Cajun Spotlight 

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest
 February 2006

FEBRUARY IS MARDI GRAS MONTH!!

Mardi Gras is Tuesday, February 28th. There seems to be more options for Cajun and zydeco music and dance in the area with each passing year. This issue we look at the choices.

KREWE DE WALLEYE MARDI GRAS

On February 18th the Krewe have their annual Mardi Gras Dance Party at the Medina Entertainment Center.  Playing will be the New Riverside Ramblers, the Faux Playboys and JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt.  There is a dance lesson at 5:30 pm and dancing from 6:30 to 11:15 pm. Tickets are $12 for Krewe members, $15 for nonmembers in costumes (masks qualify) and $17 for nonmembers without a costume.
Don’t forget he Krewe presents Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys on Saturday, April 1 at the Marion KC Hall in Bloomington. Expect plenty of tunes from their great new album Dominos. Full details on this in the next issue. 
For information on joining the Krewe, an event calendar, addresses and other updates go to krewedewalleye.com.

MARDI GRAS W/ NEW RIVERSIDE RAMBLERS

Catch the New Riverside Ramblers for a Mardi Gras Concert/Dance at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in south Minneapolis on Sunday, February 25. Contact the church for more information.
 

CAJUN HOT SOLES AND TWIN CITY PLAYBOYS

The Cajun Hot Soles and the Twin City Playboys play for a Mardi Gras Party at Lee’s Liquor Lounge on Saturday, February 25. Look for beads, food and great dance music.
 

JJ’S ZYDECO PAYDIRT

JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt play for a Mardi Gras bash at  Floyd’s Bar in Victoria on Saturday, February 25. On Fat Tuesday itself (the 28th) they will be at Dixie’s on Grand in Saint Paul from 6 to 10 pm.
 

MARDI GRAS AT THE  DALBO TOWN HALL

Saturday, February 11, from 7 - 11 pm, the Dalbo Town Hall will be sizzling with the sounds and colors of Mardi Gras. Get out your costumes (encouraged, not required!) and head on over to hear three great bands:  Black Bear Bayou,  the Cajun Hot Soles and the Twin City Playboys.  A free dance lesson will be offered at 6:30 pm by Demi Miller, so plan to arrive early. Everyone is welcome to attend; no dance experience is necessary! Delicious refreshments will be on sale by Mom's Food Co-op of Cambridge.  Admission is $10 for adults and children are always admitted free. The Town Hall is wheelchair accessible and smokefree. 
To get to the Town Hall from Dalbo:  take Highway 47 north about 2.5  miles to County 16.  Go west (left) 1.8 mile to Jasper St.  Go left 0.2 mile to 399th Ave.  Go right 0.2 mile to Nacre St.  Go left to Town Hall.  (Dalbo is located between Cambridge and Princeton). For  information contact Amy at (763) 389-1536, visit www.amysabrina.com and click on Dance or email amy@amysabrina.com or
 

MARDI GRAS AT ANTOINE’S CREOLE MAISON

The Cajun Hot Soles and the Twin City Playboys take turns celebrating Mardi Gras at Antoine’s Creole Maison Restaurant in Uptown. The Hot Soles play on February 22 and 27 from 7 to 9 pm; the Twin City Playboys are there on February 23 and 28 from 7 to 9 pm. The restaurant is located at 2819 Hennepin Avenue and is “casual elegant”. For more information call 612-871-2262. More dates for live music might be added; keep tuned!
 

FOLKLORE VILLAGE CAJUN WEEKEND

The dates for the Cajun Music and Dance Weekend at Folklore Village are March 31-April 2.  The staff this year is outstanding: Creole fiddler Edward Poullard,  accordionist Jesse Lege, craft and cooking expert Jackie Miller, Charlie Terr, John Terr and more. Plenty of Twin City folks plan to be there. A downloadable registration form should be up at folklorevillage.org soon.
 

