Cajun and zydeco music is not just for old people

http://www.offbeat.com/2012/10/25/hadley-castille-1933-2012/#.UIoJwNqOB1E.email

RIP. I saw this great Cajun fiddler a few times.

zydeco and Southern soul line dance music come together with autotuned vocals:

Here's the zydeco remix of Bigg Robb's "Work That Sexy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHCqyrXzMh0

Lost Bayou Ramblers were raucous and rocking in San Francisco tonight, where I saw 'em while on vacation

http://www.oxfordamerican.org/articles/2012/nov/29/issue-79-dragged-through-forest-long-gone-sound-am/

Those old-time Creole fiddlers like Amede Ardoin are great

he was an accordionist iirc.

Doh! Of course. I must have been thinking about Canray Fontenot, who performed often with Bois Sec Ardoin

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/02/obituaries/canray-fontenot-72-a-singer-and-violinist-in-creole-style.html

I need to check out that Oxford issue

I've been listening to the new Oxford CD at work a lot. Some familiar songs ("Bon Ton Roula," "Sugar Bee") but lots new to me: a great Johnny Adams oldie I hadn't heard before, and Margaret Lewis covering Johnny's "Reconsider Me." They always include one or two "arty" cuts (this time it's "Fifteen Saxophones" by Dickie Landry) that disrupt the flow.

Having friends over for jambalaya this weekend, and already planning what NOLA music will accompany!

Step Rideau & the Zydeco Outlaws
STEP IS COMING TO TOWN! IT'S BEEN WAY TOO LONG
@Tremont Suites Ballroom, 222 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD
"Take Off" Texas Rollin' Empire Inaugural Zydeco Gala
Doors Open 8pm - 12 midnight Music all night

Oh that's Friday and Saturday the 18th and 19th plus Dress: Semi Formal Western Wear "Glitz & Jeans"

I like Step's funky zydeco but am not likely gonna be able to head up to Charm City for the gig

Panel discussions Saturday April 20th at the EMP Pop Conference in New orleans at Tulane

Dancehalls of South Lousiana
12:00pm–1:00pm

A brownbag talk with John Sharp
Featuring
John Sharp

The Creolization of Cajun and Zydeco
1:15pm–2:45pm
Featuring
Michael Tisserand
Ben Sandmel
D'Jalma Garnier

http://empmuseum.org/programs-plus-education/programs/pop-conference/2013/emp-pop-conference-2013-new-orleans.aspx

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/04/26/2552992/young-musicians-cling-to-cajun.html

"Cling"

heard lots of interesting stuff re zydeco and Cajun at EMP.

Meanwhile over in Texas there's a great Mothers Day weekend zydeco and Southern soul gig:

94.5's zydeco meets the blues fest:

May 11 (Skyline Ranch @ 1801 E. Wheatland Rd., Dallas, TX, 75241) 1:15pm

Step Rideau & The Zydeco Outlaws, Brian Jack and The Zydeco Gamblers, Lil' Nate & The Zydeco Big Timers Cupid, Mel Waiters, Floyd Taylor, Latimore, Denise LaSalle & The PG Man, and Don Diego & Eddie G

http://www.zydecoevents.com/texaszydecoevents.html

So if I was to get just one cajun/zydeco compilation, which should it be?

let me think about it. I hope you realize that Cajun and Zydeco are 2 different things-- Cajun is more country and slower tempoed and is created by white folks descended from the French (and relies more on the fiddle); while Zydeco has faster tempos and is created by Afro-Creoles who incorporate r'n'b influences (and uses the accordion more than the fiddle).

Yes, I realize I'm guilty of conflating two distinct styles. So recommend me one of each, then, fair play.

You can't go wrong with any discs from Rhino's "Alligator Stomp" series. Start with Vol. 1.
http://s.ecrater.com/stores/67628/508d8fc58e9b8_67628n.jpg

As a marketing technique and from folks who don't know the difference Cajun and zydeco are often used interchangeably.

I still need to think of an answer as I just have mostly individual releases from artists and not compilations

There's a nice reissue of Amade Ardoin that complicates the genre issue. He is a Creole who was making music long before zydeco became established. His sound is a bit like more what we think of as Cajun, but its different.

Arhoolie began releasing Cajun and zydeco long ago, need to see if they have any nice comps.

Did not make it to Jazzfest this year, but this Gambit writer did:

The Fais Do-Do stage hosted a Lafayette double-header with stalwart young Cajun bands Feufollet and Pine Leaf Boys moving big crowds — despite a formidable mud pit. Showing off just how far Cajun music traditions can be pushed, Feufollet struck up an eerie uptempo take on Brian Eno's "Baby's On Fire," before cheekily asking the crowd, "Y'all ready for some Hall and Oates?"

Roots revival

The Pine Leaf Boys kicked the crowd into gear with a couple of mid-set covers, including a raucous "Great Balls of Fire" and a gorgeous, reverential Cajun tribute to George Jones with his "A Picture of Me (Without You)." The band continued its memorial with a tribute to Les Blank, the documentarian who helped revive interest in Cajun culture with a series of films in the 1970s. The band also caved to an audience request of an early track, "Pine Grove Blues."

