Cajun Spotlight
Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper
Midwest
September 2001
FOLKLORE VILLAGE ZYDECO WEEKEND
A Zydeco Music & Dance Weekend is planned at Folklore Village September
21-23. Teaching zydeco dance will be Mona Wilson. Andre Thierry and
Zydeco Magic, a hot young band from the San Francisco area, will be
on staff. There are music and culture workshops planned in addition to
great dance lessons. For more information contact Folklore Village at 608-924-4000.
SOCIAL DANCES AT THE HALF TIME REC
Please note that there will not be dances at the Half Time Rec on every
Sunday in September. Dances are not scheduled for September 2 and September
16. Playing on September 9 will be JJ's Zydeco Paydirt. On September
23 The New Riverside Ramblers play and The Cajun Hot Soles
are there on September 30. A free zydeco dance lesson will be given at
7 pm by the Krewe de Walleye before the dance on September 9.
FROM THE KREWE DE WALLEYE
On Saturday, September 8 there will be a Second Saturday Krewe Dance with
a variety of recorded music. A dance lesson will start at 8 pm; the dance
goes until 11:30 pm. Special Note: tonight is Two-for-One admission, so
bring a friend and your favorite CDs. The location is the Oddfellows Hall
at Raymond and Hampden in Saint Paul.
The Krewe will offer a free basic dance lesson on Sunday, September
9 at the Half Time Rec. Following the lesson there will be a dance with
the hot sounds of JJ's Zydeco Paydirt. The lesson is from 7-8 pm;
the dance is at 8 pm.
The Krewe welcomes back Donna Angelle and the Zydeco Posse on
Saturday, September 29. The dance is at the Everett McClay VFW in Bloomington.
There will be a dance lesson at 8 pm; the dance is from 8:30 to midnight.
Tickets can be purchased in advance for $12 at Homestead Pickin' Parlor
in Richfield, Cadenza Music in Saint Paul and at the Podium in Dinkytown.
Tickets at the door are $12 for Krewe members and $15 for others.
The Krewe has a bus going to the Beausoleil show at the T. B.
Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing on Saturday, October 6 (there will be room
to dance at the show!). Tickets for the bus and the show are $30 and available
at the outlets listed above.
The Krewe needs volunteers to help out at upcoming events. You don't
have to be a member to volunteer, and you earn credits towards free admission
to future dances. Contact a board member. For information on membership
in the Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association (The Krewe
de Walleye) check out the web site at www.krewedewalleye.com
or call CAJUN SPOTLIGHT.
GRAND PORTAGE CAJUNFEST
The 10th Annual Bayou Boogie will be held August 31 to September 3 at Grand
Portage Lodge and Casino. On Labor Day weekend this tip of Minnesota will
look a lot like part of Louisiana. While the bands perform (The Treater
Band with Washboard Charlie, T Mamou and Rodney Thibodeaux and Tout le
Soir) Cajun cooking, language and craft demonstrations are given by
Cajun "cultural ambassadors". Every day the festivities conclude with a
Mardi Gras Parade complete with authentic costumes.
WHEATLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Wheatland Music Festival is September 7-9in Remus, Michigan. Performers
this year include Balfa Toujours, Blue Highway, Guy Clark, John Hammond,
Jr., and more. It is necessary to get tickets in advance for this festival;
to check on availability call 989-967-8561.
2001: A DANCE ODYSSEY
The 6th Annual Dance Vortex is set for October 5-7 at Camp Riverview in
Mentone, Alabama. This is less than a three hour drive from Atlanta or
Birmingham. The focus is on Cajun, zydeco, swing and waltz. The musicians
include Thomas "Big Hat" Fields, Atlanta Swamp Opera, Zydeco T, Ryan
Reardon & the Levee Breakers and the Atomic City Rhythm Rascals.
Dance instructors include Chris Trahan & Janine Dugas, Joel Domoe
& Melanie Myers and Mandy Lavigne & Quinten Henry. For more
information check out their Web site at http://dance_vortex.home.mindspring.com
or call CAJUN SPOTLIGHT for a copy of their brochure. Reliable sources
have indicated that this is a great weekend of music and dance
FOX VALLEY FOLK FESTIVAL
The Fox Valley Folk Music and Storytelling Festival is September 2 and
3 at Island Park in Geneva, Illinois (about 40 miles west of Chicago).
The line-up includes Lou & Peter Berryman, Roy Book Binder, Bob
Bovee & Gail Heil, Andrew Calhoun, Cooper, Nelson, & Early , Ellie
& Leela Grace. Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen, The Huval Family
Band, David Massengill, Lee Murdock, Tom Paley, The Sugar Kings, Ed Trickett,
The Teflons and more. For more information call 630-897-3655 or e-mail
julven@lucent.com
2001 LE CAJUN AWARD WINNERS
Each year members of the the Cajun French Music Association vote to determine
the winners of the Le Cajun Award. The winners this year were presented
at a special two-day festival in mid- August. Here are this years picks:
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FIDDLER OF THE YEAR: Travis Matte
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ACCORDIONIST OF THE YEAR: Lee Benoit
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FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Christine Balfa
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MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR: Don Fontenot
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BEST FIRST RECORDING OF THE YEAR: A La Vielle Maniere ( The Old Way) by
Jason
Frey, Travis Matte with Lagniappe
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BEST ALBUM/CD OF THE YEAR: Le Necessaire (The Necessities) by Don Fontenot
et les Amis de la Louisiane
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SONG OF THE YEAR: The Porch Swing - Ellis Deshotels (Songwriter)
Don
Fontenot (Vocal)
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BAND OF THE YEAR: Don Fontenot et les Amis de la Louisiane
Photos of the artists can be found on the Web at cajunfrenchmusic.org.
