Cajun Spotlight 

Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance in the Upper Midwest
 June 1999
UPCOMING CAJUN & ZYDECO EVENTS

  1. The Swamp Sextet will be appearing at the Bell Street Tavern in LaPointe, Wisconsin June 4 and 5. LaPointe is located on Madeline Island across from Bayfield, Wisconsin.
  2. The Cajun Hot Soles play for the Sunday Night Social Dance at the Half Time Rec on Sunday, June 6. They also travel to Zumbrota, Minnesota for an appearance at Aromas Coffeehouse on Saturday, June 12.
  3. JJ's Zydeco Paydirt appear outdoors at MJM Hair on Saint Paul's Grand Avenue during Grand Old Days on June 6. They will play from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. On June 26 they play for a dance at the Cedar Cultural Centre in Minneapolis.
  4. The Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music & Dance Association presents a CD Dance Party and Potluck at the Half Time Rec on Sunday, June 13. Look for news elsewhere in this issue about a dance on July 1 sponsored by the Krewe with Louisiana group Filé.
  5. ZoloGo are on stage for the Sunday Night Social Dance at the Half Time Rec on June 20.
  6. In addition to the Bone Tones CD Release Dance Party June 12 at the Cedar (read about that later on this page), they will be at Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park on Thursday, June 24. Music starts at 7:00 pm. 
  7. The New Riverside Ramblers will be at the Half Time Rec on Sunday, June 27 for the Sunday Night Social Dance.

GUMBO YA YA FESTIVAL

The Gumbo Ya Ya Festival (Mardi Gras in the District) is June 11 and 12 in Rock Island, Illinois. Music on two stages starts Friday at 5:00 pm and Saturday at noon. Scheduled to perform: Rosie Ledet, Mem Shannon, Chubby Carrier, Lil' Brian & the Zydeco Travelers, The Midway Ramblers, C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Roddie Romero and Donna Angelle.For more information call Jennifer Walker at (309) 788-6311.
 

BONE TONES CD RELEASE PARTY

In June the Bone Tones will be releasing a CD of performances recorded at the Cedar Cultural Centre and the Medina Entertainment Center. The release of Live : 1996-1998 will be celebrated at the dance at the Cedar on Saturday, June 12. The band and their many fans will also be bidding farewell to Paul Loughridge, drummer with the Bone Tones for the past four years. Paul is relocating to West Virginia. Paul's steady rhythm work and infectious enthusiasm for Cajun music has been an integral part of the band's sound during that time. We wish him the best of luck in the future.
 

THE BONE TONES TO TAKE A SABBATICAL

From the Bone Tones: 

After 12 years of performing Cajun music in the Upper Midwest and beyond, the Bone Tones will be taking a sabbatical starting in the fall of 1999. Although we will not be performing on a regular basis, you may see some of us (or..."the Bone Tones") performing an occasional gig. We wish to express from the bottoms of our hearts how thankful we are to all of the fans who have faithfully shown up time and time again over the years. We have made so many friends through this music which we hope to keep in the years to come. We have arranged a farewell dance at the Cedar Cultural Centre for October 16. There are other Cajun bands in town and we hope that you will go out to dance and support them. Thank you for 12 great years.
 

WALKER CAJUN FEST

The Walker, Minnesota CajunFest, which has been held outside the Northern Lights Casino in years past, moves this year to nearby Moondance Fairgrounds (located seven mile east of Walker on Highway 200). CajunFest, co-sponsored by Moondance, Northern Lights Casino and the Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, will be August 26-28. This larger venue means more bands, more activities and more food options - plus the chance to camp on site! Some of the bands lined up include Tee Mamou (with Bob Reed), The Treater Band, Zydeco Joe and Rockin Dopsie, Jr. Tickets are $8.50/day or $20 for the weekend. 
Camping is $10/night and is sold on a first come/ first served basis; the campground will NOT be oversold. Ticketed guests who get there after 4:00 pm on Wednesday the 25th can get a free extra night of camping. To purchase tickets contact the Chamber of Commerce at 1 (800) 833-1118 or call (218) 547-1313. 
 

NEWS FROM STEVE RILEY ET. AL.

A couple of news note on the Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys front. Roddie Romero, who has led his own band for several year singing and playing accordion, has joined Steve's group on guitar. Steve and the band are making a swing through Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa in late June/early July. They'll be appearing in Chicago, Milwaukee, Berwyn and Davenport. Their next stop in the Twin Cities area will be Saturday, November 27 at the Upriver Fais Do Do at the Medina Entertainment Center.
 

KREWE DE WALLEYE PRESENTS...