ROCKIN’ PINECONES AT MOOSEJAW

The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers annual music and dance weekend (aka MooseJaw) will be held March 10, 11 and 12  at Maplelag Resort near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. The line-up includes the Foghorn String Band, the Rockin’ Pinecones, caller Beth Molaro and the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers. There will be dance instruction (Cajun, Scandinavian, squares  and more),  jamming and lots of dancing.  For complete information and to download a registration form go to wildgoosechasecloggers.org
 

BAYOU DANCER AND CO

David Jordahl offers Cajun and zydeco dance lessons. Get the latest schedules and lots more information at bayoudancer.com
 

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FOLK FESTIVAL

Appearing at the University of Chicago Folklore Society Folk Festival will be the Pine Leaf Boys (Wilson Savoy, Cedric Watson, Jon Bertrand and Blake Miller). Also performing are Robert “Wolfman” Belfour, Bruce Green & Loy McWhirter, Don Paisley & the Southern Grass, Seamus Connolly and more. The dates are February 10-12. For more information go to uofcfolk.org.
 

DANCE LESSONS FROM MAURINE MCCORT 

Maurine McCort will begins a series of beginning  and intermediate zydeco dance lessons in March. We will have the schedule next month or you can contact her at momo2004@comcast.net
 

2006 Mardi Gras Yankee-Chank Swamp Jam 

from Nancy Weston (note address change!!!!) 
The 12th Annual Mardi Gras Yankee-Chank Swamp Jam will take place on Monday, February 27 at 11:00 am, at McGee’s Landing in Henderson, LA.  If you’ve joined us before, this trip needs no introduction!  For those of you who have not been, what we do is this:  drift for almost 2 hours through the Atchafalaya Swamp on a motorized flatboat.  You can jam or dance.   This trip is lots of fun and a chance to relax with music and with friends from around the country.  (There may be some smuggled live Cajuns on the boat, such as the infamous “Tee Larry” of Iota!)  There will be two boats to accommodate more folks  and spots are first come, first served. PLEASE INDICATE if you are a musician, and what you play!  This is  to ensure even and adequate numbers of musicians between the two boats.    The cost is $12 per person.  Send me a check ASAP (made out to Nancy Weston) to reserve your spot.  Mail to 19 Purcell Dr., Danbury, CT  06810.    Include your e-mail (preferred) or a stamped-self-addressed envelope for confirmation and directions to the site.  (If you choose to wait until the last minute, you can call me at 337-779-2456)  to reserve a spot if there are any left, or find out about cancellations.    After the boat jam, those who would like, can stay to eat at McGee’s (open menu) and can continue jamming and dancing.    Do not try to reserve or buy your ticket for the boat trip through McGee's directly as this is a charter trip.  However, with notice, you may join us at McGee’s afterwards even if you do not make the boat ride." 
 
