Cajun Spotlight 

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

LOCAL CAJUN/ZYDECO EVENTS

There are plenty of opportunities for Cajun and zydeco dancing in the Twin Cities during November:
  1. A rare chance to hear The Bone Tones on Sunday, November 5 at the Half Time Rec in Saint Paul. Other Sunday Night Social Dances at the Half Time in November feature The Cajun Hot Soles on the 12th, The New Riverside Ramblers on the 9th and The Swamp Sextet on the 26th.
  2. Two dances are scheduled at the Cedar Cultural Centre in Minneapolis over the Thanksgiving weekend. On Wednesday, November 22 the Swamp Sextet play starting at 8 pm. The Saturday after Thanksgiving The New Riverside Ramblers play at 8:30 pm following a basic dance lesson at 8 pm.
  3. Two very special events are scheduled in November. On Saturday, November 11 the 11th Annual Upriver Fais Do-Do takes place at the Cedar Cultural Centre. Musicians for this special dance include many of the folks who played at the first Fais Do-Do in 1989. Tracy Schwarz and Les Bon Amis include Tracy Schwarz, Peter Schwarz, Charlie Terr, John Terr, Matt Haney and Paul Loughridge. Look for special appearances by area musicians. Space at the Cedar is limited so you should get your tickets in advance. Music starts at 8:00 pm.
  4. The other special event in November is The Minnesota Cajun & Zydeco Music & Dance Association (The Krewe de Walleye) Member Appreciation Party and Meeting. The Krewe de Walleye is two years old and is throwing a dance party featuring The Swamp Sextet. It's being held at the Polish American Hall at 1003 Arcade Street in Saint Paul on Saturday, November 18. A short membership meeting and social time at 7 pm will be followed by a dance lesson at 8 pm and dancing at 8:30 pm. There will be a cash bar, coffee, birthday cake and a raffle. Admission for members is free, others pay $10. Outside beverages and containers of any kind are not permitted. See the flyer elsewhere in this issue for details.

DANCE LESSONS

Maurine McCort's popular zydeco lessons continue through November and December. Zydeco 2 (Workin' with the Feeling) is scheduled November 4, 11 and 18; Zydeco 3 (Rockin' the Rhythm) is offered December 2, 9 and 16. Lessons are on Saturdays from 4:30 to 6 pm and take place at the Oddfellows Hall at Raymond and Hampden in Saint Paul. You can call her at (651) 488-6269 for information and to confirm dates and times.
 

FROM THE MINNESOTA CAJUN AND ZYDECO MUSIC AND DANCE ASSOCIATION

The next big Krewe event is the 2nd Birthday Party and Membership Appreciation Party and Meeting (see details above). The Krewe is planning a CD dance party for January and will be sponsoring a Dinner/Dance Cruise with The Bone Tones on the Saint Croix in June. For more information about the organization contact CAJUN SPOTLIGHT.
 

ELEVENTH ANNUAL UPRIVER FAIS DO-DO

with TRACY SCHWARZ AND LES BON AMIS

November 11th, 8 p.m. at
The Cedar Cultural Centre
Tickets $15
Advanced purchase advised; space is limited.
For info call Tedego Productions at (612) 378-0117

This year the 11th annual - and final - Fais Do Do will be back home at the Cedar. And the band for the Eleventh Annual Fais Do-Do is a virtual "Who's Who" of nationally and locally renowned musicians -- many of the same players that brought the Cajun sound to the Twin Cities in the early days. Tracy Schwarz and Les Bon Amis - the best Cajun band you may never have heard of !

Tracy Schwarz on fiddle/accordion
Peter Schwarz on bass
Charlie Terr on accordion 
John Terr on guitar
Matt Haney on fiddle/pedal steel
Paul Loughridge on drums
....and special guest appearances by Eric Mohring, Maureen Mullen, and Gary Powell, founding members of the Bone Tones, and many other local musicians

Tracy Schwarz has been at the forefront of the Cajun music revival and has become well known as an ambassador of Cajun culture. The former New Lost City Ramblers has been deeply involved with Cajun music for more than 30 years. Tracy has made over 30 recordings including four with master fiddler Dewey Balfa, has teamed up with Marc Savoy on an instructional video on Cajun accordion, and has toured internationally with the Tracy Schwarz Cajun Trio. The recordings of this group won the Cajun French Music Association's Prix Dehors de Nous award in 1994 and 1997 ("Best Cajun band based outside of Louisiana").

Peter Schwarz, Tracy's son, has been playing professionally since he was 10. Peter was Dewey Balfa's apprentice and protege, and recorded with Dewey on several projects. He was with Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys from 1992 until 1999, was voted Best Bass Player in Cajun Music by the Times of Acadiana Reader's Poll in 1998 and has been a guest musician on recordings by Jo El Sonnier, The Cajun Playboys, Dirk Powell, Courtney Granger, Tracy Schwarz and Ginny Hawker.