  1. The Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music & Dance presents a CD Dance Party/Potluck at the Half Time Rec on Sunday, June 13. The potluck is 6:30 pm; dance is from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. Members get in free; nonmembers pay just $3. The Half Time Rec is located at 1013 Front Avenue in Saint Paul. 
  2. The Krewe is proud to present a fine band from Louisiana on Thursday, July 1 when Filé plays for a dance at the Twin City Ballroom. Equally adept at traditional Cajun, Creole and swamp pop music, the group has toured around the world, including a European tour with Creole fiddler Canray Fontenot. The group consists of Ward Lormand on accordion, D'Jalma Garnier on fiddle, David Egan on piano, Pete Stevens on drums and Kevin Shearin on bass. Ward Lormand grew up in Ossun, Louisiana; fiddler D'Jalma Garnier received a Texas Folklife grant to study with Canray Fontenot. The Lafayette-based group has released several recordings. Their latest is La Vie Marron on the Green Linnet label. The Twin City Ballroom is located at 265 West 7th in downtown Saint Paul (near RiverCentre). There will be a dance lesson at 7:30 pm; the dance starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $10 at the door. Don't miss this chance to see a great band that rarely makes it to the Twin Cities! For more information call (612) 728-1670 or (612) 729-1129. Don't forget the Krewe presents Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie on September 11 and the Savoy-Doucet Band on October 8. Both of these shows will be at the Medina Entertainment Center.

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • June 04 - Midway Ramblers : SALT CREEK PARK DISTRICT, PALATINE, IL (7:30 PM)
  • June 04,05 - The Swamp Sextet : BELL STREET TAVERN, LaPOINTE, MADELINE ISLAND, WI
  • June 06 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : MJM HAIR ON GRAND, GRAND OLD DAYS, ST. AUL (1-4 PM)
  • June 06 - Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL, MN
  • June 09 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7:00 -9:00 PM)
  • June 10,11 - Rosie Ledet, C. J. Chenier, Midway Ramblers : GUMBO YA YA FESTIVAL, ROCK ISLAND, IL
  • June 12 - Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin', Chicago Cajun Aces : OLD TOWN SCHOOL, 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 12 - The Bone Tones CD Release Dance : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • June 13 - Midway Ramblers : SCHUBA'S, CHICAGO, IL
  • June 13 - Krewe de Walleye CD Dance Party/Potluck : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL, MN
  • June 15 - Rosie Ledet : MARCUS CENTER, MILWAUKEE, WI
  • June 19 - Midway Ramblers : MARTIN PLAZA, WHEATON, IL (2-3 PM)
  • June 20 - Zydeco Dance w/ ZoloGo : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL, MN
  • June 23 - Midway Ramblers : USHER PARK, ITASCA, IL (7:30 PM)
  • June 24 - The Bone Tones : COON RAPIDS DAM REGIONAL PARK, COON RAPIDS, MN (7:00 PM)
  • June 25 - Midway Ramblers : NAVY BEER GARDEN STAGE, CHICAGO, IL (4-8 PM)
  • June 25 - Buckwheat Zydeco : SUMMERFEST, MILWAUKEE, WI
  • June 25-27 - Midway Ramblers : BROOKFIELD ZOO, CHICAGO, IL (CHECK FOR TIMES)
  • June 26 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS 
  • June 27 - Cajun Dance w/ New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL, MN
  • 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 CITY BALLROOM, ST. PAUL (A KREWE DE WALLEYE SHOW)
  • July 03 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : FITZGERALD'S, BERWYN. IL
  • July 04 - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys : MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BLUES FESTIVAL, DAVENPORT, IA
  • July 09 - ZoloGo : FESTIVAL, RED CLIFF, WI (NEAR BAYFIELD)
  • 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
  • October 16 - Bone Tones Farewell Dance : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
 

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY...

With Memorial Day here the summer has (unofficially) started. It also marks the end of the school year in some parts of the country. Many people look back fondly to the days when the end of each school year meant the beginning of a glorious summer free of homework, teachers and having to get up early. Nothing to do for two months but head outside to play with the other kids...baseball...ride bikes...go to the park...or just hang out. Last September we did songs with "work" in the title for Labor Day, so now let's "play". Can you match the performer with the song? 
 
 
01) BABY LET'S PLAY HOUSE a) Wild Cherry
02) PLAY WITH FIRE b) Neil Diamond
03) PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC c) Main Ingredient
04) HE PLAYED REAL GOOD FOR FREE d) Kansas
05) DON'T PLAY THAT SONG e) Elvis Presley
06) GAMES PEOPLE PLAY f) Rolling Stones
07) PLAY THE GAME TONIGHT g) Boozoo Chavis
08) PLAY ME h) Cat Stevens
09) EVERYBODY PLAYS THE FOOL I) Ben E. King
10) WHERE DO THE CHILDREN PLAY j) Joe South
11) I WANT TO PLAY WITH YOUR POODLE k) Joni Mitchell

Back to Cajun Spotlight Page
Back to Newsletter Page
Back to Main Page

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.