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • February 03 - The Cajun Strangers, Last Gaspé: LAKEWOOD LUTHERAN, MADISON, WI (7:00 PM)
  • February 03 - The Midway Ramblers: IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE CENTER, CHICAGO (8:00 PM)
  • February 04 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • February 04 - New Riverside Ramblers: CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS (7:30 PM)
  • February 05 - No Dance! (Super Bowl): HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • February 10 - Twin City Playboys: HAT TRICK LOUNGE, ST. PAUL (9:00 PM)
  • February 11 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • February 11 - Mardi Gras w/ Cajun Hot Soles, Black Bear Bayou: TOWN HALL, DALBO (7-11 PM)
  • February 12 - JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • February 15 - Twin City Playboys: 331 CLUB, NE MINNEAPOLIS
  • February 16 - The Rockin’ Pinecones: MINNEAPOLIS EAGLES CLUB (7:30 -10:00 PM)
  • February 18 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • February 18 - Krewe Mardi Gras: New R’side Ramblers, JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt,Faux Playboys: MEDINA
  • February 18 - The Cajun Strangers: CRYSTAL CORNER BAR, MADISON, WI
  • February 19 - NO DANCE: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • February 22 - Cajun Hot Soles: ANTOINE’S CREOLE MAISON RESTAURANT, MPLS (7-9:00 PM)
  • February 23 - Twin City Playboys: ANTOINE’S CREOLE MAISON RESTAURANT, MPLS (7-9:00 PM)
  • February 24 - Big Nick & the Cydecos: LAKE OF THE TORCHES, LAC DU FLAMBEAU, WI (8-MIDNIGHT)
  • February 25 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • February 25 - JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt Mardi Gras Party: FLOYD’S, VICTORIA, MN (8:30 PM)
  • February 25 - Mardi Gras w/Cajun Hot Soles, Twin City Playboys: LEE’S LIQUOR LOUNGE (8:30 PM)
  • February 26 - New Riverside Ramblers Mardi Gras Concert/Dance: ST. JOAN OF ARC, MPLS(7:00 PM)
  • February 26 - The Cajun Strangers: ROXBURY TAVERN, ROXBURY, WI (3:00-5:00 PM)
  • February 26 - Cajun Hot Soles: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • February 27 - Cajun Hot Soles: ANTOINE’S CREOLE MAISON RESTAURANT, MPLS (7-9:00 PM)
  • February 28 - JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt: DIXIE’S ON GRAND, ST. PAUL (6:00 -10:00 PM)
  • February 28 - The Cajun Strangers Mardi Gras: ESSEN HAUS, MADISON, WI (8:00 PM)
  • February 28 - Twin City Playboys: ANTOINE’S CREOLE MAISON RESTAURANT, MPLS (7-9:00 PM)
  • March 04 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • March 05 - Rockin’ Pinecones: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • March 10-12 - Rockin’ Pinecones, more: MOOSEJAW WEEKEND, MAPLELAG RESORT, DETROIT LAKES
  • March 11- Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • March 12 - JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • March 18 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • March 19 - Faux Playboys: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • March 25 - Cajun Jam: BETSY’S BACK PORCH COFFEE, MINNEAPOLIS (10:00 AM-1:00 PM)
  • March 26 - New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
  • March 31-April 2 - CAJUN DANCE & MUSIC WEEKEND: FOLKLORE VILLAGE, DODGEVILLE, WI
  • April 01 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys: MARION KC HALL (DETAILS TO FOLLOW)
  • April 04 - New Riverside Ramblers: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL (8:00 PM)
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than four weeks from first item on calendar.
 

MARDI GRAS

Ionesco once said, “The French for London is Paris.”  In a somewhat similar vein, we can say that the French for Shrove Tuesday is Mardi Gras. Both terms refer to the Tuesday before Lent begins (Ash Wednesday). The Shrove refers to the confession or ‘shrift’ which is to be made before fasting during the forty days of Lent. The French term,  which means Fat Tuesday,  is thought to have come from the  ox paraded through the streets on that day.  Soldiers at Fort Louis de la Louisiane, on the site of present-day Mobile, Alabama, marked the day with celebrations and masks before 1710. Traditional colors associated with Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold, and those colors are the theme of the music quiz this month. 
 
01) O, HAD I A GOLDEN THREAD a) Tex Ritter
02) PURPLE RAIN  b) Sheb Wooley
03) GREEN, GREEN c) Neil Young
04) GOLD MINE IN THE SKY d) Dolly Parton
05) PURPLE PEOPLE EATER e) Pete Seeger
06) ELDER GREEN BLUES f) Gene Autry
07) DEEP PURPLE  g) New Christy Minstrels
08) GOLD STAR IN THE WINDOW h) D. L. Menard
09) HEART OF GOLD  i) Charley Patton
10) EN BAS DE CHENE VERT (UNDER A GREEN OAK TREE) j) Rosie Ledet
*11) Green River  m) Prince
*12) Silver Threads and Golden Needles n) April Stevens & Nino Tempo
*13) Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You o) Gene Autry
*14) The Green Green Grass of Home p) Creedence Clearwater Revival
* 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.