Ramble on

"Who's beastin' it today?" shouted Lost Bayou Ramblers singer Louis Michot before the band launched into "The Bathtub," its cut from the Beasts of the Southern Wild soundtrack. The band ripped through songs from old and new albums, including the vinyl single "Bastille" that featured Gordon Gano and got a remix by GIVERS. The band finished its set by dedicating its French version of The Who's "My Generation" to a 30-year-veteran Jazz Fest stage member.

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/gambit/thrills-and-chills/Content?oid=2197009

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/nyregion/at-connollys-in-the-theater-district-les-bon-temps-rouler.html?ref=music&_r=0

Zydeco, Creole and Cajun dancing in NYC

175 people at Connolly's in NYC at $20 some buck a person, means zydeco in NYC is not dead yet. Those same touring acts come to DC too. Alas, the Houston area ones I wanna see never come East.

Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival is next weekend in New Jersey. June 1 & 2

It offers Cajun and zydeco plus New Orleans acts and jambands

http://www.crawfishfest.com/schedule.htm

Lots of my east coast friends attend Crawfish Fest every year. I've never been, and don't know if that lineup is worth a cross-country trek for me.

I love Feufollet, and the idea of them covering Eno.

I know what you mean. The dancehall stage at that fest is geared to the hardcore dancers who don't mind dancing to the same group multiple times over several days. I love Rosie Ledet's zydeco, but she plays my way enough that I won't travel to see her.

I've never seen Wayne Singleton, or Cajun acts Jesse Lege; and Kevin Naquin & the Ossun Playboys.

Funny-ish story: drummer and I were waiting for our guitar player at practice Saturday and listening to Rajun' Cajun online radio from Larose, LA. (We play rockabilly/surf, not cajun/zyedco, we were just diggin' the music.) He shows up all agitated from getting stuck in traffic, and the chanky-chank is visually upsetting him as he searches for the volume control. "Gah, fuckin' circus music!"

I'm listening now, in fact. This is a great discovery:

http://www.klrzfm.com/

A brownbag talk with John Sharp
Featuring
John Sharp

I forgot to mention that in this history of Louisiana dancehalls presentation at the EMP conference in New Orleans in April, Sharp suggested that there are less rural dancehalls in Louisiana now of course; and more restaurants though that feature food and music. He also had photos of way old-school Cajun joints where guys would have to pay to get a ticket that would be stapled to their collar before they could ask a girl to dance and head onto the dancefloor. When not dancing they had to stay in a standing room narrow little bullpen. There were some photos of old Creole places as well.

I missed their DC area appearance yesterday, but folks who went are raving about Rusty Metoyer and Zydeco Krush, a young Louisiana Creole zydeco band

http://www.rustymetoyer.com/

I also missed the recent appearance of the Lost Bayou Ramblers, a great raucus young Cajun band who I have seen and danced to in New Orleans and San Francisco. See my May 2013 posting above

http://www.paulasher.com/cajunuk/

website for Cajun and zydeco in the UK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzcOv3EOwPo

Whiskey River Jitterbug dancing adapted by zydeco dancers

http://www.cajunfrenchmusic.org/lecajun.html

Cajun (and Creole?) award nominations. Winners have not been posted yet

x-post--that video is of folks dancing to speedy Steve Riley Cajun, but I read elsewhere that such arm movements have been adapted by zydeco dancers as well

http://mysite.verizon.net/vzev7054/dancingbythebayoufalldancefestival/

Nice bill next weekend in the D.C. burbs with bands led by Rusty Metoyer, Step Rideau and Jesse Lege

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2013/10/04/shutdown-wont-put-a-damper-on-step-rideaus-zydeco-party-this-weekend/

My interview with H-town's Step Rideau

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrjKbv0-UF8

WPFW radio keeps playing 2 years later this zydeco/southern soul song "Ride it like a Cowboy (like a rodeo/back that thing up)"
by Kenne Wayne (spelling?) that has inspired a line dance

Great song

I had posted this on the chitlin circuit southern soul thread

http://www.npr.org/2013/11/03/240744661/accordions-beer-and-god-zydeco-in-gran-texas?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprfacebook&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook

I heard a great zydeco meets southern soul meets autotuned vocal song on the radio Saturday... "Zydeco swag" maybe? Not sure of the title

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/its-a-new-day-for-rachel/134360

Wanna help zydeco musician Curley Taylor's wife beat cancer

And hope for the best re Cajun guitarist from the Basin Brothers band

Al Berard had a brain hemorrhage early this morning. Details are not known at this time.

Not happy Mardi Gras news alas

I think Al's health took a turn for the worst according to an Acadiana google group

RIP Al

http://www.theadvertiser.com/viewart/20140226/ACADIANA04/302260012/Musicians-friends-recall-Al-Berard

Only 53 years old

Some of the same zydeco acts that always come to my area, are returning around Mardi Gras; I wish there was a way to get the hip-hop inflected Houston zydeco acts that rarely tour to come up here (but unless I win the lottery and book 'em myself that likely won't happen). Need to go visit Houston

Not familiar at all with zydeco. Any songs you'd recommend for the 'younger', 'hip' crowd? I want to see if I can throw some of these at my next party.

Yes. There are zydeco cuts that add autotuned r'n'b vocals and synths to the traditional accordion, rubboard and rhythm section sound that should work.