Friday video: Chanson de Mardi Gras, Iota, Louisiana

Here are some real, live Mardi Gras singing the Chanson de Mardi Gras near Iota, Louisiana.  “Mardi Gras,” or “Fat Tuesday” is the last day before Lent.  It is the last day for feasting before the austere Lenten season.  In Cajun country, men and women dress up in colorful costumes and ride the highways, going from house to house, begging for ingredients for the communal gumbo eaten at the end of the day.  “Mardi Gras” refers to the day and, in Cajun country, to the riders themselves.  There are two figures with mock whips in hand, one in brown and one in a red vest.  Looks like the man in the vest is the capitain (captain), who is responsible for keeping a semblance of order among the riders.  Singing begins at about 0:43.  Every community has its own version of the chanson de Mardi Gras.  Here are three:  Balfa Brothers, Austin Pitre, and Steve Riley.  The one sung here doesn’t match exactly any of them.  Love the look of wariness on the dog on the porch, and the frisson on the faces of the children.  The wire screen masks are evident, the conical capuchon hats, and the fringe on all the costumes.  Capitaine, Capitaine voyage ton flag!

 

Andre Thierry Mardi Gras zydeco party photos 2014

Thanks to Dorothy Brown Photography (“Small stories from real life”) for posting this collection of photos of Bay Area zydeco Andre Thierry and band from a Mardi Gras party (about a month early) at the St. Finn Barr Church in San Francisco.  Zydeco music is part of a cultural matrix, of family, community, church, and more.  As she says “Zydeco: It’s good for you!”  For more on zydeco in northern California, see Mark DeWitt’s book Cajun and Zydeco Dance Music in Northern California: Modern Pleasures in a Postmodern World, University Press of Mississippi, 2008.

 

Cajun Mardi Grad costumes

KATC-TV in Lafayette has a very brief video on Cajun Mardi Gras costumes.  “Capuchon” is the hat.  Good for visuals of the costumes on the racks and on the backs of the members of the ‘courir’ or ‘run.’

 

Mardi Gras song versions on CD

Here are all the CD versions of the Chanson de Mardi Gras / Mardi Gras song that I know of.

