Cajun Spotlight

June 1998  - Volume VI, NO. 5

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest

 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

1) Three dances definitely worth checking out are scheduled at the Cedar Cultural Centre in June. On Friday, June 12 Terrance Simien & the Mallet Playboys bring their mixture of zydeco and various other styles to the Cedar stage. On Saturday, June 20 a homegrown showcase when the Bone Tones and ZoloGo share a double bill for a dance. Finally, on Thursday, June 25, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys stop by on their way to Morton, Minnesota. The Swamp Sextet will do an opening set. The Cedar will close during July and August.

2) On their way up to the Blues on the Range festival at Ironworld Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band appear at Gabe's in the Park in Saint Paul on Friday, June 12.

3) It’s always a delight to see Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie. They return to the Twin Cities on Thursday, July 2 in an appearance at the Taste of Minnesota. We’re not sure what time Geno is scheduled to play, but if possible try to get out to the Minnesota Zoo that evening for an appearance by Tracy Nelson, Irma Thomas and Marcia Ball. their new record, Sing it!, is out on the Rounder label and definitely worth a listen.
 

CAJUN FEST AT JACKPOT JUNCTION

The Cajun Fest at Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel near Morton, Minnesota is June 26 and 27. Appearing each of those evenings will be Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys (from 4 to 7:30 pm) and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas (from 8 pm to midnight). A special Cajun meal including "Crawdads" (sic) is available from 4 to 8 pm each night. The music will be inside the casino so minors will not be let in. Admission is free. Those not able to make the trip to Morton can catch Steve Riley and his group on Thursday, June 25 at the Cedar Cultural Centre; the Swamp Sextet will do on opening set. For more information on Jackpot Junction call 1 (800) WIN CASH or check the Web at http://www.jackpotjunction.com
 

GUMBO YA YA FESTIVAL

The annual Gumbo Ya Ya Festival in Rock Island, Illinois is June 5 and 6. Among the performers scheduled this year are Doug Kershaw, Lil' Brian & the Zydeco Travelers, Lil Malcolm, J. J. Caillier, Roddie Romero, Filé and Big Nick & the Cydecos.
 

WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL

The Winnipeg Folk Festival is July 9-12 in Birds Hill Provincial Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A truly impressive lineup of performers this year: Bruce Cockburn, Balfa Toujours, Guy Davis, Si Kahn, John McCutcheon, David Lindley, Richard Thompson, Maddy Prior, La Bottine Souriante, Mike Seeger...the list goes on and on. Tickets are available locally from the Cedar Cultural Centre and Homestead Pickin' Parlor. You can also call 1 (888) 655-5354.
 

SIOUX RIVER FOLK FESTIVAL

The 19th Annual Sioux River Folk Festival is July 31-August 1 at Newton Hills State Park near Canton, South Dakota. Performers slated to appear include Balfa Toujours, Chris Thile & Nickel Creek, Fine Pine w/ Gordy Pratt, Shawn Cravner & Sweet Briar and Barb Eytchison. For more information call (605) 987-2582.

 

LAGNIAPPE

...the piece on CBS’ Saturday Morning show on May 2 on Geno Delafose was repeated that night on the evening news. Among the dancers shown at Festival International in Lafayette were Gail Jacobson from Minneapolis and a man with many friends in this area, Gerald Trahan from Scott, Louisiana ....look for new releases in June from Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys and Bois Sec Ardoin with Balfa Toujours...Beausoleil and the Iguanas appear at the Minnesota Zoo on Saturday, August 22...

 

FORT LAUDERDALE CAJUN/ZYDECO FESTIVAL

by Stuart Klipper

Don't say I didn't tell you so! It was great! Here's a report on this year's version of the Fort Lauderdale Cajun Zydeco Crawfish Festival. It's shorter that last year's because last year I needed to go on and on about how good it was and this time around all I have to say is that this year's was even better.

