Brave Combo

Prepare for a rhythmic global journey with Grammy Award-winning Brave Combo at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 7. at the Allen Public Library.

For the past three decades the Denton, Texas, based quintet Brave Combo has performed exciting salsa, meringue, rock, cumbia, conjunto, polka, zydeco, classical, cha cha, the blues and more. Their music ranges from Japanese pop to Latin American dance tunes, to the symphonic classics and to rock and roll. And of course, their always-popular Chicken Dance.

Playing for Talking Head’s David Byrne wedding reception was one of their more unforgettable experiences, but garnering two Grammy awards, one for the 1999 album, Polkasonic and the other for the 2004 album, Let's Kiss were milestones in their careers.

Brave Combo marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and recorded with Tiny Tim. Released on Rounder Records in the 1990s, that acclaimed album Girl took 8 years to complete. A daunting task due to their conflicting schedules, the experience was amazing and Brave Combo’s bandleader Carl Finch declared, “The end result was spectacular.” After releasing their album, Brave Combo performed with Tiny Tim in Seattle, Louisville, Kentucky and Kansas City. Tiny Tim died a few years later.

Brave Combo’s vivid music can be heard in the films David Byrne’s True Stories, Clive Barker’s Lord of Illusions, Late Bloomers, Fools Rush In, Envy, the Academy Award-winning The Personals. They also appeared for Oktoberfest in the beloved American burg of Springfield on an episode of “The Simpsons,” and in 2008, the group provided the musical score for PBS’s inaugural animated series “As the Wrench Turns.” The latter resulted in an “Annie” nomination from the International Animated Film Society.

Doors open at 7 p.m. The Allen Public Library is located at 300 N. Allen Dr. Sponsored by the Allen Public Library, the concert is free. Call 214-509-4911 for additional information

Official Site