Cajun Spotlight 

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest
 January 2000

DO-SI-DO AT THE FAIS DO-DO

An evening of dance featuring both square dancing and Cajun and Creole two-steps and waltzes is scheduled January 15 at the Playwrights' Center in Minneapolis. Old-time string band music for the first part of the evening is by the Barn Cats; The Cajun Hot Soles finish up the night. The dance starts at 7:00 pm. The Playwrights' Center is located at 23rd and East Franklin in south Minneapolis. This is two blocks east of the Seward Coop and the Seward Café. No need to bring a partner; children are welcome. Non-stop fun!
 

GRANDE PRAIRIE AT TAPESTRY

Tapestry Folkdance Center presents the first Cajun dance at their new home on Saturday, January 29 starting at 7:30 pm. Playing will be Grande Prairie. Tapestry is located at 3748 Minnehaha Avenue South in Minneapolis.
 

FOLKLORE VILLAGE FARM CAJUN WEEKEND

The Cajun Music and Dance Weekend is scheduled March 17-19 at Folklore Village Farm in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Returning this year are Eddie LeJeune, Kirby Jambon, Miriam Fontenot, Will Whedbee and Charlie and John Terr. The Twin Cities' own Eric Mohring will be there also. Workshop topics include Cajun Language & Culture, Cajun Vocals, Accordion, Guitar, Triangle, Fiddle and Cajun Dance. We have brochures for the weekend. If you would like one contact CAJUN SPOTLIGHT at (612) 339-3615 or call Folklore Village at (608) 924-4000.
 

AT THE RENDEZVOUS BALLROOM

The Rendezvous Ballroom hopes to have a Cajun or zydeco dance on its schedule each month. In January the Cajun Hot Soles play there on Saturday the 8th. There will be a dance lesson at 8:00 pm; the dance starts at 8:30 pm. The Rendezvous is located at 2524 Nicollet Avenue in south Minneapolis.
 

CAJUN/ZYDECO DANCE LESSONS

Maurine McCort's popular dance lessons will resume in January. The (so-called) new millennium will start with Cajun dance lessons before switching to zydeco. Classes are held Saturdays from 4:30 - 6 pm at the Oddfellows Lodge at 2382 Hampden in Saint Paul. Cost of each series is $25 or $35. For more information and to confirm dates call Maurine at (651) 488-6269. Here's the schedule:
  • Cajun Basics: January 8, 22, 29, February 5
  • Cajun Jitterbug: February 12, 19, 26, March 4
  • Zydeco Basics: March 11, 18, 25

LOUISIANA FESTIVAL IN MICHIGAN

The Taste Louisiana Cajun Festival appeared last year in Iowa at two locations. It makes an early stop this year at the Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan February 18-20. Musicians slated to appear include The Treater Band, Curtis Coubello, Hadley Castille & the Sharecropper Cajun Band and a zydeco band to be announced. The weekend includes Cajun food, Cajun dancers, Mardi Gras costumes and more. For more information call 1 (888) 594-3093. The Taste Louisiana Cajun Festival in Amana, Iowa is set for May 27-29. More about this festival in a future CAJUN SPOTLIGHT.
 

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FOLK FESTIVAL

Somehow each year the University of Chicago Folk Festival manages to include some great Cajun or Creole musicians. This year is no exception. Appearing the weekend of February 4-6 at the Hyde Park campus are Bois Sec Ardoin, Danny Poullard, Edward Poullard, Charlie Terr, Tracy Schwarz and Ginny Hawker. The weekend includes workshops, jam sessions and dances. To order tickets call (773) 702-7300.
 

LOUISIANA MUSIC AT THE CEDAR

One dance with Louisiana music at the Cedar Cultural Centre in January: on Saturday the 29th it's JJ's Zydeco Paydirt.
 

BEAUSOLEIL IN TOWN

Beausoleil will be at the Cabooze Bar in Minneapolis on Friday, January 28. Their next afternoon they will be on A Prairie Home Companion in Saint Paul.
 

HALF TIME REC SOCIAL DANCES

The Sunday Night Social Dances at the Half Time Rec in Saint Paul continue in January. The dance on the 30th will be canceled if the Minnesota Vikings make it to the Super Bowl (hey, odder things have happened…)
  • January 02 - The Cajun Hot Soles
  • January 09 - The Swamp Sextet
  • January 16 - Zydeco Brothers
  • January 23 - No Dance Scheduled
  • January 30 - New Riverside Ramblers

LAGNIAPPE

…The Bone Tones will be together again the night of Saturday, February 26th at the Cedar Cultural Centre in Minneapolis. It will be the 11th Annual Mardi Gras Celebration. Two other bands will also be featured (to be announced soon). More about this event and how to get advance tickets in the next issue. Advance tickets are recommended because of the Ceder's limited space…in early December Balfa Toujours recorded a live album at Whiskey River Landing in Henderson, Louisiana…legendary steel guitar player Julius Lamperez, more generally known as Papa Cairo, died in Crowley, Louisiana in November at the age of 79. Although he had mostly dropped out of the musical scene the last several decades, in the 1930's and 1940's he recorded with Jimmie C. Newman, Rufus Thibodeaux, Ernest Tubb and Harry Choates. He sang the vocal on the 1949 hit version of "Big Texas" by Chuck Guillory's band…
 

