Cajun Spotlight 

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest
 April 2001

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  1. The Cajun Hot Soles play for a dance at the Lake Harriet Community Church on Saturday, March 31. The church is located at 4401 Upton Avenue South in Minneapolis. The next night, April 1, they will be at the Half Time Rec and on April 14 they play for a Krewe dance at the Oddfellows Hall.
  2. The Minnesota Cajun & Zydeco Music & Dance Association (the Krewe de Walleye) has been busy planning events for April. Rosie Ledet returns to the Twin Cities on Saturday, April 7 and dance instructor Debra Seeck will be doing workshops in zydeco and Cajun jitterbug that same weekend. T-Mamou will be here for two dances at the end of April. Look for details later in this issue.

FROM NANCY WESTON

I am collecting testimonials and letters about musician Eddie LeJeune and memories/photos folks have of him and their interactions with him. These will be put together to create a bulletin board or book to be displayed at the Balfa Folkroots Camp in Louisiana in April and at Augusta Heritage Arts Center in West Virginia in August. Please e-mail or snail-mail me anything that you are willing to share, including scanned pictures. Thanks.

Nancy Weston
19 Purcell Drive
Danbury, CT 06810

email: ImCajunTwo@aol.com
 
 

TASTE LOUISIANA CAJUN FEST

The Fourth Annual Taste Louisiana Cajun Fest will be May 26-28 at the Amana Colonies Visitors and Convention Center in Amana, Iowa. On the schedule are Balfa Toujours, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Damon Troy & Louisiana Beat and Lee Benoit and his band. Also appearing will be 12 year-old accordion player Matthew Courville. For information call 1(888) 594-3903 or contact: swidmer@netins.net. You can find it on the Web at: showcase.netins.net/web/cajunfest/index. html
 

DANCE LESSONS

Maurine McCort's popular Cajun and zydeco dance lessons continue with two zydeco series for the spring.
  • Zydeco B: Workin' with the Feeling is April 14, 21 and 28.
  • Zydeco C: Rockin' with the Rhythm will be May 5, 12 and 19.
All lessons are on Saturdays from 4:30 to 6 pm and take place at the Oddfellows Hall at Raymond and Hampden in Saint Paul. Cost of each series is just $30. Call her at (651) 488-6269 for information and to confirm dates and times. The Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music & Dance Association (The Krewe de Walleye) will be bringing in a dance instructor on April 7 and 8. The article on Krewe news has more information.
 

CAJUN/CREOLE WEEK AT AUGUSTA

Cajun/Creole Week at Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, West Virginia will be August 5 to 12. Teaching Cajun and zydeco dance this year are Christine Balfa, Don Brasseaux, Mona Wilson, Joely Bias and Chester Gremilion. On staff for the instrumental and vocal classes are Dirk Powell, Danny Poullard, John Vidrine, Jane Vidrine, Paul Daigle, D'Jalma Garnier III and Kevin Wimmer. Other folks on staff include Kirby Jambon, Jolene Adams, Jackie Miller, Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, Edward Poullard, Tracy Schwarz, Charlie Terr, Courtney Granger and John Terr. Returning as guest master artist is Bois Sec Ardoin. For more information contact CAJUN SPOTLIGHT or check out their Web site at: www.augusta hermitage.com.
 

FROM THE KREWE DE WALLEYE

The Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music & Dance Association (The Krewe de Walleye) has some very exciting events planned for the months ahead.
  1. The Krewe welcomes dance instructor Debra Seeck April 7 and 8 for both a Zydeco and a Cajun jitterbug series. See the article below for details.
  2. After the zydeco lessons on Saturday, April 7 the Krewe welcomes Rosie Ledet back to the Twin Cities! This dance will also be at the Everett McClay VFW. It starts at 8 pm with a short dance lesson.
  3. On April 14 there will be a dance at the Oddfellows Hall in Saint Paul featuring the Cajun Hot Soles.
  4. The last weekend of April there will be two dances with T Mamou - a Saturday night dance on the 28th at the Polish American Hall in St. Paul and a Sunday night dance on the 29th at the Half Time Rec.
  5. Tickets are going quickly for the Bone Tones Dinner & Dance Cruise in June. For information on membership in the Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association (The Krewe de Walleye) and all these special events check out the web site at www.krewedewalleye.com or call CAJUN SPOTLIGHT

DANCE LESSONS WITH DEBRA SEECK

Debra Seeck has taught Cajun and zydeco dance at many locales in the Northwest as well as on the Zydeco Cruise in 1998 and 2000. Her lessons in the Twin Cites will be as follows:
  • A zydeco series at the Everett McClay VFW on Saturday, April 7.
      • Beginning Zydeco Noon to 1:30 pm
      • Intermediate Zydeco 2 pm to 3:30 pm
      • Advanced Zydeco 5 to 5:30 pm
    • A Cajun 6-count jitterbug series is offered on Sunday, April 8. Location will probably be the Polish-American Hall on Arcade in Saint Paul. A CD Dance party with opportunities to practice what you've learned will follow.
      • Beginning 2 to 3:30 pm
      • Intermediate 4 to 5:30 pm
    Cost for each class in a series is $15; the number of students in each is limited to 32. To sign up contact Chris Gellerman at cjgellerman@juno.com or 763-574-0178 or see a Krewe board member at one of the upcoming events.
     

    RESO-NATION IS COMING!

    Mark your calendar now for the 2001 National (Resophonic) Night Out. This year the event takes an entire weekend (June 8-10) as the sound of resonator guitars are in the spotlight. Concerts, jams, workshops and exhibits are planned. One or two national acts will be on the agenda also. We'll have more details as they become available.
     

