Cajun Spotlight 

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest 
 September 2002 

GRANDE PRAIRIE RETURNS

Grande Prairie play traditional Cajun music at Dunn Bros. Freighthouse in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday, September 14. The Freighthouse is at 201 3rd Avenue South, next to the Milwaukee Road Depot. Because of structural concerns with the building, dancing is regrettably not permitted. It'll a good time, nonetheless, so stop in for coffee and good company. Music starts at 8:30 pm.
 

CAJUN JAMS AT HOMESTEAD CONTINUE

Just a reminder that Cajun Jams are still held the second Wednesday of each month at Homestead Pickin' Parlor in Richfield. The time is 7 to 9 pm. Homestead is located at 6625 Penn Avenue South. 
 

NEXT DALBO DANCE SET

The next dance at the Dalbo Town Hall will be Saturday, October 5. Performing will be the Cajun Hot Soles and the Scandinavian group Skandilous. We'll have details in the next issue. 
 

GENO AT WHEATLAND FESTIVAL

The Wheatland Music Festival in Remus, Michigan is September 6-8. Performers include Geno Delafose, Hot Club of Cowtown, Eric Bibb, Buddy & Julie Miller, Norman Blake, April Verch and others. Maurine McCort will be on hand offering dance instruction before the evening dance with Geno. For details check out wheatlandmusic.org or call 989-967-8879. All tickets for this festival must be purchased in advance.
 

THE KREWE PRESENTS...

The Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association presents a zydeco dance on Thursday, September 12 with music by Andre Thierry and Zydeco Magic. This great band has a large and loyal following among the zydeco dancers in California. They stop in the Twin Cities on their way to the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival. The dance begins at 8:00 at the Polish American Hall at 1006 Arcade Street in Saint Paul. There will be a basic zydeco dance lesson taught by Kevin and Maurine at 7:15 pm. The hall has a great dance floor and a variety of beverages are available. Don't miss this hot band! 
Starting in September the Krewe will offer a free dance lesson by Maurine McCort before each of the regular Sunday night dances at the Half Time Rec in Saint Paul. Maurine will teach either Cajun or zydeco depending on what the band plays. The lesson will be from 7 to 7:45 pm. Bands will start playing at 8:00 pm. The Half Time Rec is located at 1013 Front Avenue. 
The Krewe is also planning a pre-Thanksgiving dance the evening before Turkey Day. More information will be in the next CAJUN SPOTLIGHT.
The Krewe needs volunteers to help out at upcoming events. You don't have to be a member and you earn credits towards free admission to future dances. 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. 
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • September 01 - Bayou Hazard: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • September 01 - C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band: ON THE WATERFRONT, ROCKFORD, IL
  • September 06 - New Riverside Ramblers: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
  • September 06 - Midway Ramblers: IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER, CHICAGO
  • September 6-8 - Geno Delafose, others: WHEATLAND FESTIVAL, REMUS, MI
  • September 08 - The Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • September 11 - Cajun Jam: HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD (7-9 PM)
  • September 12 - Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic: POLISH AMERICAN HALL, ST. PAUL
  • September 12 - Beausoleil, Marcia Ball: WEIDNER CENTER FOR THE ARTS, GREEN BAY, WI
  • September 13 - Midway Ramblers: SHAW'S CRAB HOUSE, SCHAUMBURG, IL
  • September 14 - Grande Prairie: DUNN BROTHERS FREIGHTHOUSE, MPLS (8:30 PM)
  • September 15 - New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • September 17 - Midway Ramblers: HOUSE OF BLUES BACKPORCH STAGE, CHICAGO (9:30 PM)
  • September 20 - Bayou Hazard: NEUMANN'S, NORTH ST. PAUL
  • September 22 - Name This Band: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • September 24 - Midway Ramblers: HOUSE OF BLUES BACKPORCH STAGE, CHICAGO (9:30 PM)
  • September 28 - Beausoleil: HEMMONS CULTURAL CENTER, ELGIN, IL
  • September 29 - Jumbo Ya Ya: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • October 02 - Bayou Hazard: THE VIKING BAR, MINNEAPOLIS
  • October 04 - Midway Ramblers: IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER, CHICAGO
  • October 05 -The Cajun Hot Soles, Skandilous: TOWN HALL, DALBO, MN
  • October 06 - TBA: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • October 09 - Cajun Jam: HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD (7-9 PM)
  • October 13 - TBA: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • October 19 - The Cajun Hot Soles: LAKE HARRIET CHURCH, MINNEAPOLIS
  • October 19 - The Chicago Cajun Aces: FOLKLORE VILLAGE, DODGEVILLE, WI 
  • October 27 - New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • November 01 - Midway Ramblers: IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER, CHICAGO
  • November 03 - New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL 
  • November 16 - New Riverside Ramblers: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS


