Cajun Spotlight 

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest
March 1999

UPCOMING CAJUN & ZYDECO EVENTS

  1. JJ's Zydeco Paydirt plays for dances at the Cedar Cultural Centre on Saturday, March 6 and at the Half Time Rec on Sunday, March 21.
  2. The Bone Tones play at the Park Ballroom in New Prague, Minnesota on Friday, March 19. The next night (the 20th) they will be at the Cedar Cultural Centre. Read below for information about a special dance on March 27 with The Bone Tones sponsored by the MCZMDA.
  3. The New Riverside Ramblers will be at the Half Time Rec on Sunday, March 14. Stop by and check with the folks getting back from Folklore Village on how the weekend was.
  4. ZoloGo share a bill with the Hot Head Swing Band on Saturday, March 6 at O'Gara's in St. Paul (at the corner of Selby and Snelling). On March 28 at the Half Time Rec ZoloGo hosts the 3rd Annual (Pre) Easter Zydeco Extravaganza. It's a potluck so bring a dish to share; other musicians from the Twin Cities will be sitting in with ZoloGo during the evening. It starts at 8:30 pm. 
  5. Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys appear in Madison, Wisconsin on April 8, in Chicago on April 9 and in Red Wing, Minnesota on Saturday, April 10. 

KREWE DE WALLEYE PRESENTS...

The Minnesota Cajun & Zydeco Music and Dance Association (Krewe De Walleye) has scheduled a potluck and dance featuring music by The Bone Tones on Saturday, March 27. It will be held at the Oddfellows Lodge at 2382 Hampden in Saint Paul. This is at the corner of Raymond and Hampden (a short drive north of University Avenue on Raymond). The potluck starts at 7:00 pm and a dance lesson at 7:30 pm. The dance begins at 8:00 pm. Cost for members is $5; non-members pay $7. For more information call (612) 729-1129.

FLASH: Krewe De Walleye is bringing Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie to the Medina Ballroom in September. Details next issue

FLASH 2: There will be a Krewe de Walleye CD Dance Party on Sunday, March 7 at the Half Time Rec in Saint Paul (Cafe Accordion had been scheduled but will not appear). It's a potluck starting around 7:30-8:00 pm and go until 11. 
 

INTRODUCING THE CAJUN HOT SOLES 

Another Minnesota band performing the music of Louisiana has been formed: The Cajun Hot Soles. After jamming together for several months at the Homestead Pickin' Parlor Cajun Jams (still held every 2nd Wednesday), The Cajun Hot Soles were formed last August. The members are Ross Grotbeck (formerly of Grande Prairie) on guitar, harmonica, and vocals; Eric Paulson on fiddle and vocals; Kurt Olson on accordion; and Jim Thiewes (formerly in a southern Minnesota surfin' band back in the '60s) on drums. They play a variety of traditional Cajun and Creole tunes. They will perform at Munka Bean on Main Street in Hopkins on Friday, March 5 at 8:00 pm; Friday, April 2 they play at Aromas Coffeehouse in Zumbrota, Minnesota. More information about this new group is available at 

http://www.pclink.com/epaulson/cajunhotsoles/index.htm
 

CAJUN AND ZYDECO DANCE LESSONS

Maurine McCort regularly offers her popular Cajun and zydeco lessons. Classes are held Saturdays from 4-5:30 pm at the Oddfellows Lodge at 2382 Hampden in Saint Paul. Cost of each series is $25 or $35. For more information and to confirm dates call Maurine at (651) 488-6269. Here's the schedule:
  • Cajun Jitterbug: Feb 20, 27, March 6, 20
  • Zydeco B (basics): March 27, April 3, 10
  • Zydeco X (eXtreme): April 17, 24, May 1
  • Zydeco Z (advanced): May 8, 15, 22


