Cajun Spotlight 

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

EDITOR'S NOTE

Thanks for your continued support and kind words. Please tell the venues you patronize that you heard about their events in CAJUN SPOTLIGHT. See you on the dance floor...
 

NATIONAL ACTS ON THE HORIZON

…Beausoleil returns to the Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield, Wisconsin on Saturday, August 5. A temporary replacement tent has been found following the fire which destroyed much of the original "big top" tent…the Bayfront Blues Festival is August 11-13 in Duluth-Superior. Zydeco highlight of this event is an appearance by Boozoo Chavis & the Majic Sounds on Saturday afternoon. For more information call (715) 394-6831 or on the Web check out http://www.bayfrontblues.com…
 

CAJUN JAM & POTLUCK

In what has become a summer tradition, Nancy Tennessen hosts a Cajun Jam & Potluck at her backyard in Minneapolis on Sunday, August 20. Nancy lives in northeast Minneapolis at 626 4th Street NE. This is one block east of University Avenue; turn at Emily's Lebanese Deli on University at 7th Avenue NE. It's just a few minutes from downtown Minneapolis. The party starts at 2:00 pm. Bring a dish to share with the group. Plates and silverware (and ice cream!) will be provided. Bring your guitar, accordion, fiddle, triangle, harmonica, frottoir or...(?) Stop by and play a few tunes, dance or just visit with friends.
 

WALKER CAJUNFEST

The dates of the CajunFest at Moondance Ranch near Walker, Minnesota are August 11-13. We saw a commercial on Twin Cities television for this event in late July. The lineup includes include Filé, Chubby Carrier, Rockin' Dopsie, the Treater Band, Curtis Coubello and T. Mamou. More information is available at http://www.walkercajunfest.com/
 

HALF TIME REC DANCES

Dances are held most Sundays at the Half Time Rec in Saint Paul. There will be no dance there on August 13 because of the Tapestry dance. Other Sundays will feature the following bands:
  • August 06 - Cajun Hot Soles
  • August 13 - No Dance>> ROSIE LEDET AT TAPESTRY!
  • August 20 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt
  • August 27 - No Dance Scheduled Yet

NEW RIVERSIDE RAMBLERS AT THE FAIR

The New Riverside Ramblers will be playing at the Minnesota State Fair August 24 to 27. Look for them at the Bazaar Stage at the following times:
  • August 24: 11:30 am to 3 pm
  • August 25: 4 pm to 7:15 pm
  • August 26: 11:30 am to 3 pm
  • August 27: 4 pm to 7:15 pm

HAUGJAW 2000

Patty Anderson's annual party/potluck/jam will be a three-day event this year: HaugJaw 2000! The dates will be September 8-10 and the location will be Patty's home near Lake Rebecca (west of Minneapolis). Cajun and old-time musicians are welcome to jam and play for dances; there is lots of room for camping, biking, canoeing and, of course, dancing. Other special activities are planned (Pancakes for Millions!) so mark your calendar. Full details in the next issue of CAJUN SPOTLIGHT.
 

SIOUX BAYOU

Soiux Bayou, the hardest working Cajun band in southern Wisconsin, can be heard twice in late August:
  1. On Saturday, August 19 they play from 3 to 5 pm at the Dance Hall in Viroqua, Wisconsin as part of that town's Wild West Days. Look for other great music that weekend as well. For more information call Ben Agar at (608) 634-2244.
  2. On Friday, August 25 Sioux Bayou performs at Treasures in the Bakery in Richland Center, Wisconsin starting at 7 pm. A special Cajun menu is available at 6 pm. For more information call Margie Hayes at (608) 647-5444.

DANCE VORTEX V

Dance Vortex is a great dance camp held in northeast Alabama about a two-hour drive from Birmingham and Atlanta. The dates this year are October 6-8. Cajun, swing and waltz music is featured. Musicians on staff are Lee Benoit & the Bayou Stompers, Roy Carrier & the Night Rockers, Atlanta Swamp Opera, Flat Three with Molly Clark and Laurie Fisher & Cailen Campbell. Dance instructors are Chris Trahan & Janine Dugas, Anthony Lewis & Cheri Mullenix and Erin Brandt. There will be dance workshops and jams with the musicians. It's a fantastic weekend and those who have gone rave about it. Contact CAJUN SPOTLIGHT for a flyer.
 

FROM THE MINNESOTA CAJUN AND ZYDECO MUSIC AND DANCE ASSOCIATION

On Sunday, August 13 the Krewe presents the first Twin Cities appearance by Rosie Ledet, "The Zydeco Sweetheart". This dance is scheduled for 8 pm at Tapestry Folkdance Center in Minneapolis. There will be a basic zydeco dance lesson at 7:30 pm. Tickets are just $10. Tapestry is located at 3748 Minnehaha Avenue (about 8 blocks south of Lake Street). Rosie and her band (The Zydeco Playboys) are popular attractions at festivals through out the country and have won several awards from Offbeat Magazine.

The Krewe continues to work on booking bands for the fall; the appearance by T-Mamou will probably be in early October. A CD Dance Party is tentatively set for September 10 and the annual Member Appreciation Party is being planned. Look for some new faces on the Board in September. Don't forget to renew your membership.
 