Charlie Terr learned accordion from Rodney Balfa more than 30 years ago and performs regularly with the Chicago Cajun Aces. When Dewey Balfa came to play for the 1967 University of Chicago Folk Festival, he invited Charlie to visit him in Louisiana, where Charlie began to play accordion. Charlie has played with numerous masters of Cajun music, including the Balfa Brothers, Nathan Abshire, Marc Savoy, The Sundown Playboys, D. L. Menard, Lionel LeLeux, Canray Fontenot and Bois Sec Ardoin. He has been on the staff of Cajun/Creole Week at the Augusta Heritage Center in West Virginia for 12 years.

Matt Haney, of Bone Tones fame, is known in the Twin Cities for his fiddle and pedal steel mastery. His early Cajun musical inspiration came from a trip to Louisiana music clubs in 1983 and ensuing musical encounters with Tracy Schwarz. He studied fiddle with Dewey Balfa at Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, West Virginia in 1986, was a founding member of the Bone Tones in 1987, and joined the Tracy Schwarz Trio in 1990. Matt resides in Boston now, and we're excited to have him back.

John Terr was introduced to Cajun music by his brother Charlie. As he puts it, "I came to visit in 1975, and Charlie said I could stay if I'd learn to play Cajun guitar." After a three month stay in Louisiana, John moved to Chicago and in 1986 the Terr brothers formed their first band. In 1993 they provided back-up on Tracy Schwarz's recording, "Louisiana and You" for which they were nominated for the Cajun French Music Association's Prix Dehors de Nous, an award honoring out-of state bands who are playing traditional Cajun music. John, Charlie and Tracy appeared with renowned Cajun songwriter and fiddler Adam Hebert on Louisiana Public Radio's "Rendez-vous de Cajuns" at the Liberty Theater in Eunice, Louisiana.

Paul Loughridge is well known to Twin Cities fans from his years playing drums with the Bone Tones and currently plays with the New Riverside Ramblers.
 

MOOSEJAW 2001

Mark your calendar now for MooseJaw 2001, which returns to the rebuilt Maplelag cross-country ski resort next March 9-11. Hosted by the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, MooseJaw is a weekend of traditional music and dance featuring Appalachian clogging, old-time string band music and square, contra and couples dancing. On the staff next spring will be Critton Hollow, Rodney Sutton, The Buffalo Gals and The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers. Brochures with complete details will be available soon.
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • November 05 - The Bone Tones : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • November 08 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • November 11 - Upriver Fais Do-Do w/ Tracy Schwarz & Les Bon Amis : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE
  • November 12 - Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • November 17 - Mojo & the Bayou Gypsies : ARABIAN KNIGHTS FARM, WILLOWBOOK, IL
  • November 18 - Krewe de Walleye Party w/ Swamp Sextet : POLISH AMERICAN HALL, ST. PAUL
  • November 19 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • November 22 - The Swamp Sextet : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • November 25 - The New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • November 26 - Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 03 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 09 - The New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • December 10 - Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 13 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • December 17 - The New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • December 30 - The New Riverside Ramblers : TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
  • December 31 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : OLD TOWN SCHOOL/FOLK MUSIC, CHICAGO
  • January 10 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • January 12 - Beausoleil : UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA, CEDAR FALLS, IA
  • February 14 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • February 17 - Beausoleil : A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, ST. PAUL,MN
  • March 14 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • March 30 - Beausoleil : IOWA STATE CENTER, AMES, IA
  • April 03 - Beausoleil : CIVIC CENTER, MADISON, WI
  • April 05 - Beausoleil : MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY, DECATUR, IL
  • April 11 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)


NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
 

SECRETS

In November we go to the polls and choose who will occupy some of the most important positions of power in our nation. The staff at NOTES & STEPS has engaged in some lively discussion around the coffee pot, centered mostly on whether one should vote for the candidate closest to one's positions on the issues or for the candidate most likely to keep the "Other Guy" from getting into office. We urge all of our readers to get out and vote on November 7. We have a secret ballot in the United States, and the theme of the quiz this month is "secrets". All the titles this month relate to secrets. Can you match the song with the performer?
 
01) SECRET AGENT MAN a) Go-Go's
02) IT'S NO SECRET b) Doris Day
03) SECRET GARDEN c) Atlantic Starr
04) SECRET LOVE d) Johnny Rivers
05) DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET e) Karyn White
06) SECRETLY f) Jefferson Airplane
07) OUR LIPS ARE SEALED g) Bruce Springsteen
08) THE SECRET h)The Beatles
09) SECRET LOVERS i) Gordon MacRae
10) SECRET RENDEZVOUS j) Jimmie Rodgers
*11)  k) 
 * Special internet bonus question
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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