UPCOMING FESTIVAL DATES

  • International Festival de Louisiane: April 20 through April 25 ( Lafayette, Louisiana)
  • Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival: April 30 through May 2 (Breaux Bridge, Louisiana)
  • Cajun Zydeco Crawfish Festival: May 7 through 9 (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
  • International Cajun & Zydeco Festival: June 4 through 6 (Raamsdonksveer, Holland) 
  • Gumbo Ya Ya Festival: June 4 and 5 (Rock Island, Illinois)


CAJUN/CREOLE WEEK AT AUGUSTA

Augusta Heritage Center (at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia) has announced the staff for this years Cajun & Creole Week. Dates for the week are July 11 through 16. Classes in Cajun and zydeco dance (two levels) will be taught by Christine Balfa, Harold Bernard, Mona Wilson, Joely Bias and more. Classes in music will be taught by Tracy Schwarz, Dirk Powell, Larry Miller, Danny Poullard, Preston Frank and others. Master artists-in-residence will be Bois Sec Ardoin (assisted by Charlie Terr) and Calvin Carriere (assisted by Eric Mohring). Other classes focus on Cajun Cooking and Cajun Culture & Language. The following week at Augusta is Swing Week and Blues Week; local favorites Café Accordion and dance historian/instructor Lance Benishek will be on staff. A week at Augusta Heritage Center is a wonderful, unique experience. For more information call them at (304) 637-1209; they have a Web site at www.augustaheritage.com.
 

BENEFIT FOR MUSICIAN DICK RICHARD

On Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11, in Church Point, Louisiana, a benefit will be held to assist in the medical expenses for legendary Cajun musician/accordion maker Dick Richard. There will be a dance 8:00-12:00 on Saturday night and a day-long series of events on Sunday including several bands, an auction, a raffle, a country store, children's games and food of all kinds. The activities will take place at the Church Point City Park Pavilion. If you wish to send a donation, please make a check to the "Dick Richard Medical Fund" and mail to Diana Cormier, 2145 Britany Hwy, Church Point, LA 70525. Mr. Richard is well known to lovers of Cajun music as a versatile musician. He was an early proponent of the steel guitar in Cajun music and an outstanding fiddler who appeared with Dewey Balfa at Carnegie Hall in New York City and with D. L. Menard at Orchestra Hall in Chicago. In recent years, health problems had limited his playing time, so Dick Richard focused his efforts on crafting Cajun accordions.  Recently, however, he has become a stroke victim and now must have twenty-four hour care.  His friends in his hometown of Church Point and around the country wish him the best and would appreciate any assistance you may give to this fine gentleman. 
 

CAJUN MUSIC, DANCE & CULTURE WEEKEND

The Cajun Music, Dance and Culture Weekend at Folklore Village Farm in Dodgeville, Wisconsin is March 12-14. This is the first appearance there by great Cajun accordionist/singer Eddie LeJeune. Also on staff will be Junior Matthews, Kirby Jambon, Charlie Terr, John Terr, Will Whedbee and Alicia Rheal. Dance instruction is by Opelousas, Louisiana native (and Twin Cities resident) Millie Ortego. There will be workshops on Cajun language & culture, vocals, fiddle, accordion and guitar as well as chances to for jam and making traditional Cajun Mardi Gras masks and hats. Contact Folklore Village or CAJUN SPOTLIGHT for a brochure. Space is limited. Call Folklore Village at (608) 924-4000.
 

CAJUN/ZYDECO FESTIVAL IN IOWA 

The Taste Louisiana Cajun Fest will be May 29-31 at the Amana Colonies Visitor and Convention Center in Amana, Iowa. Musicians performing include Hadley Castille & the Sharecroppers, The Zydeco Boneshakers, The Treater Band and more. Look for arts & crafts, Cajun food, crawfish races and more. FFI call (515) 595-3903.
 

TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER UPDATE

Tapestry Folkdance Centre is in the midst of a MAJOR fund raising drive. Late last year they received a new lease at their current location that cut available time in half and more than doubled the rent. Long term plans to buy their own building quickly became a short term necessity. A new site has been located in the Longfellow neighborhood of south Minneapolis. Tapestry must raise $115,000 by March 15 for the down payment for the building. This is a lot of money. Take a minute to consider, though, how valuable a resource Tapestry Folkdance Center is, not just to dancers and musicians, but to the Twin Cities community as a whole. Also consider the increased opportunities for dances, classes and other special events if Tapestry were to own their own building. Please contact Tapestry or pick up a brochure at Tapestry and donate generously. Remember how many other dance venues have been lost in just the past year and help to preserve Tapestry Folkdance Center.
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • March 05 - Cajun Hot Soles : MUNKA BEAN, HOPKINS, MN (8:00 PM)
  • March 06 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • March 06 - Midway Ramblers : SLOVENIAN CULTURAL CENTER, LEMONT, IL (7:00 PM)
  • March 06 - ZoloGo/Hot Heads Swing Band : O'GARA'S, ST. PAUL, MN
  • March 10 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • March 12 -14 - Cajun Music, Dance & Culture Weekend : FOLKLORE VILLAGE FARM
  • March 14 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 19 - The Bone Tones : PARK BALLROOM, NEW PRAGUE, MN
  • March 20 - The Bone Tones : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • March 21 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 25 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : MONROE ARTS CENTER, MONROE, WI
  • March 26 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : FITZGERALD'S. BERWYN, IL
  • March 27 - MCZMDA Benefit w/ The Bone Tones : ODDFELLOWS HALL, ST. PAUL
  • March 27 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : THE ART INSTITUTE, CHICAGO, IL
  • March 28 - ZoloGo: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • April 02 - Cajun Hot Soles : AROMAS COFFEEHOUSE, ZUMBROTA, MN (8:00 PM)
  • April 04 - Zydeco Brothers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • April 08 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : HARMONY BAR & GRILL, MADISON, WI
  • April 09 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC, CHICAGO, IL
  • April 10 - The Bone Tones : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • April 10 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : SHELDON THEATER, RED WING, MN
  • April 11 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • April 14 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • April 18 - ZoloGo: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • April 24 - The Bone Tones : TOWN HALL, MARINE ON ST. CROIX, MN
  • April 25 - Buffalo Gals : HALF TIME RE, ST. PAUL
  • May 02 - Zydeco Brothers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • May 12 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • May 15 - The Bone Tones : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • May 21 - The Bone Tones : MEDINA ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, MEDINA, MN
  • May 29,30 - The Bone Tones : WHEATLAND TRADITIONAL WEEKEND, REMUS, MI
  • May 29 -31 - Hadley Castille, others : TASTE LOUISIANA CAJUN FEST, AMANA, IA
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
 

SPRING RETURNS

In March the vernal equinox marks the return of Spring and another change of season. The cycle of the seasons is fundamental to all life on earth; however a more interesting cyle is found in the Hindu religion. The basic cycle is the kalpa, or "day of Brahma", a period of 4,320,000,000 years. This is divided into 1000 smaller cycles known as "great eons", which are further divided into "eons". We are now in the fourth of these eons, which began in 3102 B.C. and will last for over 400,000 years. The quiz this issue looks at songs with "change" in the title. Can you match the performer with the song?
 
 
01) CHANGES a) The Byrds
02) A CHANGE IS GONNA COME b) Bob Dylan
03) I'M CHANGING THE WORDS TO MY LOVE SONG c) Lucinda Williams
04) CHANGING OF THE GUARD d) David Bowie
05) TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING e) Dwight Yoakam
06) CHANGE IS NOW f) Sam Cooke
07) CHANGED THE LOCKS g) Louvin Brothers
08) NOTHING'S CHANGED HERE h) Jimmy Buffet
09) PICK UP YOUR CHANGE i) Bob Wills &the Texas Playboys
10) CHANGES IN LATITUDES, CHANGES IN ATTITUDES j) Wilco
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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.