Cajun Spotlight
Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper
Midwest
August 2005
NEWS FLASH: NEW CAJUN JAM STARTED!!
A new weekly Cajun Jam has been started on Saturday mornings in south Minneapolis.
The location is Betsy’s Back Porch Coffee at 5447 Nicollet Avenue (at the
corner of Nicollet and Diamond Lake Road). Hours are from 10:00 am to
about 1:00 pm. Bring your fiddle, guitar, accordion, triangle, mandolin,
dancing shoes or whatever. Great music, nice folks, good coffee and delicious
sandwiches. A fine way to start the weekend...
CRUISE THE RIVER W/ THE FAUX PLAYBOYS
The Faux Playboys play for one more evening cruise on the
St. Croix this summer on Friday, August 19. There will be two trips offered;
the first at 6:15 pm includes a buffet dinner; the second at 8:45 has beverage
service. The boat leaves from Stillwater. For complete information go to
andiamo-ent.com/excursio.htm
on the Web or call 651-430-1236
SMOKEY HOLLOW MOVED, RENAMED
In one of those good news/bad news things, the Smokey Hollow Gathering
penciled in for September will not be held. The good news is that the
Lake Country Gathering will be held September 16 -18 at Art and
Connie
Brown’s place in Nisswa, Minnesota! Art and Connie have a large
meadow for pitching tents and a roomy pole barn for jamming and socializing.
The weather should be pleasant, the mosquitos gone...
Details on meals and such remain to be worked out, but plan on a great
weekend of jamming, dancing and visiting. If you would like updates please
email
notessteps@aol.com and we will keep you posted. Mark your calendar
now!
NEW RIVERSIDE RAMBLERS AT FESTIVAL
The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Festival is August 11-14 at
El Ranch Manana near Richmond, Minnesota. The New Riverside Ramblers
are part of the dance line-up on both Friday and Saturday night (there
are also square dances ). Go to MinnesotaBluegrass.org
for full information.
AUGUST CAJUN JAM AND POTLUCK
Nancy Tennessen hosts her annual Cajun Jam and Potluck (the 8th!)
in her backyard on Sunday, August 21. These have become a tradition in
the local dance community – a chance for folks to get together, relax
and visit with friends. Nancy lives in northeast Minneapolis at 626 4th
Street NE. This is one block east of University Avenue; turn at Emily’s
Lebanese Deli on University at 7th Avenue NE. It’s just a few minutes from
downtown. The party starts at 2:00 pm. Bring a dish to share with the group.
Plates and silverware (and ice cream!) will be provided. Stop
by and play a few tunes, dance or visit with friends.
WALKER CAJUNFEST
The CajunFest at Northern Lights Casino near Walker, Minnesota is August
18-21. Scheduled to appear are The Basin Brothers, the Treater Band,
Waylon Thibodeaux, Sammy Naquin and Curtis Coubello. For additional
information check out northernlightcasino.com.
BAYOU BOOGIE AT GRAND PORTAGE
The 14th Annual Bayou Boogie takes place over Labor Day Weekend at the
Grand Portage Hotel and Casino in Grand Portage, Minnesota. Playing will
be The Treater Band, Bayou Barn Boogie Band and young fiddling sensation,
Amanda
Shaw with her band. Also playing will be midwest favorites
Big
Nick & the Cydecos! Feast on Louisiana cuisine. and don’t miss
the Mardi Gras parades, storytelling, crafts and music. It’s a party for
the whole family! Details at grandportage.com
FOSS, TERR AND WAGNER
Guitarist Tim Foss and accordion player John Terr join Pop
Pop Wagner to become the Foss, Terr and Wagner Trio. They perform on
Sunday, August 14 at the Turf Club in Saint Paul. Look for some great traditional
Cajun music, some original tunes and lots of surprises.
