Brave Combo

Brave Combo
Brave Combo at the Ballard Seafood Fest
Background information
Origin	Denton, Texas
Genres	Latin Alternative, polka, worldbeat, Tex-Mex, salsa, Latin jazz, ska, dance music
Years active	1979 (1979)–present
Labels	Four Dots, Rounder Records, DenTone, Cleveland International
Website	bravecombo.com
Members	Carl Finch Danny O'Brien Alan Emert Lyle Atkinson Robert Hokamp Jeffrey Barnes (occasional)
Past members	Ginny Mac Little Jack Melody Dave Cameron Tim Walsh Bubba Hernandez Joseph Cripps Mitch Marine Paul Stivitts Ann Marie Harrop Arjuna Contreras

Brave Combo is a polka/rock/worldbeat band based in Denton, Texas. Founded in 1979 by guitarist/keyboardist/accordionist Carl Finch, they have been a prominent fixture in the Texas music scene for more than thirty-five years. Their music, both originals and covers, incorporates a number of dance styles, mostly polka, but also some Latin American and Caribbean styles like norteño, salsa, rumba, cha-cha-cha, choro, samba, two-step, cumbia, charanga, merengue, ska, etc.

As part of their perceived artistic mission to expand the musical tastes of their listeners, they have often played and recorded covers of well-known songs in a style radically different from the original versions. Examples include polka versions of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and The Doors' "People are Strange", The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" as a cha-cha, and "Sixteen Tons" as a cumbia. While their records may have a sense of humor, they are played straight and not usually considered joke or novelty records.