Cajun Spotlight 

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest
 April 2005

CAJUN HOT SOLES AND POP WAGNER

If you missed the chance to see Pop Wagner and the Cajun Hot Soles at one of their gigs in the past few months, you have another chance on Sunday, April 24 at the Half Time Rec in Saint Paul. Music begins at 8:00 pm.

 

DANCE LESSONS WITH MAURINE MCCORT

Maurine McCort is offering zydeco lessons at the Oddfellows Hall in Saint Paul.  No partner is needed and cost per session is just $10. Email her at Maurine.McCort@co.hennepin.mn.us or call 651-688-6269  for more information. You can also speak to Maurine before the free zydeco dance lesson on Sundays at the Half Time Rec (offered only when a zydeco band is scheduled). Here is the schedule for upcoming lessons:
April  2, 16, 23
Zydeco II

DANCE LESSONS WITH DAVID JORDAHL

David Jordahl offers instruction in a variety of Cajun and zydeco dance styles, including Cajun Cowboy Jitterbug. Go to bayoudancer.com for his latest schedule of classes
 

GENO DELAFOSE HERE IN MAY???

Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie make a brief sweep through our region in early May in transit from Alberta to Louisiana. He plays the Barrymore Theater in Madison on Saturday, May 7. An appearance in the Twin Cities on Friday, May 6 is being worked on. Check the Krewe de Walleye Web site for updated information (krewedewalleye.com)
 

GOOD LUCK TO BAYOU HAZARD

Bayou Hazard has announced that they are taking a break from performing (“an extended hiatus of indeterminate length”). Best of luck to Gabriela, Dan, Dave and Mike as they pursue other musical interests. Thanks for all the great tunes!
 

TASTE LOUISIANA  CAJUN/ZYDECO FESTIVAL

The 2005 edition of the Taste Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco Festival is May 28-30; the location is again Amana, Iowa. Appearing this year are Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Sean Vidrine & Swamp Frye, Waylon Thibodeaux, Belton Richard & the Musical Aces and the New Riverside Ramblers. Dance lessons will be offered by both Maurine McCort and David Jordahl.  There are always lots of friends from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa in attendance at this popular event. For complete details go to cajunfest.net.

WITHROW BALLROOM ZYDECO DANCING

A series of dances at the Withrow Ballroom featuring blues and zydeco music continues in April. Stopping by there on Friday, April 15 are JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt and The Everett Smithson Band. Flory Katz will give a dance lesson at 7:30 pm; music will be from 8:30 to 12:30. The ballroom is located north of Stillwater.

SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES

A German-made film that follows a unhappy miner/polka musician from Germany to Louisiana (where he travels after hearing zydeco music) is showing at the Lagoon Cinema in Minneapolis. “Schultze Gets the Blues” started at the Lagoon on March 25 and may still be showing (check with them). Some music in the film is by  Zydeco Force. 
 

AUGUSTA HERITAGE CAJUN/CREOLE WEEK

Cajun/Creole Week at Augusta Heritage Center has been set for July 10-15. Located in Elkins, West Virginia, this event features classes in a variety of instruments as well as dance, cooking and culture. Some of the staff this year includes James Adams, Charlie Terr, Paul Daigle, Ed Poullard, Jesse Lege, Goldman Thibodeaux, Jeffrey Broussard, Lisa Reed, Al Berard, Jason Frey, Mitch Reed, Joel Savoy, Tracy Schwarz, Larry Miller, Jackie Miller, Judie Smith, Mona Wilson, Courtney Granger, Michelle Kaminsky, Joely Bias, Chester Gremillion and Harry Trahan.  For more information go to augustaheritage.com.
 

LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE FESTIVAL

Sawdust Days in Oshkosh, Wisconsin is held over the July 4th weekend each year.  Part of the celebration this year will be the Louisiana Hot Sauce Festival, with groups from Texas and Louisiana and local Cajun and zydeco bands. Signed up so far are Dora & the Zydeco Badboyz, The Lost Bayou Ramblers, Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin’ Cajuns, The Cajun Strangers and Big Nick & the Cydecos. We will have more information about this event in the coming months or go to sawdustdays.com
 

HOMESTEAD CAJUN JAM ON HIATUS 

After a run of almost nine years, the second Wednesday Cajun Jam at Homestead Pickin’ Parlor  have been suspended. If you would like to be notified whenever informal Cajun jams are scheduled drop an email or a postcard to CAJUN SPOTLIGHT. Thanks to all the folks who came out to the jams or just stopped by to listen and visit.
 