You can also find information about joining this worthwhile organization.
NATIONAL HERITAGE FELLOWSHIPS
Each year the National Endowment for the Arts awards the National Heritage
Fellowships. This is the country's highest honor in the field of folk and
traditional arts, honoring those receiving it "not only for the excellence
of their work but also for their efforts to preserve our diverse cultural
traditions for future generations."
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Fellowship Recipients 2001
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Celistine Avilés, santero (Orocovis, Puerto Rico)
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Mozell Benson, African-American quilter (Opelika, Alabama)
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Wilson "Boozoo" Chavis, Creole zydeco accor-dionist (Lake Charles,
Louisiana)
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Hazel Dickens, Appalachian singer-songwriter (Washington, DC and
Montcalm, West Virginia)
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Joao Grande, capoeira Angola master (New York, New York)
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Evalena Henry, Apache basketweaver (Peridot, Arizona)
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Peter Kyvelos, oud maker (Bedford, Massa-chusetts)
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Eddie Pennington, thumbpicking-style guitarist (Princeton, Kentucky)
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Qi Shu Fang, Beijing Opera performer (Wood-haven, New York)
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Seiichi Tanaka, taiko drummer and dojo founder (San Francisco, California)
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Dorothy Trumpold, rug weaver (East Amana, Iowa)
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Fred Tsoodle, Kiowa sacred song leader (Mountain View, Oklahoma)
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Joseph Wilson, folklorist, advocate and presenter (Silver Spring,
Maryland and Trade, Tennessee)
The first twelve were chosen for their artistic excellence, while the last
was honored for service to the field of traditional and folk arts. Normally
awards are given to living artists, but this year Boozoo Chavis
died shortly after being selected. An award ceremony in September will
honor all Fellowship recipients. Past Heritage Fellows include Canray
Fontenot, B. B. King, Doc Watson, Bill Monroe and Michael Flatley.
UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS
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September 02 - NO DANCE: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
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September 02 - The Huval Family Band: FOX VALLEY FOLK FESTIVAL, GENEVA,
IL
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September 02 - The Midway Ramblers: BROOKFIELD ZOO FESTIVAL, CHICAGO (NOON-4
PM)
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September 02 - Chubby Carrier: THE BREW FEST, WEST DES MOINES, IA
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September 07 - The Buffalo Gals: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
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September 08 - The Cajun Hot Soles: HOUSE CONCERT/DANCE, MPLS (CALL 952-927-8968)
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September 08 - Krewe de Walleye CD Dance Party: ODDFELLOWS LODGE, ST. PAUL
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September 09 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
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September 12 - Cajun Jam: HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9
PM)
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September 15 - The New Riverside Ramblers: DOWNTOWN FESTIVAL, WALKER, MN
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September 16 - NO DANCE: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
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September 21 - Beausoleil: BELOIT COLLEGE, BELOIT, WI
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September 21 - The Midway Ramblers: USA FESTIVAL, BALMORAL RACE TRACK,
CRETE, IL (9 PM)
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September 21-23 - Zydeco Music/Dance Weekend: FOLKLORE VILLAGE, DODGEVILLE,
WI
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September 22 - Beausoleil: FITZGERALD'S, BERWYN, IL
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September 23 - The New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
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September 27 - Beausoleil and Marcia Ball: GRAND THEATRE, WAUSAU, WI
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September 28 - Beausoleil and Marcia Ball: COLLEGE OF DUPAGE, IL
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September 29 - Donna Angelle & the Zydeco Posse: EVERETT MCCLAY VFW
(A KREWE EVENT)
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September 29 - Cajun, Squares, Swing, more w/The Buffalo Gals: TAPESTRY
FOLKDANCE CENTER
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September 30 - The Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
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October 06 - The Cajun Hot Soles, others: DALBO TOWN HALL, DALBO, MN
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October 06 - Beausoleil: SHELDON THEATRE, RED WING, MN (KREWE BUS TRIP
AVAILABLE)
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October 06 - C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band: A PRAIRIE
HOME COMPANION, ST. PAUL
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October 10 - Cajun Jam: HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
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October 13 - The New Riverside Ramblers: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
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October 27 - The Cajun Hot Soles Halloween Dance: TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER
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November 10 - Krewe de Walleye Member Appreciation Dance: LOCATION TBA
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November 14 - Cajun Jam: HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
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November 24 - The Buffalo Gals: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
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December 12 - Cajun Jam: HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
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December 29 - New Years' Dance (A Krewe Event): DETAILS TBA
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item
on calendar.
SCHOOL DAYS
September means different things to different folks. When we were younger
it meant that summer vacation was over and that the new school year began.
If it was a year of transition from one school to another it was often
very intimidating. We didn't know anybody, we didn't know our way around
the building, we didn't know any of the teachers...It gives a whole new
meaning to the term "search for knowledge". Somehow we got through those
days and now September just means the end of summer for most of us (and
shopping for school clothes and supplies for kids for some of us). The
quiz this month features songs with "know" in the title. Can you match
the performer with the song?
| 01) WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES |
a) The Doors |
| 02) THE WINO AND I KNOW |
b) Sandy Denny |
| 03) IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT |
c) The Beach Boys |
| 04) I KNOW |
d) Barbara Lewis |
| 05) GOD ONLY KNOWS |
e) Jimmy Buffet |
| 06) TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM |
f) Neil Young |
| 07) I KNOW A PLACE |
g) Percy Sledge |
| 08) YES, THE RIVER KNOWS |
h) Zydeco Force |
| 09) TAKE TIME TO KNOW HER |
i) The Teddybears |
| 10) EVERYBODY KNOW THIS IS NOWHERE |
j) Petula Clark |
| *11) I DON'T KNOW |
k) REM |
* - Special internet bonus questions.
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
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