Beau’s Mardi Gras. Beau Jocque and the Zydeco Hi-Rollers. Beau Jocque boogie. Rounder Records. CD 2120. 1993. CD.
Chanson de Mardi Gras. Beausoleil. Live! from the left coast. Rounder Records. CD 6035. 1989. CD.
Chanson de Mardi Gras. Cajun Express. Le blues du voyageur. Unknown or unspecified record company. MALC 001. n.d.. CD.
Chanson de Mardi Gras. Filé. Cajun dance band. Flying Fish. FF 70418. 1987. CD.
Chanson de Mardi Gras. Jambalaya Cajun Band. Instrumental collection. Swallow Records. SW-CD-6094. 1992. CD.
Chanson de Mardi Gras. Michael Doucet & [and] Beausoleil. Bayou deluxe the best of Michael Doucet & [and] Beausoleil. Rhino. R2 71169. 1993. CD.
Chanson de Mardi Gras. Various artists. Alligator stomp vol. 3 [Alligator stomp vol. three]. Rhino. R2 70312. 1992. CD.
Chanson de Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras song). Passe Partout. Cajun heartland avec le band Passe Partout. Swallow Records. SW 6118-2. n.d.. CD.
Chanson des Mardi Gras á Washington. Moïse and Alida Viator. Mo belle Créole. Acadiana Records. ACD-0120. 1999. CD.
Chanson du Mardi Gras. Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots. Lick a hot skillet. Record Chebasco. RC4199. 1997. CD.
Dance de Mardi Gras. Cajun Playboys. Cajun party!. Mardi Gras Records. MG 1014. 1992. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Balfa Brothers. Balfa Brothers play traditional Cajun music vol. I and II. Swallow Records. SW-CD-6011. 1990. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Balfa Brothers. Balfa Brothers Play Traditional Cajun Music Vols. 1 & 2. Ace Records. CDCHD 955. unk.. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Frères Michot. Elevés à Pilette. Les Frères Michot/LFM Records. LFM 0002. 1987. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. LaFleur et Basile. Live at the Tractor. Unknown or unspecified record company. unsp.. n.d.. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Mamou. Mamou. Jungle Records. MCAD-10124. 1988. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Mamou. Ugly day. Rounder Records. CD 6050. 1992. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Toussaint. Rounder Records. CD 6068. 1995. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Various artists. Folksongs of the Louisiana Acadians. Arhoolie Productions, Inc.. CD-359. 1959, 1994. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Various artists. Get weaving Volume 2 Cajun & zydeco. Weaving Records. GWCD 002. 1993. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Various artists. Kings of Cajun. Music Club. 50105. 1999. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Various artists. Louisiana Cajun French music from the Southwest Prairies vol. 1, recorded 1964-1967. Rounder Records. CD 6001. 1989. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras. Zydeco Crayz. Shake whatcha got!. Zydeco Crayz. none. 1995. CD.
Danse de Mardi Gras, La. Trans Bayou Express. Voyage dans le pays Cajun. Unknown or unspecified record company. TRE1LA99. n.d.. CD.
Intro Mardi Gras. Musique Cajun. On est après rouler!. CZML. 0398. n.d.. CD.
Leger’s chase (Mardi Gras song). Michael Doucet dit Beausoleil. Mad reel. Arhoolie Productions, Inc.. CD-397. 1981, 1994. CD.
Mardi Gras. Coteau. Highly seasoned Cajun music. Rounder Records. CD 6078. 1997. CD.
Mardi Gras. French Alligators. Femme Alligator, La. Cajun. FA004. n.d.. CD.
Mardi Gras. LaTouché. LaTouché IV traditional touché vol. 1. Ralph Records. RR-9501. 1995. CD.
Mardi Gras. Miss Freida & the Cajun Fusiliers. I’ve got a sou in my shoe. Unspecified (Freida Fusilier). none. n.d.. CD.
Mardi Gras. Musique Cajun. On est après rouler!. CZML. 0398. n.d.. CD.
Mardi Gras. Renaisse Cadienne. Fleur de la jeunesse. Tracas Records. TRA 267. 1997. CD.
Mardi Gras. Rosie Ledet. Sweet brown sugar. Maison de Soul. MdS 1052-2. 1994. CD.
Mardi Gras a David Monic. Deja Vu Cajun Dance Band. Juste parce que just because. Swallow Records. SW 6132. 1996. CD.
Mardi Gras blues. Beau Jocque and the Zydeco Hi-Rollers. Pick up on this!. Rounder Records. CD 2129. 1994. CD.
Mardi Gras dance. Various artists. Allons Cajun rock ‘n’ roll. Ace Records. CDCHD 367. n.d.. CD.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Motor Dude Zydeco. Big Oakland. A-2-Fay Records. A-2-Fay 003. n.d.. CD.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Rockin’ Dopsie. Saturday night zydeco. Maison de Soul. MdS-CD-104. 1989. CD.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Various artists. Alligator stomp vol. 2 [Alligator stomp vol. two]. Rhino. R2 70740. 1991. CD.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Zydeco Flames. Burnin’ up the tracks. Unknown or unspecified record company. VS02. 1995. CD.
Mardi Gras jig. Dewey Balfa, Marc Savoy & D. L. Menard. En bas d’un chêne vert. Arhoolie Productions, Inc.. CD 312. 1976 & 1989. CD.
Mardi Gras jig. Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band. Sam’s big rooster. Arhoolie Productions, Inc.. CD 481. 2000. CD.
Mardi Gras jig / Scott Playboys special. Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys. ‘Tit galop pour Mamou. Rounder Records. CD 6048. 1992. CD.
Mardi Gras jig/Scott Playboy special. Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys. ‘Tit galop pour Mamou. Rounder Records. CD 6048. 1992. CD.
Mardi Gras jig/Scott Playboys special. Various artists. Cajun music and zydeco. Rounder Records. CD 11572. 1992. CD.
Mardi Gras mambo. Buckwheat Zydeco. Choo choo boogaloo. Music for Little People. 9 42556-2. 1994. CD.
Mardi Gras run. Don Fontenot et Les Amis de la Louisiane. Necessaire (Le Necessaire). Louisiana Proud Records. 0003-2. 2000. CD.
Mardi Gras second line. Rockin’ Sidney. Mais yeah chere!. Maison de Soul. 1046-2. n.d.. CD.
Mardi Gras song. Boat Band. Back deck blues / Fais pas ça. Harbour Records. HARCD 036. 1998. CD.
Mardi Gras song. Jean Murphy and the Sunset Cajun Band. On the banks of the bayou. Lanor Records. LN-1075. 1999. CD.
Mardi Gras song. John Delafose & the Eunice Playboys. Joe Pete got two women. Arhoolie Productions, Inc.. CD-335. 1990. CD.
Mardi Gras song. Les Amis de la Louisianne. Fier d’être Cajun. Swallow Records. SW-6145. 1998. CD.
Mardi Gras song, The. Bayeaux avec Bernie Alan & Blackie Ryder. C’est cheaux. Bad Weather Records. BWCD 1018. 2000. CD.
Mardi Gras zydeco. Clifton Chenier. Live! At Grant Street. Arhoolie Productions, Inc.. CD 487. 2000. CD.
Mardi Gras zydeco. Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas. Your mama don’t know. Rounder Records. CD 2107. 1991. CD.
Mardi Gras zydeco. Rockin’ Sidney. Mais yeah chere!. Maison de Soul. 1046-2. n.d.. CD.
New Orleans Mardi Gras. Rosie Ledet. Zesty zydeco. Maison de Soul. MDS 1056. 1995. CD.
Reprise de Mardi Gras. Frères Michot. Elevés à Pilette. Les Frères Michot/LFM Records. LFM 0002. 1987. CD.
Zydeco Mardi Gras. Boozoo Chavis. Zydeco trail ride. Maison de Soul. 1034-2. 1990. CD.

