aiken.

Guitar & an Ashtray and Wild Child, songs from their first EP, received airplay on Austin's KUT 90.5 FM. Happy Town, another song from the EP, was featured on Pop Culture Press' October 2007 sampler CD.