    A SPRING FLING

    The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old Time Music Association presents an evening of bluegrass music and an old-time dance on Saturday, April 21. It all takes place at Armatage Elementary School at 56th and Penn Avenue South in Minneapolis. In concert will be three of the best local acoustic bands around: The Platte Valley Boys, Cousin Dad and Cagley, Black, Schaefer & Njoes. Playing for the dance is Possum Trot (Teresa Neby Lind, Josephine Davis and Shawn Glidden, joined tonight by Eric Lind) Calling will be Julie Young. Tickets for the 7 pm show are on sale at Homestead Pickin' Parlor. For more information call 612-285-9133.
     

    MAD HATTER TEAHOUSE

    The Mad Hatter Teahouse is a new venue for acoustic music in Saint Paul. It's located at 943 West 7th Street (one block west of the Minnesota Brewing Company). The kick-off for live music nights is Friday, April 6. Performing will be The Brothers Sisters (Sherry Minnick and Josephine Griffith) and Sorenson, Mortenson & Keyser. Some surprise guests are also in the works. Music starts at 8. For more information call 651-283-4283.

    BLUES JAM AT HOMESTEAD

    Starting in April regular acoustic blues jams have been added to the calendar at Homestead Pickin' Pickin Parlor. The jams are scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Monday each month from 7 to 9 pm. Homestead is located at 6625 Penn Avenue South.
     

    UPCOMING CAJUN & ZYDECO EVENTS

    • March 31 - The Cajun Hot Soles : LAKE HARRIET COMMUNITY CHURCH, MINNEAPOLIS
    • March 31 - New Riverside Ramblers (trio) : NORTH HOUSE FOLK SCHOOL, GRAND MARAIS
    • April 01 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • April 03 - Beausoleil : CIVIC CENTER, MADISON, WI
    • April 04 - Beausoleil : FITZGERALD'S, BERWYN, IL
    • April 05 - Beausoleil : MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY, DECATUR, IL
    • April 06 - Beausoleil : BALL STATE UNIVERSITY, MUNCIE, IN
    • April 07 - Zydeco Dance Lessons w/ Debra Seeck : VFW HALL, BLOOMINGTON, MN
    • April 07 - Krewe de Walleye Presents Rosie Ledet : VFW HALL, BLOOMINGTON, MN
    • April 08 - Cajun Jitterbug Lessons : POLISH AMERICAN HALL, ST. PAUL
    • April 08 - Krewe de Walleye CD Dance Party : POLISH AMERICAN HALL, ST. PAUL
    • April 11 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD (7-9 PM)
    • April 14 - The Cajun Hot Soles : ODDFELLOWS HALL, ST. PAUL (A KREWE EVENT)
    • April 15 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • April 22 - The New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • April 28 - Tee Mamou : POLISH AMERICAN HALL, ST. PAUL (KREWE EVENT)
    • April 29 - Tee Mamou : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (KREWE EVENT)
    • May 06 - The New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • May 09 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD (7-9 PM)
    • May 12 - The New Riverside Ramblers : ODDFELLOWS HALL, ST. PAUL (A KREWE EVENT)
    • May 13 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • May 19 - The Midway Ramblers : FOLKLORE VILLAGE, DODGEVILLE, WI
    • May 19 - The Cajun Hole Soles, Bourne Bayou : DALBO TOWN HALL, DALBO, MN
    • May 20 - The Bone Tones : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • May 25-27 - The Bone Tones : WHEATLAND TRADITIONAL ARTS WEEKEND, REMUS, MI
    • May 26-28 - Taste Louisiana Cajun Fest : AMANA, IA
    • June 03 - The New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • June 10 - The Bone Tones : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • June 13 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD (7-9 PM)
    • June 16 - Cajun Dinner/Dance Cruise w/ The Bone Tones : CALL FOR DETAILS
    • June 17 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • June 23 - The New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE
    • June 24 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
    • July 10 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : MARCUS CENTER, MILWAUKEE, WI
    • September 21-23 - Zydeco Music/Dance weekend : FOLKLORE VILLAGE, DODGEVILLE, WI
    NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
     

    POETRY IN MOTION

    Recently we came across a mention that March was National Peanut Month. Unfortunately it was too late to get the relevant quiz together for that issue, but the same source said that April is National Poetry Month. (Actually the Postal Service advises us that it is also National Letter and Card Month, but we feel we do enough to support them already). Our Research Staff found a few songs with poetry or poet in the title, but not enough for a quiz. So this month for only the second time in the long years of the music quiz we do a quiz on a non-musical topic, namely poetry. Some poems have become a part of our cultural legacy. Can you match the title with the poet?
     
    01) THE RAVEN a) Robert Frost
    02) HOWL b) William Butler Yeats
    03) HOW DO I LOVE THEE c) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    04) BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH d) Samuel Taylor Coleridge
    05) STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING e) Walt Whitman
    06) RICHARD CORY f) Edgar Allen Poe
    07) OZYMANDIAS g) Emily Dickinson
    08) SAILING TO BYZANTIUM h) Elizabeth Barrett Browning
    09) I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC i) Percy Bysshe Shelley
    10) DO NOT GO GENTLE IN THAT GOOD NIGHT j) Allen Ginsberg
    11) THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER k) Edwin Arlington Robinson
    12) CHICAGO l) Dylan Thomas
    *13) EVANGELINE m) Carl Sandburg

    * 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