 

Cajun country Mardi Gras article

In rural Cajun country, there’s a custom known as the courir de Mardi Gras, or Mardi Gras run.  Costumed folk mostly on horseback ride from house to house asking for ‘charity,’ mostly some food to use to cook a good gumbo at the end of the day for everyone in the community.  The Sulphur, LA newspaper has an article on the custom in that area.

 

Mardi Gras in New Orleans 2011

Mardi Gras celebrations are held in many parts of south Louisiana, but the largest is in New Orleans.  There’s Cajun Mardi Gras, but we’ll talk about that in a later post.  What I know best is New Orleans Mardi Gras, after more than 35 years of living here.  Mardi Gras is always a Tuesday; that’s what ‘Mardi’ means in French.  This year it’s very late, March 8, 2011.  There are daytime and nighttime parades for about two and a half weeks in advance.

But I’m writing to give you some information on where to hear Cajun, Louisiana Creole and zydeco music while you’re here.  Here are some ideas:

• Tipitina’s Uptown, 501 Napoleon Ave.  (Corner Tchoupitoulas),  New Orleans, 504- 897-3943,  Sundays from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.     Bruce Daigrepont plays most Sundays.  Primarily Cajun with some zydeco.  One of the best.
• Mid City Lanes Rock ‘N’ Bowl©, 3000 S. Carrollton Ave. (Near corner of S. Carrollton and Earhart Ave.), New Orleans, 504-861-1700 ,    Thursday, 9:30 pm until they stop.     A multi-lane bowling alley. Thursday is zydeco night.
• Cajun Cabin, 501 Bourbon St., New Orleans, 504-529-4256, Wednesday through Saturday.     In the French Quarter. A restaurant with music.
• Mulate’s Restaurant, 201 Julia St. (Corner Convention Center Blvd., across from Morial Convention Center), New Orleans, 504-522-1492,    Daily.     This is a restaurant with music. Go to eat or sit at the bar. Also locations in Baton Rouge and Breaux Bridge.
• Maple Leaf Club, 8316 Oak St., New Orleans, 504-866-9359.     Occasional Cajun and zydeco.  Call.     Small but important club.  This is where Cajun music started in New Orleans.  Beautiful pressed tin ceiling.
• Margaritaville Cafe, 1104 Decatur St., New Orleans, 504-592-2565     Occasional zydeco. Call.     French Quarter near the French Market.  Owned by Jimmy Buffet.