Cajun Spotlight 

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

UPCOMING CAJUN & ZYDECO EVENTS

1) Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys will be in the Upper Midwest in early April. On Thursday, April 8 they are at the Harmony Bar in Madison, Wisconsin. The next night they appear in Chicago at the Old Town School of Folk Music. On Saturday, April 10 they will play for a dance at the Sheldon Theater in Red Wing, Minnesota. Located at 443 West 3rd Street in Red Wing, the theater opens at 7:00 and music starts at 8:00 pm. For more information call 1(800)899-5759.

2) The Bone Tones will be at the Cedar Cultural Centre in Minneapolis on Saturday, April 10 and in the Town Hall in Marine on Saint Croix on Saturday, April 24.

3) Playing for the Sunday Night Dances in April at the Half Time Rec will be The Zydeco Brothers (the 4th), The New Riverside Ramblers (the 11th), ZoloGo (the 18th) and The Buffalo Gals (the 25th).

4) The Cajun Hot Soles perform at Aromas Coffeehouse in Zumbrota, Minnesota on Friday, April 2. They play for a dance on Friday, April 23 at 2301 East Franklin in Minneapolis starting at 8:00 pm. If you haven't checked this group out yet this is a good opportunity to do so.

5) Grand Chien Cajun Band plays for a dance at Nora's Two on Saturday, April 17. This restaurant is 10 miles east of Madison. WI. A gumbo supper is available at 6:30 pm and a dance lesson by Deb Bachmann begins at 7:30 pm. For more information call (608) 764-5264.
 

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:
 
  • Zydeco B (basics): March 27, April 3, 10
  • Zydeco X (eXtreme): April 17, 24, May 1
  • Zydeco Z (advanced): May 8, 15, 22

CAJUN/ZYDECO FOR MEMORIAL DAY 

There are two options for enjoying Cajun and zydeco music in the Upper Midwest over Memorial Day weekend.

1) 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. (A listen to the first release by the Boneshakers indicates that they are the real deal; more about this new album in a later issue). Look for arts and crafts, Cajun food, crawfish races and more. For additional information call The Event Connection at 1 (888) 594-3903

2) The Bone Tones (and local swing dance group Rhythm & Swing) will be part of the line up at the Wheatland Traditional Arts Weekend & Dance Camp in Remus, Michigan. For more information call (517) 967-8879.
 

CAJUN WEEKEND AT FOLKLORE VILLAGE

[by Eric Paulson of The Cajun Hot Soles]
...it was a very enjoyable Folklore Village Cajun Weekend this year. Eddie LeJeune takes a lot of pride in his Cajun ambassadorship. In addition to his workshops he sat in on jams, and made sure everyone got a chance. And, in case you didn't know it, the guy can play. Junior Matthews, his fiddle player, has a very distinctive and powerful seconding style. That, coupled with his easy-going manner, made the fiddle workshops a joy...
 

KREWE DE WALLEYE

As mentioned last issue, the Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music & Dance Association will be presenting Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie at the Medina Entertainment Center on Saturday, September 11. Tentatively scheduled to open is Trailer Trash. The Krewe de Walleye is working to bring additional Louisiana groups to the Twin Cities and will continue to present local groups and have regular CD dance parties. Contact CAJUN SPOTLIGHT for information on joining the Krewe.
 

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 (he recently suffered a stroke). There will be a dance 8:00-12:00 on Saturday night and a day-long series of events on Sunday. His friends in his hometown of Church Point and around the country wish him the best. For information how how you can donate contact CAJUN SPOTLIGHT. 
 

NEW ZYDECO BOOK

A new book on zydeco has been published by the University Press of Mississippi. ZYDECO! features text by Ben Sandmel and photographs by Rick Olivier. The press release describes it as "the first published collection of fine photographs, lively text and oral history devoted exclusively to black Creole dance music." 
 

TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER UPDATE

Tapestry Folkdance Center has met its short- range financial goal for acquiring a new home. Your support is still of vital importance if the building is to be read for dancing in July. If you have not yet made a contribution, or wish to donate more, please do so now. Any trade professionals (plumbers, electricians, etc.) licensed in Minneapolis willing to donate time are welcome, as are nonprofessionals interested in tearing down walls, ceilings and such. The support thus far has been very encouraging. For information call Tapestry at (612) 825-3668; they're on the Web at:

http://www.mtn.org/~tapestry.
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • April 02 - The 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 10 - The Swamp Sextet : ST. CLEMENT'S CHURCH HALL, ST. PAUL
  • April 11 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • April 14 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7:00 -9:00 PM)
  • April 17 - Grand Chien Cajun Band : NORA'S TWO, EAST OF MADISON, WI
  • April 18 - ZoloGo : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • April 23 - The Cajun Hot Soles : 2301 E. FRANKLIN, MINNEAPOLIS
  • April 24 - The Bone Tones : TOWN HALL, MARINE ON ST. CROIX, MN
  • April 25 - Buffalo Gals : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • May 02 - Zydeco Brothers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • May 09 - ZoloGo : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • May 12 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7:00 -9:00 PM)
  • May 15 - The Bone Tones : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • May 15 - The Swamp Sextet : MAYSLACK'S, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
  • May 16 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • May 22 - The Cajun Hot Soles : MAGGIE'S, TOWN CENTRE, EAGAN, MN (8:00 PM)
  • May 23 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • May 29,30 - The Bone Tones : WHEATLAND TRADITIONAL WEEKEND, REMUS, MI
  • May 29 -31 - Hadley Castille, others : TASTE LOUISIANA CAJUN FEST, AMANA, IA
  • May 30 - Buffalo Gals : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • June 04 - The Midway Ramblers : SALT CREEK PARK, PALATINE, IL (7:30 PM)
  • June 09 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7:00 -9:00 PM)
  • June 11,12 - Rosie Ledet, Midway Ramblers : GUMBO YA-YA FESTIVAL, ROCK ISLAND, IL
  • June 12 - C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band : STATE FAIR, WEST ALLIS, WI
  • June 12 - The Cajun Hot Soles : AROMAS COFFEEHOUSE, ZUMBROTA, MN (8:00 PM)
  • June 24 - The Bone Tones : COON RAPIDS REGIONAL DAM PARK, COON RAPIDS, MN (7:00 PM)

BOTTOMS UP!

Our research staff had several possible themes in mind for the quiz this issue. Several late night meetings were held and no consensus could be reached. Finally late one evening they realized the the answer had been in front of them all along: bottles. Songs with bottle in the title are most often drinking songs and the titles in the quiz reflect this. Can you match the artist with the song.

[NOTE: No brain cells were injured in the production of this quiz].

[ NOTE 2: Special internet version with Bonus match.]
 
 

01) Hittin' the Bottle Stomp a) Uncle Tupelo
02) Message in a Bottle b) Emmylou Harris
03) Long Neck Bottle c) Dandy Warhols
04) Bottle Let Me Down d) Mississippi Jook Band
05) Bottle of Wine e) Jim Croce
06) Hittin' the Bottle Again f) The Police
07) Two More Bottles of Wine g) Boozoo Chavis
08) Time in a Bottle h) Merle Haggard
09) Whiskey Bottle i) Waylon Jennings
10) Not Your Bottle j) Tom Paxton
11) Bottle Up and Go k) Garth Brooks

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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.