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

LAUGHING WATERS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

The Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festival will be held on Monday, September 2 (Labor Day) at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis. Featured at this free festival will be Tangled Roots, Becky Schlegel, The Platte Valley Boys, The Middle Spunk Creek Boys and The Buffalo Gals. Music starts at 3 pm and ends at 7:30 pm. 
 

MUSIC AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR

Still some great free music for the last few days of the great Minnesota State Fair. Check the newspaper for times and location.
  • Monroe Crossing - August 30-September 2
  • Bob Bovee & Gail Heil - September 1, 2
  • State Fiddlers Contest - September 1, 2
  • Wild Goose Chase Cloggers- September 2 

MINNESOTA FOLK FESTIVAL

The Minnesota Folk Festival is September 21 and 22 at Mounds Park in Saint Paul. This is a free festival and features another strong line-up. Performing will be John Gorka, Vance Gilbert, Lynn Miles, Bill Isles, Lehto & Wright, Tim Eriksen, Cafe' Accordion Orchestra, Laura McKenzie, Bells of the North and more. Also taking place at the festival is the 4th Annual New Folk Songwriting Contest. A variety of foods will be available and there will be craft displays as well. For information on the many volunteer opportunities call 651-292-4900 or check out minnesotafolkfestival.org. The schedule of performers will be posted on the web site soon.
 

CLOGGING CLASSES IN OCTOBER

Teresa Neby Lind will teach Appalachian Clogging Classes at Tapestry Folkdance Center in Minneapolis starting Monday, October 7. Classes will meet for seven Monday, with Beginning Clogging from 7:00 to 8:00 pm and Continuing from 8:15 to 9:15 pm. Live music will be featured for each class; wear comfortable clothing and hard-soled shoes (no taps, please). Cost is just $55. Teresa is a member of GIRL GERMS and was in The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers for nearly a decade. She's been teaching clogging for over 10 years. To register call her at 651-644-9549 or email nebyl001@umn.edu. 
 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Recently the staff of the Newsletter traveled east for Cajun & Creole Week at Augusta Heritage Center. It was a week of music, dance and friendship amid the "green, rolling hills of West Virginia". Leaving West Virginia we headed for a startling contrast: New York City! Actually, the contrast was not as great as we thought it might be. True, the city was hot, and green spaces were few and far between. The people we met there, though, were always friendly and helpful. Looking through two guidebooks in Greenwich Village one day (wondering which walking tour to take) a woman walking her dog came over and offered to help us. We talked with her for quite a while - about her dog, the old vs. the new Village, teaching art at NYU. It was one of several times in our brief visit when folks let us in to their lives for a while. The quiz this month features songs about the New York City area. Can you match the song with the performer?
 
01) DON'T SLEEP IN THE SUBWAY a) Harpers Bizarre
02) CONEY ISLAND BABY  b) Bruce Springsteen
03) UNDER THE BOARDWALK c) Petula Clark
04) 59TH STREET BRIDGE SONG (FEELIN' GROOVY) d) Ben E. King
05) ON BROADWAY e) Fred Neil
06) NEW YORK MINING DISASTER 1941 f) The Kodiaks
07) ROCKAWAY BEACH g) The Drifters
08) BLEECKER AND MACDOUGAL h) The Bee Gees
09) SPANISH HARLEM i)  The Ramones
10) TAKE THE "A" TRAIN j) George Benson
*11) JUNGLELAND k) Duke Ellington
* Special Internet Version 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