KREWE DE WALLEYE PRESENTS…

The Minnesota Cajun & Zydeco Music & Dance Association has several events planned in the next few months.
  1. A Cajun/Zydeco CD Dance Party is slated for Saturday, January 22 at the Oddfellows Lodge at Raymond and Hampden in Saint Paul. The evening begins with a potluck and social hour at 7 pm; dancing starts at 8 pm.
  2. NEW! A Cajun/Creole/Zydeco Jam Session with ROOM TO DANCE is set for the fourth Wednesday of each month at Tapestry Folkdance Center in south Minneapolis. In January it will be on the 26th. It will run from 7 to 10 pm and donations to cover the cost of the space will be requested. So bring your instruments, dancing shoes or both. Tapestry is located at 3748 Minnehaha Avenue in Minneapolis. NOTE: The Second Wednesday Jams at Homestead Pickin' Parlor in Richfield will continue.
  3. The Cajun Hot Soles play for a Krewe de Walleye Benefit Dance on Saturday, February 12 at the Oddfellows Lodge in Saint Paul. More about this next issue.
Other upcoming events from the Krewe include an April dance with Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers and a July dance with the Magnolia Sisters. Also, the Krewe Web page will be up and running early in the new year: check It out at http://www.krewedewalleye.com.

REMINDER TO ASSOCIATION MEMBERS: Many memberships have or are about to expire. Please renew your membership (check your card for the expiration date). Also remember to bring your completed surveys to an upcoming event and give to a board member.
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • January 02 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 08 - The Cajun Hot Soles : RENDEZVOUS BALLROOM, MINNEAPOLIS
  • January 09 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 12 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • January 15 - Barn Cats and Cajun Hot Soles : PLAYWRIGHTS CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
  • January 16 - Zydeco Brothers (Joel and Mark) : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 22 - Krewe de Walleye Cajun/Zydeco CD Dance Party : ODDFELLOWS LODGE, ST. PAUL
  • January 23 - NO DANCE! : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 26 - Cajun/Zydeco Jam (with room to dance) : TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER
  • January 27 - Beausoleil : PABST THEATER, MILWAUKEE, WI
  • January 28 - Beausoleil : CABOOZE BAR, MINNEAPOLIS
  • January 29 - Beausoleil : A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, ST. PAUL
  • January 29 - Grande Prairie : TAPESTRY FOLK DANCE CENTER, MPLS
  • January 29 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • January 30 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 04-06 - University of Chicago Folk Festival w/ Bois Sec Ardoin, others : CHICAGO, IL
  • February 05 - The Cajun Hot Soles : WILMAR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, MADISON, WI
  • February 06 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 09 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • February 12 - Krewe de Walleye Dance with The Cajun Hot Soles : ODDFELLOWS LODGE, ST. PAUL
  • February 13 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 18-20 - Taste Louisiana Festival : KEWADIN CASINO, SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN
  • February 20 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 23 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : KOHLER ARTS CENTER, SHEBOYGAN, WI
  • February 23 - Cajun/Zydeco Jam (with room to dance) : TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER
  • February 26 - Mardi Gras w/ The Bone Tones : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE
  • February 27 - Zydeco Brothers (Joel and Mark) : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 05 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 12 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 17-19 - Cajun Weekend w/ Eddie LeJeune : FOLKLORE VILLAGE FARM, DODGEVILLE, WI
  • March 19 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 25 - Balfa Toujours, Geno Delafose : HEMMENS AUDITORIUM, ELGIN, IL
  • March 26 - The Buffalo Gals : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
 

LOOKING BACK...

Whether or not you consider the new year the first year of a new millennium or the last year of the old it is clear that this is the year that people are looking back over the past year, century and 1000 years to determine the most important events, historical figures, inventions and the like. Is Babe Ruth a better athlete that Michael Jordan? Was Leonardo da Vinci smarter than Einstein? Did the printing press have more impact than the electric bulb? What was the greatest thing before sliced bread? High on most lists of great changes is the communications revolution. While the printing press made books, pamphlets and newspapers available quickly and cheaply, they still had to be physically carried from place to place. It was with the advent of the telegraph, telephone, radio, television and so on that communication became both inexpensive and rapid. The quiz this month features titles with a communication theme. Can you match the performer with the song?
 
01) WESTERN UNION a) Buggles
02) WICHITA LINEMAN b)Van Morrison
03) COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN c) Buell Kazee
04) TELSTAR d) Five Americans
05) I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE e) Boozoo Chavis
06) VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR f) Bee Gees
07) A MOUNTAIN BOY MAKES HIS FIRST RECORD g) Glen Campbell
08) WAVELENGTH h) The Tornadoes
09) I'VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU i) Muddy Waters
10) LONG DISTANCE CALL j) Marvin Gaye
11) TELEPHONE BLUES k) Led Zeppelin

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NOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT is an independent newsletter about Cajun, zydeco and other traditional music & dance events and news in the upper Midwest and beyond. A one year subscription is $10.00. Email Notessteps@aol.com or NOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT, John Tallaksen, 2425 East Franklin, #211 Minneapolis, MN 55406.