UPCOMING CAJUN/ZYDECO EVENTS

  • April 01 - Everett Smithson Band: INNKAHOOTS, HAMEL (9:00 PM)
  • April 01 - The Midway Ramblers: IRISH-AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER, CHICAGO (8:00 PM)
  • April 02 - Everett Smithson Band: THE SPOT, CUMBERLAND, MN (9:00 PM)
  • April 03 - The Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • April 08 - The Cajun Strangers: FLYNN HALL, COTTAGE GROVE, WISCONSIN
  • April 08 - Everett Smithson Band: BOONEDOX, BUFFALO (9:00 PM)
  • April 09 - The Cajun Strangers: TYRANENA BREWING COMPANY, LAKE MILLS, WI (7:30 PM)
  • April 10 - The Rockin’ Pinecones: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • April 15 - Everett Smithson Band, JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt: WITHROW BALLROOM, STILLWATER (9-1 PM)
  • April 16 - Everett Smithson Band: ISANTI VFW, ISANTI MN (9:00 PM)
  • April 17 - New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • April 20 - Rockin’ Pine Cones: VIKING BAR, MINNEAPOLIS (6:00-9:00 PM)
  • April 23 - The Cajun Hot Soles: HOBGOBLIN MUSIC LOFT, RED WING (7:30 PM)
  • April 23 - New Riverside Ramblers: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER (7:30 PM) 
  • April 24 - Pop Wagner & The Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • April 29 - The Cajun Strangers: TOM’S GARAGE, APPLETON, WI (9:30 PM)
  • May 01 - Faux Playboys: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • May 05 - Rockin’ Pinecones: LEE’S LIQUOR BAR (9:30 PM)
  • May 06 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie: TWIN CITIES VENUE TO BE ANNOUNCED
  • May 06 - The Midway Ramblers: IRISH-AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER, CHICAGO (8:00 PM)
  • May 07 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie: BARRYMORE THEATRE, MADISON, WI
  • May 07 - New Riverside Ramblers: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER (7:30 PM) 
  • May 08 - JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • May 15 - The Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • May 20 - Everett Smithson Band, The Faux Playboys: WITHROW BALLROOM, STILLWATER (9-1 PM)
  • May 21 - Everett Smithson Band: THE SPOT, CUMBERLAND, MN (9:00 PM)
  • May 22 - The New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • May 27 - Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Jumbo Ya Ya: MEDINA BALLROOM
  • May 28-30 - Taste of Louisiana Cajun/Zydeco Festival: AMANA, IOWA
  • May 28-30 - Cajun Strangers, more: WHEATLAND ARTS WEEKEND, REMUS, MI
  • June 03 - Everett Smithson Band: HOOKS ROADHOUSE, EAST BETHEL ( (9:00 PM)
  • June 05 - The New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • June 12 - JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • June 17 - Faux Playboys: ROCKIN’ THE RIVER (DETAILS LATER)
  • June 17 - Everett Smithson Band: RASSET BAR & GRILL, BUFFALO (9:00 PM)
  • June 18 - The Cajun Hot Soles: ST. PAUL FARMERS MARKET (9:00 AM-NOON)
  • June 19 - Faux Playboys: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • June 26 - The Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM) 
  • June 28 - The Cajun Hot Soles: TUESDAY IN THE PARK: PRINCETON, MN (7:00 -8:30 PM)
  • July 09 - Cajun Cruise w/ Dennis Stroughmatt & Creole Stomp: DETAILS LATER
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than four weeks from first item on calendar.
 

WHILE THE CAT’S AWAY...

In March most of our Music Quiz Research Staff was on vacation, spending time at one or another (or all) of the music weekends that occur each Spring. The only researcher left in the office was a recent English Lit grad who realized that a) April is National Poetry Month and b) he had to come up with a quiz for the newsletter.  By the time the regular staff returned it was too late to change the quiz. Actually, they thought the poetry quiz was a good change of pace and wouldn’t have changed it anyway. The poems below  have found their way into our common Western culture; you needn’t be a college graduate to be familiar with most of them. Can you match the author with the poem?
 
01) THE RAVEN a) Joyce Kilmer
02) JABBERWOCKY   b) Edward Lear
03) IF c) Lewis Carroll
04) CASEY AT THE BAT  d) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
05) HOWL e) Walt Whitman
06) THE TYGER f)  Rudyard Kipling
07) TREES g) Ernest Lawrence Thayer
08) THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT  h) Robert Burns
09) O CAPTAIN!  MY CAPTAIN!  i) Edgar Allan Poe
10) SWEET AFTON j) William Blake
*11) EVANGELINE k) Allen Ginsberg
* 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. Email Notessteps@aol.com or NOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT, John Tallaksen, 2425 East Franklin, #211 Minneapolis, MN 55406.