Cajun Spotlight 

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

UPCOMING CAJUN & ZYDECO EVENTS

  1. The re-scheduled appearance at First Avenue in Minneapolis of Buckwheat Zydeco is set for May 10. No word yet on who will do an opening set. 
  2. The Bone Tones will be at the Cedar Cultural Centre on Saturday May 15. Please note that they will NOT be appearing at the Medina Entertainment Center on Friday May 21.
  3. As part of KFAI's 21st Birthday Bash on May 1 at Blues Alley in Minneapolis The Swamp Sextet perform a set at 7:00 pm. Karl, Lee, Dan & Ted will also be at Mayslack's in northeast Minneapolis on Saturday May 15.
  4. The Cajun Hot Soles will be a Maggie's in Town Centre in Eagan on Saturday May 22. One week later on the 29th they make their debut at Tapestry Folkdance Center with a dance at 8:00 pm and a basic dance lesson beforehand.
  5. In May the Sunday Night Social Dance at the Half Time Rec in St. Paul will feature music by The Zydeco Brothers (May 2), ZoloGo (May 9), JJ's Zydeco Paydirt (May 16), Daddy Squeeze & Friends (May 23) and The Buffalo Gals (May 30).

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. Only one series left before summer break; sessions will resume in the fall: 
  • Zydeco Z (advanced): May 15, 22, June 5

CAJUN/ZYDECO FOR MEMORIAL DAY 

There are several 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 (along with the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers 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.
  3. If you're staying in the Twin Cities over the weekend you can dance on Saturday May 29 to The Cajun Hot Soles who will be at Tapestry Folkdance Center in Minneapolis. On Sunday May 30 The Buffalo Gals will be at the Half Time Rec. 

ALDUS ROGER PASSES AWAY

Aldus Roger, "King of the French Accordion Players", passed away in early April. Born in 1916 outside Lafayette, Louisiana, he began to play accordion when he was eight and played for his first dance at the age of fifteen. He formed his band, Aldus Roger & the Lafayette Playboys, in the '40s. His popularity peaked in the late '50s and '60s when his television show in Lafayette was on for over ten years. In 1962 he was chosen to represent Louisiana at the National Folklore Festival in Washington, DC. His accordion style influenced many younger players. He was inducted into both the Cajun French Music Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Hall of Fame.
 

KREWE DE WALLEYE PRESENTS...

The Minnesota Cajun & Zydeco Music and Dance Association (Krewe De Walleye) has scheduled a CD Dance Party/Potluck for Friday May 21 at the Four Seasons Dance Studio in Minneapolis. The studio is located at 1637 Hennepin Avenue (enter via the alley behind the Loring Café) The potluck begins at 7:30 pm; the dance at 8 pm. The Krewe will be presenting some exciting national Cajun and zydeco acts in the months ahead, including Filé on Thursday July 1, Geno Delafose on Saturday September 11 and the Savoy Doucet Band on Friday October 8. The venue for the Filé dance is not yet determined; the other two shows will be at the Medina Entertainment Center. Other dances featuring recorded music and local bands are also in the planning stages. Contact CAJUN SPOTLIGHT for information on joining the Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association.
 

YOUTH PROGRAM AT AUGUSTA 

[from Margo Blevin]
The Augusta Heritage Center's emphasis on nurturing young talent is continuing to make a difference in the lives of many youngsters. This is particularly obvious to anyone who has attended Augusta's "Cajun/Creole Week" in Elkins, West Virginia, and seen the youth program in action. Past recipients have gone on to form bands and make important career connections through their participation in Augusta's Cajun and zydeco classes. Some of the young people whose careers have been given a boost by the scholarship program include Courtney Granger, Kevin Naquin, and Moise and Alida Viator. Although perhaps best known for their use of "old master" artists to enrich their programs, Augusta also makes it a practice to hire deserving young people as staff musicians. Christine Balfa, Steve Riley, Peter Schwarz, Jason Babineaux, Horace Trahan, Dirk Powell, and Chris Ardoin all made their first appearance on Augusta's staff while they were still teenagers or barely out of their teens. Last year's Cajun Youth Scholarship made it possible for fiddler Louis Dronet, fiddler/ accordionist Chris Stafford, and drummer Michael Stafford to attend Augusta classes. This year we have identified several deserving young people for whom we are raising funds. Depending on the amount we are able to raise, we hope to be able to come up with full tuition for four scholarships. Three recipients are coming from Louisiana: 17 year old accordionist Mitch Lanclos, 17-year old fiddler Louis Dronet, and 13 year old accordionist and guitarist Joel Martin (grandson of Junior Martin). A fourth young musician has been named as an alternate, Lydia Garrison, a 14 year-old fiddler from New York. Anyone wishing to sponsor one or more of these youngsters may contact Director Margo Blevin at 304-637-1245 or margo@augustaheritage.comfor more information. Information on Augusta's Cajun/Creole Week can be found at: http://www.augustaheritage.com.
 

TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER UPDATE

Tapestry Folkdance Center plans to be relocated to its new home in a few months! It is hoped that the building at 3748 Minnehaha Avenue in south Minneapolis will be ready for events in July. An additional $7000 needs to be raised by mid-May to reach this goal. If you have not already donated or wish to help out more contact Tapestry at (612) 825-3668. Work crews are being organized to help with the "deconstruction" of the present interior, with new construction and with the move. An Open House at the new site is scheduled for Sunday May 2 from 11 am to 3 pm. Stop by and see the "before" in the "before and after" of Tapestry's new home.
 

THE MIDWAY FOLK FESTIVAL

An exciting two-day festival of traditional music and dance is coming to Midway Stadium July 17 and 18. We'll have more details about the event in future issues, but here are some of the performers already scheduled: Dakota Dave Hull & Kari Larson, Spider John Koerner, The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers & the Uncommon Loons, Clann na Cairde, Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band, Urban Renewal Bluegrass and John Van Orman. There will also be a songwriter's contest. Mark your calendar now.
 

MAY DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL

The annual In the Heart of the Beast May Day parade and festival will be Sunday May 2. The parade starts at 1 pm and heads down Bloomington Avenue in south Minneapolis from 26th Street to Powderhorn Park. Several stages at the park will feature a variety of music (including the Wild Goose Chase Cloggers at 5:30 PM). It's a great way to celebrate the end of winter. This is the 25th year In the Heart of the Beast has presented this event. 
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

May 01 - Swamp Sextet, others : KFAI BIRTHDAY BASH, BLUES ALLEY, MINNEAPOLIS (7:00 PM)
May 02 - Zydeco Brothers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
May 06 - Midway Ramblers : FITZGERALD'S, BERWYN, IL (8:00 PM)
May 09 - ZoloGo : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
May 10 - Buckwheat Zydeco : FIRST AVENUE, MINNEAPOLIS
May 12 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7:00 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 21 - ZoloGo : THE CAVE, CARLETON COLLEGE, NORTHFIELD, MN
May 21 - Krewe de Walleye CD Dance Party/Potluck : FOUR SEASONS DANCE STUDIO, MINNEAPOLIS
May 22 - The Cajun Hot Soles : MAGGIES, TOWN CENTRE, EAGAN, MN (8:00 PM)
May 24 - Midway Ramblers : NAVY PIER (BEER GARDEN STAGE), CHICAGO, IL (4:00 PM)
May 29 - The Cajun Hot Soles : TAPESTRY FOLKDANCE CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS
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 09 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7:00 -9:00 PM)
June 10,11 - Rosie Ledet, C. J. Chenier : GUMBO YA YA FESTIVAL, ROCK ISLAND, IL
June 12 - Chris Ardoin, Chicago Cajun Aces : OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC, CHICAGO
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)
June 28 - Midway Ramblers : TASTE OF CHICAGO (2-3 PM)
June 30 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : TASTE OF CHICAGO (7:00 -8:30 PM)
July 01 - Filé : TWIN CITIES AREA, VENUE TO BE DETERMINED
July 04 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BLUES FESTIVAL, DAVENPORT, IA
July 17 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : SUMMERDANCE, CHICAGO, IL
July 31 - The Chicago Cajun Aces : FOLKLORE VILLAGE FARM, DODGEVILLE, WI
August 04 - Sheryl Cormier & Cajun Sounds : JOE'S BEBOP CAFE, CHICAGO, IL
August 07 - The Chicago Cajun Aces : SUMMERDANCE, CHICAGO, IL
August 26-29 - The Bone Tones : BAZAAR STAGE, MINNESOTA STATE FAIR
September 11- Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : MEDINA BALLROOM, MEDINA, MN
October 08 - Savoy-Doucet Band : MEDINA BALLROOM, MEDINA, MN
 

NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
 

GRAMMARIAN ALERT!

The name May came into Middle English from Old French and ultimately from Latin "Maius", the goddess of increase. From the leap from the month of May to our quiz theme it would appear our Research Staff was traumatized in their early years by teachers frequently correcting their usage of the words may and can: "Can I go to the park?" "I don't know, can you?" The use of 'can' to indicate ability and 'may' to indicate permission is still considered formally correct, but using 'can' for both is not a cardinal sin in ordinary usage according to current sources. However, some standards still remain. A look at the NOTES & STEPS style book (currently lost in the office) keeps the distinctions between imply/infer and borrow/lend ("Friends, Romans, countryman/Borrow me your ears"?) Can you match the song with the performers! 

[ NOTE: Special internet version with Bonus match.]
 
 

01) Who Can it be Now? a) Randy Newman
02) We Can Work It Out b) Bukka White
03) Who Can I Turn To? c) Men at Work
04) You Can Leave Your Hat On d) The Who
05) Can I Get a Witness? e) Tony Bennett
06) Only Love Can Break a Heart f) Blind Willie McTell
07) When Can I Change My Clothes? g) Johnny Nash
08) I Can See For Miles h) The Marshall Tucker Band
09) Southern Can is Mine i) The Beatles
10) I Can See Clearly Now j) Marvin Gaye
11) Can't You See? k) Gene Pitney

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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.