Cajun, Louisiana Creole and zydeco music

The annual Louisiana Swamp Fest will be held Nov. 7-8 at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.  Admission is $8 for children and $13 for adults and gets you into the entire zoo.  Performances are at the main performance pavilion, the Swamp Exhibit and Heritage Stage.  Lost Bayou Ramblers play Saturday, and Bonsoir, Catin with regular and acoustic sets.  Also hear favorites Geno Delafose and Bruce Daigrepont.  The Heritage Stage looks like a lecture and demo site; don’t know where it’s located.

There is a lot of excitement and some controversy about the currently-circulating list of recordings that will be up for a Grammy this year.  The list includes:

Alligator Purse, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
Alter Ego, Chris “Candyman” Ardoin
The Autonomous Fit for Survival, Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers
Best of the Bayou, Various Artists
Cajun Country Ramble, The Cajun Strangers
L’esprit Creole, Cedric Watson
From the Bayou to the Black Forest — Live in Germany, Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies
Gotta Be Me, Lil Wayne Singleton and Same Ol’ Two Step
Guaranteed Lover, Donna Angelle and the Zydeco Posse
Hey Day, Bayou Roux
Homegrown, Early “Washboard” Sally
How Great is Your Love, Sean Ardoin and R.O.G.K.
Joel Savoy and Linzay Young, Joel Savoy and Linzay Young
Lay Your Burden Down, Buckwheat Zydeco
Live at Festivals Acadiens, Jimmy Breaux and Friends
Live from Breaux Bridge Part One, High Performance
Live at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Pine Leaf Boys
A Matter of Time, Corey Ledet
Mes Racines Cadien Sont Creux, Ray Landry and Friends
Nu Band Nu Sound, Corey Arceneaux and the Zydeco Hot Peppers
Only Fools Rush In, Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Band
Plays the Triangle, Christine Balfa
Redemption, Brad Randell and the Zydeco Ballers
Stripped Down, Magnolia Sisters
Stronger, J Paul Jr. and the Zydeco Nubreeds
Sud du Sud, David Greely
Super T, T Broussard and the Zydeco Steppers
Trailride, Zydeco Kicks
Up In Flames, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
Welcome to My World, Guyland Leday and Friends Zydeco Band
Zydeco Gone Wild!, Rockin’ Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters
Zydeco Heart and Soul, Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble
The Zydeco Knockout, JJ Caillier

(I ignore articles at the beginning of a title.  Nothing is alphabetized under ‘a,’ ‘the,’ ‘la,’ ‘le,’ or ‘l’.’  It’s a librarian thing–get used to it.)

The controversy is over Christine Balfa’s recording of solo triangle.  Some are calling it a ‘joke.’  Joel Savoy, of Valcour Records, which released the CD, is not commenting at this time.

According to the web site of KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, the Acadia Parish District Attorney has decided not to file charges against Rosie Ledet.  She is the zydeco accordionist who, it is alleged, miscarried on July 1, 2009, and hid the body and left on tour.  If true, Ledet made some poor choices.  The DA said there was not sufficient evidence to press charges.  I hope this will be the end of this and Ledet’s career can continue.

The Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper has published a brief interview with Zachary Richard.  It’s in English and covers his new English-language album, Last Kiss, and his life and career.  It’s especially about his bilingual career and work.

According to the Orlando Sentinel newspaper, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed live in Tampa, Florida, Saturday, Sept. 12th.  As The Boss is known, he swapped songs and tried out new and old ones on the audience.  The BruceSpringsteen.net site confirms that “Jole blon” was performed.  The story said he’d not played it since 1981.  If anyone has a copy, send it along.

This one’s only been around a few years, but everyone who goes loves it.  I haven’t made it yet; it’s too close to Festivals Acadiens et Creoles.  It’s held at the Acadian Village in Lafayette, and this year’s weekend pass is $30.00.  Music is Friday evening and Saturday 11 am to midnight.  All the great young bands will be there:  Bonsoir, Catin, Pine Leaf Boys, Lost Bayou Ramblers, and the Red Stick Ramblers.  Walter Mouton & the Scott Playboys will play.  Mouton retired from his weekly gig at La Poussiere, so this is a great chance to see him.  The accordion contest could be incredible.  Photos from the 2006 festival are available on the web site.    Blackpot Festival and Cookoff.

The annual Festivals Acadiens et Creoles is set for Oct. 9, 10 and 11 in Lafayette, Louisiana. This is one of the best Cajun and Creole music events of the year!  Friday evening there’s a big concert downtown, and more music morning to early evening in Girard Park on Saturday and Sunday.  And it’s free!  Of course, do buy some food and drink to support the festival.  Music schedule.

There is a main stage, and heritage stage and, this year, the “Salle de danse” or dance hall.

The Friday evening concert is a special one:  A Cajun Country Homecoming featuring
Doug Kershaw, Jo-El Sonnier, Jimmy C. Newman.  And, as you know from reading here, Newman just turned 82.  He rarely plays Louisiana anymore, so this will be a special event.

Main stage picks:  Saturday Jimmy Breaux is playing with a group other than BeauSoleil (who is not on the schehedule).  Edward Poullard, Creole fiddler, brother of the late Danny Poullard.   On Sunday Bonsoir, Catin and Cedric Watson.

Heritage stage picks: Saturday, Robert Jardel & Pure Cajun, Lafayette Rhythm Devils, and Pine Leaf Boys.  Sunday, Savoy Family Band, High Performance, and Lost Bayou Ramblers.  I am especially excited about High Performance.  High Performance is made up of Steve Riley on accordion, Jamey Bearb on violin and vocals, Kevin Dugas on drums, Jason Bergeron and Brazos Huval on pedal steel.  Riley and Dugas are also members of Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys.  Their CD is the best Cajun recording this year, although Bonsoir, Catin‘s Vive l’Amour is a close second.

Find the playlist for my Cajun and zydeco show on radio station WWOZ at http://www.wwoz.org/programs/playlists/2009/09/06/12+00pm/67287.   ‘OZ is on 90.7FM in the New Orleans area, and http://www.wwoz.org everywhere else!  Yesterday’s show featured one Labor Day song and many examples of “big” sounding Cajun bands, like Belton Richard, Aldus Roger and Jackie Caillier.  I included web links for as many bands and record labels as I could find.

Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie (his band) played at the Breaux Bridge dance hall, La Poussiees (“The Dust”) on last Saturday, August 29, 2009.  Why is this important?  Geno plays all over south Louisiana, just about every weekend.  It’s because La Poussiere was the subject of a nationally-known civil rights lawsuit, when an African-American was refused entry in 1994. A  lengthy legal battle ensued, ending with the integration of the facility.

Read Herman Fusilier’s article, La Poussiere makes history with a good time, in the The Times.   NPR coverage from August 1995:  part I, part II.