And, word about last year's festival seems to have gotten out. The cadre of dancers that descended on the Mill Pond Park festival grounds was about four or five times the number of those there last year. Luckily, the main under- the-tent stage had two dance floors this year. Some terrific dancers from all over (NYC, DC, Boston, Providence, Atlanta, Birmingham, Lake Charles, Lafayette, SF, LA, San Diego, Seattle, Madison , Chicago, etc.) - if you learn by osmosis like I do, then their being there was a godsend. A lot of these people are hardcore festival hoppers and had been at it for 3 or 4 weeks straight of solid dancing. A wide range of styles; lots of moves not seen hereabouts.

The foremost representative of SW Louisiana was Mona Wilson. She was just there to be there and enjoy and not to teach — instruction was being given by a Jody Rudnick from Rhode Island. With Mona was the ever-trusty Joely — who I most want to be able to successfully osmose — and a few of their SW La. Zydeco die-hard friends.

Another performance stage was added this year so there was need to make an occasional choice now and then. Also added was a history tent. My pal Michael Tisserand the Zydeco Know-It-All was the maven in attendance (his book In the Kingdom of Zydeco will make its debut at the Zydeco Festival at Plaisance later this summer). Michael was a great interlocutor. We caught him three or four times I think. First, with Mr. and Mrs. Ledet who were charming and genuine and candid about their lives in that aforesaid kingdom. Next, with Richard Lebouef, and then with Bruce Daigrepont and his fiddler Jane [can't remember her last name]; they delved fairly deeply and widely into the history and variations of Cajun and Creole Styles. Good talk and wonderful playing. The next day Michael corralled Steve Riley and Dave Greeley from the Mamou Playboys and Geno Delafose. Essentially where Cajun and Creole music once was, where they are now, and where they are possibly going to be. Again, great things said -- Geno was succinct and eloquent: "Music has no color...if you can play it, play it...doesn't matter who you are..." Greeley and Riley talked about why the band is doing what it is doing now - get the new CD to listen to the tangents they've taken off on.

(My pal) Philip Gould, of Lafayette, the photographer of everything in SW La. Put on a very wonderful slide show about the two cultures he's so long immersed himself in. Several illuminating anecdotes. These interludes allowed us to recharge for the next onslaught of non-stop flat-out dancing. Here's who managed to get on our dance cards this time around: Richard Lebouef, Wayne Toups, Bruce Daigrepont, Keith Frank, Hunter Hayes (briefly), Filé, Chubby Carrier (even briefer), Jambalaya, Motordude Zydeco, Steve Riley and TMPBs, Geno Delafose and FRB, Little Malcolm and the House Rockers, Beausoleil Avec Michael Doucet (is Avec his new first name?).

This year there were pralines but they ran out before we got one. And this year they ran out of crawfish late on Sunday — 25,000 lbs. weren't enough. The food ranged from passable to very good — our favorite was the blackened rib-eye steak. We lost count of how many free bags full of Jelly Bellies we ate - well, with all that dancing we needed to keep the blood sugar levels high. Another boon was a booth offering an endless flow of free Ruby Red — a blend of grapefruit and mango juices. The temperatures where in the (low) 90s all three days and the need to drink constantly was imperative.

See you there next year, chers amis!
 
 

CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

MUSIC HATH CHARMS...

The theme for this month’s music quiz is...music. Each of the songs below has the word ‘music’ in the title. We have been assured by our research staff that this theme, though an obvious one, has not been used before. Can you match the artist with the song? Answers are available from notessteps@aol.com
 
01) SWEET SOUL MUSIC a) Grand Funk Railroad
02) I DIG ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC b) Teresa Brewer
03) MUSIC BOX DANCER c) Arthur Conley
04) DON’T STOP THE MUSIC d) Bob Crewe Generation
05) MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC e) Wild Cherry
06) LONE STAR BEER AND BOB WILLS MUSIC f) Peter, Paul and Mary
07) PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC g) George Jones
08) MUSIC TO WATCH GIRLS BY h) Red Steagall
09) FOOTSTOMPIN’ MUSIC i) The O’Jays
10) I LOVE MUSIC j) Frank Mills
 
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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 $8.00. Email Notessteps@aol.com or NOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT, John Tallaksen, 2425 East Franklin, #211 Minneapolis, MN 55406.