 Welcome to the Swamp Sextet Home Page(Updated 07/20/06)Well folks, thanks for your interest in the Swamp Sextet. Sadly, the band is no more. We occasionally get together but it's pretty rare. Don't worry, we're still buddies but we're dealing with geographic limitations. Lee Tedrow decided he needed to dig deeper into Louisiana music. He and his wife Millie Ortego moved to Opelousas, LA. Soon he was snapped up by Zydeco Sensation, Geno Delafose and played with him in French Rocking Boogie. After touring the world with Geno, Lee got tired of the road and left the band to concentrate on his woodworking. Lee was then grabbed by Marce Lacouture to play in her band, the nouveau string band, and continues to play with her. He also plays in a blues trio called "Jimmy Lee Greely" with David Greely from the Mamou Playboys. Dan Newton is playing with what seems like dozens of bands. The main band is the Cafe Accordion Orchestra. Cafe Accordion maintains a busy schedule of gigs around the nation and recently played Lincoln Center. Dan has also been appearing somewhat regularly on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. Read all about his latest exploits at the Daddy Squeeze web site. Ted Klotz and Karl Smelker get together once or twice
a month and play Zydeco, Cajun, and Swamp Pop music with the
Faux Playboys, and they play in a band called Mister
Rolls with Dan Rowles of
the
Explodo Boys. They also gig around town in various bands. Ted
occasionally heads back to his old stomping grounds in Kansas to play with
the Pott County Pork and
Beans Band. Karl also plays fairly often with the
New Riverside Ramblers Cajun band. He plays on two cuts of their new
CD, Saute la Barriere
(Jump the Fence) which just won the the
Cajun French Music Association's "Prix
Dehors de Nous" award for best Cajun recording by a band outside Louisiana.
 PR Drivel About the Swamp SextetAn exciting new dance band serving up a mixture of Zydeco, traditional Delta Blues, and Louisiana swamp pop, The Swamp Sextet is quickly developing an enthusiastic following. With Dan "Daddy Squeeze" Newton on piano accordion and vocals, Lee Tedrow on lead, slide guitar and vocals, Steamin' Karl Smelker on bass and vocals, and Ted Klotz on drums and vocals, the Sextet's hot bluesy tunes and driving rhythms guarantee a good time and a packed dance floor.As Newton puts it, "We straddle the river, with one foot in the Mississippi delta, and one in Southwestern Louisiana." That's a great region to straddle, since it includes some of the richest musical traditions in the U.S. The band is heavily influenced by traditional blues masters Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, as well as Zydeco King, Clifton Chenier. Though the music is grounded in traditional forms, this band brings a raw intensity and energy to their performances that proves that this band, and their music "ain't old yet!" Nineteen year veterans of the Fabulous Minnesota Barking Ducks blues band, Karl Smelker (bass) and Lee Tedrow (lead and slide guitar) have made the musical migration west into Louisiana Zydeco territory, with great results. Both Lee and Karl have a passionate interest in traditional Delta blues and Chicago-style electric blues. After numerous trips south playing with Zydeco musicians, Lee and Karl discovered a natural affinity for the rich melodies and hypnotic rhythms of Louisiana. Drummer Ted Klotz provides the heartbeat of the Sextet. "When I was growing up Top 40 meant Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and the Temptations," says Ted. These sounds mixed with his marching band experience helped Ted develop his own unique style. Ted has performed throughout the Midwest as a member of the Pott County Pork and Bean Band and The Bone Tones Cajun dance band. As a founding member of Jumbo Ya Ya and the Rockin' Pine Cones, Newton has been trying to indulge his musical love in down-home, bluesy Zydeco. Combining Dan's rockin' accordian with the traditional blues and R&B backgrounds of the other band members creates the perfect musical chemistry for the Sextet's unique sound. The Swamp Sextet's sizzling tunes and infectious driving rhythms effectively recreate the funky, "steamin" ambiance of a Southwest Louisiana dance hall. The musicianship, energy and humor of this band ensure that even non-dancers will have a great time. Don't miss them! A few of the things people are saying about the Sextet:
Recordings"Just Warmin' Up - Live at the Blues Saloon". Released, August 1994For the Target Stores "Lifescapes Series"- "Cajun
Bayou" released January 1998
Two of our friends, Eric Mohring of the Bone Tones and Dick Danaher of Dick and Jane's big Brass Band, joined us for the "Lifescapes" discs. Eric played fiddle and Dick played sax, keyboards and rubboard. Dan, Ted and Karl got together with Eric and Dick and new guitarist, Bobby E to record another Lifescape disc for Compass in 2004: Contacts:Swamp SextetPO Box 50622 Minneapolis, MN 55405 Karl Smelker (651) 698-6230
or Email: Swamp Sextet Email Check out Dan's Web site:
Info on the Faux Playboy's (Karl and Ted's current band): Info on Lee's current doings at the Geno Delafose and Marce Lacouture sites: Geno Delafose
and French Rockin Boogie
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