SAWDUST DAYS IN OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN
[A Special report from Tom Nickel]
Sawdust Days is an annual festival held in Menominee Park in Oshkosh
on the shores of beautiful Lake Winnebago. The festival is held on
large park grounds and features the attractions one expects in a
Midwest outdoor festival: a midway featuring carnival rides, countless
vendor booths touting corndogs, kettle corn and lemonade, the obligatory
“Rock Stage” and so on. But what really sets this festival apart from the
others is a relatively new addition to the festival, the Cajun and Zydeco
(AKA Louisiana Hot Sauce) stage. Cajun dance and Oshkosh park activities
veterans Tom and Lynn Stephany direct the stage. Both make
frequent pilgrimages to Southwest Louisiana for both entertainment’s sake
and for cultural/educational purposes. So when it came to planning and
booking the new stage, they were the obvious team to handle the job.
And an excellent job they did!
A tent measuring approximately 50’ by 120’ housed food stands,
sound stage, dance floor and sheltered the event. The dance floor was about
24’ by 32’ and nicely made of finished plywood, framed together.
For the most part, the floor size was adequate, but it really did fill
up from time to time. Special preparations were made to insure that the
floor was level from end to end (the rest of the floor space under the
tent is cut grass).
Not to chance leaving the Midwest’s musical palate behind, some of the
best local Cajun and zydeco talents were brought in as well as several
top-notch bands from Louisiana. What’s that you say? You don’t know
how to Cajun/zydeco dance? No problem! Lynn is right there to give
free daily dance lessons to all interested. Instruction and coaching
were offered prior to the first performance.
This year’s line-up featured Dora and the Zydeco Bad Boys
(Louisiana),
Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin' Cajuns (Louisiana),
Lost Bayou
Ramblers (Louisiana), Big Nick and the Cydecos (Milwaukee),
Cajun
Strangers (Madison), and The Midway Ramblers (Chicago). The
sound system was very good, providing quality amplification without being
painfully loud (a feature that I’ve come to really appreciate!). I’ve seen
Dora before in the Ft. Lauderdale festival a few years back. Their
performance at that time consisted of a duo on a workshop stage. This time,
the Zydeco Bad Boys were present, and they created a solid foundation of
zydeco dance rhythm that got everyone up and zydeco-ing. Jamie Bergeron
had a large band that featured keyboards as well as fiddle accordion, bass,
drums, and guitar. This is a very talented band! Both the Cajun Strangers
and Midway Ramblers pride themselves on the fine job they do supporting
the traditional Louisiana Cajun dance music. Big Nick stirred up the roux
with Cajun, zydeco and original compositions representing a cultural meld
of Louisiana-spawned music and the industrial steel of the Midwest. But
my personal favorite was the Lost Bayou Ramblers. If you like Cajun
music you owe it to yourself to see these guys. The band features a stand-up
slap-bass, Dobro Cajun rhythm guitar, fiddle, Cajun accordion, and
a stand-up drum kit featuring one cymbal and a snare drum played with brushes.
Not only are these guys enthusiastically in the pocket, but they also produce
a groove. They are a classic (but rare) example of a musical synergy, where
humble components meld to create the larger-than-life undeniable essence
of what makes Cajun music so heartfelt and so good to listen to. This festival
is a real up-and-comer and would be a good choice to keep one’s eye on
for 2006, at which time they plan to do it again. If your travel
plans include a trip through Wisconsin next July, I suggest you stop on
by; I hope to see you there!
UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS
-
August 05 - Midway Ramblers: WARRENVILLE COUNTRY NIGHT, DOWNTOWN CITY HALL
(5:30 PM)
-
August 06 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00
PM)
-
August 07 - Big Nick & the Cydecos: KIRSCH’S COUNTRY INN, LAKE GENEVA,
WI (AFTERNOON)
-
August 07 - CD Dance w/ Dave Jordahl: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
August 12 - Everett Smithson Band: THE RED LION, DULUTH (9:00 PM)
-
August 12,13 - New Riverside Ramblers: MBOTM FESTIVAL, RICHMOND, MN
-
August 13 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00
PM)
-
August 14 - Midway Ramblers: FRANKLIN PARK GAZEBO CONCERT, FRANKLIN PARK
(6:30 PM)
-
August 14 - Foss, Terr & Wagner Trio: TURF CLUB, ST. PAUL
-
August 14 - Faux Playboys: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
August 18 - 21 - Cajunfest: NORTHERN LIGHTS CASINO, WALKER, MN
-
August 19 - Faux Playboys: ROCKIN’ THE RIVER. ST CROIX BOAT CO, STILLWATER
(6:00 & 8:30 PM)
-
August 20 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00
PM)
-
August 20 - Midway Ramblers: ILLINOIS STATE FAIR (2-4 PM)
-
August 21 - Big Nick & the Cydecos: KIRSCH’S COUNTRY INN, LAKE GENEVA,
WI (AFTERNOON)
-
August 21 - Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
August 24 - Midway Ramblers: VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, KENOSHA, WI (11:30
AM-1:30 PM)
-
August 24 - Cajun Hot Soles: SAINTS PREGAME SHOW, MIDWAY STADIUM (5:30
-7:00 PM)
-
August 25 - C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band: MN ZOO, APPLE
VALLEY (7:30 PM)
-
August 26 - Everett Smithson Band: RASSET BAR & GRILL, BUFFALO (9:00
PM)
-
August 27 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00
PM)
-
August 27 - Everett Smithson Band: THE SPOT, CUMBERLAND, MN (9:00 PM)
-
August 27 - C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band: SUMMERDANCE,
CHICAGO
-
August 28 - Jumbo Ya Ya: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
September 02-04 - Bayou Boogie: GRAND PORTAGE CASINO
-
September 04 - Pat Harison & the Hoodoo Makers: HALF TIME REC,
ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
September 11 - Faux Playboys: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
September 16 -18 - Lake Country Gathering (Cajun Jam Weekend): NISSWA,
MN
-
September 18 - Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
September 24 - Fais Do Do: Riverside Ramblers, Cajun Hot Soles: POLISH
AMERICAN CLUB, ST. PAUL
-
September 25 - Jumbo Ya Ya: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
October 01 - New Riverside Ramblers: BIG ISLAND RENDEZVOUS, ALBERT LEA,
MN
-
October 02 - TBA: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
October 09 - Red Stick Ramblers: OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC, CHICAGO
-
October 09 - TBA: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
October 16 - TBA: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
October 23 - TBA: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
October 30 - TBA: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
-
November 06 - Savoy Family Band: OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC, CHICAGO
-
November 12 - Cajun Hot Soles, Skandilous: DALBO TOWN HALL, DALBO, MN (7:00
PM)
-
November 12 - New Riverside Ramblers: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
(7:30 PM)
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than four weeks from first
item on calendar.
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN...(ANOTHER TRIPLE THREAT QUIZ!)
A bunch of us were sitting around the office a few days back when the topic
of movies came up. Someone noted how so many old television shows
were being made into big-screen blockbusters (or so the studios hope).
From The Beverly Hillbillies to The Flintstones, from the Honeymooners
to Bewitched - it seems few of the old shows are too silly or much a product
of its time to try to update for the cellphone/DVD/iPod/Bluetooth age and
present to a new, young audience. This has happened in popular music
too - many of the hit songs of the past 50 years were remakes of songs
that were hit decades earlier. Can you match the song with the more modern
performer and the original performer (we have provided the year for the
latter). Good luck!
| 01) PUTTING ON THE RITZ |
A) Ben E. King |
a) Hal Kemp & His Orchestra (1937) |
| 02) BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY |
B) Bobby Darin |
b) Phil Phillips (1957) |
| 03) DEEP PURPLE |
C) Taco |
c) Benny Goodman (1948) |
| 04) WALK RIGHT IN |
D) The Flamingoes |
d) Guy Lombardo (1944) |
| 05) SOME ENCHANTED EVENING |
E) The Honeydrippers |
e) Perry Como (1946) |
| 06) PRISONER OF LOVE |
F) Nino Tempo |
f) The Andrews Sisters (1941) |
| 07) BEYOND THE SEA |
G) Rooftop Singers |
g) Larry Clinton & Orchestra (1939) |
| 08) WHERE OR WHEN |
H) James Brown |
h) Ben Selvin (1934) |
| 09) I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU |
I) Dion |
i) Ezio Pinza (1949) |
| 10) AMOR |
J) Jay/the Americans |
j) Cannon’s Jug Stompers (1929) |
| *11) SEA OF LOVE |
K) Bette Midler |
k) Harry Richman (1930) |
* Special internet bonus question.
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.
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