MINNESOTA FOLK FESTIVAL

Mark your calendars now for the Minnesota Folk Festival. It's set for Saturday, September 16 at Mears Park in the Lowertown District of downtown Saint Paul. Performers scheduled at this free festival include Linda Breitag, Kathy & Leo Lara, Christine Lavin, Tom Robinson, Scoil na d`Tri, Ross Sutter and, playing for an evening Cajun dance, The New Riverside Ramblers. There will also be a songwriting contest, arts and crafts vendors, a silent auction and workshops. Volunteers to help out are needed; for information call Janice at (612) 781-0450 or email jjaeger@tcinternet.net. For more information contact NOTES & STEPS
 

DALBO COMMUNITY DANCE

Another community dance at the Dalbo Town Hall is scheduled for Saturday, August 26 from 7 to 11 pm. A variety of live music suitable for dancing and listening will be played; the music from previous dances has ranged form Hawaiian and Irish to blues and Cajun. All of the performers haven't been lined up just yet, but members of the Cajun Hot Soles, Warren Peterson and Eric Errickson will be there. Amy Sabrina organizes these wonderful events; contact NOTES & STEPS for a flyer. Dalbo is located north of Princeton; the town hall is a short drive outside of the town itself.
 

NINE NIGHTS OF FAMILY FUN (FIVE LEFT!)

The Minnesota History Center in Saint Paul hosts Tuesday night concerts on their outdoor terrace. Each features traditional music; a common thread running through the series this year is that there is an accordion in each group. Concerts are from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. The schedule for the rest of the summer:
  • August 01 - Hank Thunander Band
  • August 08 - Paddy O'Brien and Ross Sutter
  • August 15 - Kip Peltoniemi and Mary Seim
  • August 22 - Los Amigos
  • August 29 - The Swamp Sextet

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • August 05 - BeauSoleil : BIG TOP CHAUTAUQUA, BAYFIELD, WI
  • August 05 - The Midway Ramblers : MARTIN PLAZA, WHEATON, IL (6:30 PM-7:30 PM)
  • August 06 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • August 10 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : WATERFEST 2000, OSHKOSH, WI
  • August 11 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : BELOIT COLLEGE, BELOIT, WI
  • August 11-13 - CajunFest : MOONDANCE RANCH (NEAR WALKER, MN)
  • August 12 - Chicago Cajun Aces : FOLKLORE VILLAGE FARM, DODGEVILLE, WI
  • August 12 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : NAVARRE, MN (VENUE UNKNOWN)
  • August 12 - Boozoo Chavis : BAYFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL, DULUTH, MN (AFTERNOON)
  • August 12 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : ILLINOIS STATE FAIR, SPRINGFIELD, WI
  • August 12 - New Riverside Ramblers : MUSIC ON THE POND, NEW LONDON, MN
  • August 13 - Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys : TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
  • August 18-20 - The Midway Ramblers : BROOKFIELD ZOO, BROOKFIELD, IL (NOON-4 PM DAILY)
  • August 19 - Sioux Bayou Cajun Band : WILD WEST DAYS, VIROQUA, WI (3-5 PM)
  • August 20 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • August 24-27 - The New Riverside Ramblers : MINNESOTA STATE FAIR
  • August 25 - Sioux Bayou Cajun Band : TREASURES IN THE BAKERY, RICHLAND CENTER, WI (7 PM)
  • August 25-27 The Midway Ramblers : BROOKFIELD ZOO, BROOKFIELD, IL (NOON-4 PM DAILY)
  • August 29 - The Swamp Sextet : MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER, ST. PAUL (6:30-7:30 PM)
  • September 10 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • September 16 - The New Riverside Ramblers : MINNESOTA FOLK FESTIVAL, ST. PAUL
  • September 17 - The New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • September 24 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • October 08 - Krewe de Walleye presents T-Mamou : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • October 21 - The New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
 

LET THE FUN BEGIN

Having reached the crest of summer in Minnesota we begin to anticipate the next landmark on our descent into winter: the Minnesota State Fair. While most of the fair is the same from one year to the next, a few new exhibitions are added each year. Here this year for the first time is Bud World ("The Ultimate Budweiser Experience"), Club MLB Road Show (a fantasy baseball camp) and The Magical World of Dancing Horses (?). Another important part of this Minnesota tradition is the musical performances. The quiz this month features acts appearing at the fair. Can you match the performer with the song they recorded?
 
01) JOHN HIATT a) Wichita Lineman
02) DEF LEPPARD b) Homesick
03) K.C & THE SUNSHINE BAND c) Perfectly Good Guitar
04) KANSAS d) Closing Time
05) SEMISONIC e) All I Want Is Everything
06) GLEN CAMPBELL f) Gimme Three Steps
07) STYX g) I'm Your Boogieman
08) WEIRD AL YANKOVIC  h) Miss America
09) TRAVIS TRITT i) Dust in the Wind
10) LYNYRD SKYNYRD j) Eat It

 
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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. E-mail: Notessteps@aol.com or NOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT, John Tallaksen, P. O. Box 582192, Minneapolis, MN 55458-2192