Cajun Spotlight 

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

BONE TONES FAREWELL DANCES

Before going on sabbatical the Bone Tones will play for two farewell dances the weekend of October 16 and 17 at the Cedar Cultural Centre in Minneapolis. Attendance at each will be limited to insure that there will be adequate room to dance. The Cedar is selling tickets in advance to these events. The Bone Tones have been the center of the Twin Cities' Louisiana music and dance scene for a dozen years; it is a tribute to their musicianship and dedication that the scene will continue while they take this break. Good luck and thanks for all the good times from your friends throughout the country.
 

OTHER CAJUN AND ZYDECO AT THE CEDAR

Besides the big Bone Tones Farewell Weekend (see article above) there will be two other dances featuring Louisiana music at the Cedar in October. JJ's Zydeco Paydirt plays there on October 2 and the (expanded) New Riverside Ramblers will be there on October 30.
 

LOOKING AHEAD TO NOVEMBER

There are two special dances scheduled in November; be sure you mark on your calendar now! 
  1. On Saturday, November 13 the Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music and Dance Association (the Krewe de Walleye) will have a special First Anniversary dance. It will be at the Four Seasons Dance Studio near Loring Park and feature live music by JJ's Zydeco Paydirt. Look for a silent auction, a birthday cake, dance lessons and other surprises. Admission is free for members of the association. We'll have details next month.
  2. Two weeks later on Saturday, November 27 the 10th Annual Upriver Fais Do-Do will be held at the Medina Entertainment Center. Special guests are Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys with an opening set by The Swamp Sextet.Millie Ortego will lead a Cajun dance workshop before the dance begins. We'll have more information on the Fais Do-Do in the next issue.

ZYDECO DANCE LESSONS

Maurine McCort will start zydeco dance lessons in early October. They are held on Saturdays at the Oddfellows Lodge at 2382 Hampden in St. Paul from 4:30 to 6:00 pm (Note new time!) For more information call Maurine at (651) 488-6269. Cost of each series is $25. Here's the fall schedule:
  • Zydeco Basics: October 2,9,16
  • Zydeco X (eXtreme): October 23,30, November 6
  • Zydeco Z (Advanced) : November 13,20, December 4 

MADISON CAJUN/ZYDECO DANCE PARTY

A Cajun/zydeco CD dance party in Madison, Wisconsin is set for October 23 at Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ at 1501 Gilbert Road. There will be a free lesson for the first hour. Bring your favorite music to play and dance to. For more information call Susan at (608) 276-7669.
 

HALF TIME REC SOCIAL DANCES

The Sunday Night Social Dances continue with a full schedule for all five Sundays in October. Here's the lineup:
  • October 03 - The Cajun Hot Soles
  • October 10 - The Swamp Sextet
  • October 17 - ZoloGo
  • October 24 - The New Riverside Ramblers
  • October 31 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt

KREWE DE WALLEYE PRESENTS ...

The Minnesota Cajun and Zydeco Music & Dance Association's (Krewe de Walleye) next big show is on Friday, October 8 at the Medina Entertainment Center. On stage will be Marc and Ann Savoy and Michael Doucet; local honkytonk/swing favorites will Trailer Trash open. Here's more information: 
 

THE SAVOY-DOUCET CAJUN BAND

by Maurine McCort

"Put the pedal to the metal", shouts Marc Savoy" and the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band does! They will be at the Medina Ballroom on Friday, October 8, 1999 and have packed the Medina several times since their first visit in 1988. They have circled the world several times with the spirit of Cajun music and have listeners dancing 'til their feet fly. Marc and Ann Savoy and Michael Doucet have been playing hot-stepping Cajun music together for over 21 years and are considered ambassadors of Cajun music and culture. They have inspired people worldwide to play Cajun music and keep the spirit of this fascinating culture alive.

Marc Savoy has been playing accordion since he was twelve years old. He owns and operates the Savoy Music Center near Eunice, Louisiana where he has been making his famous "Acadian" Cajun accordions for many years. Saturday mornings Cajun musicians and dancers from all cultures converge at the store to make music and friends, eat boudin and dance.

Ann Savoy has been playing guitar since she was young and has been playing Cajun music with Marc since the mid-70's. In 1984 she published her book, "Cajun Music: A Reflection of A People", and she is currently working on her second book. A few years ago Ann started another Cajun band, The Magnolia Sisters, with some women friends and musicians, playing Cajun ballads as well as the dancehall music.

Michael Doucet has been playing in Cajun bands since the early 1970's and studied fiddle with Dewey and Will Balfa, Canray Fontenot and Dennis McGee. Michael also plays with his band Beausoleil, another very popular and internationally known Cajun band that has played here.

Trailer Trash will open at 8:00 PM. There will be a Cajun dance lesson at 9:00 PM with Maurine McCort before the Savoy-Doucet band starts. The cost for the whole evening is $12. If you join the Krewe de Walleye at the door you save $5 off your dance admission and get other benefits as well; look for the membership table in the lobby. If you are interested in volunteering at this or future Krewe events call Carroll at (651) 699-0376.
 

BEAU JOCQUE GONE AT 45

Zydeco music fans were shocked and saddened in September by the death of Beau Jocque of a heart attack at the age of 45. He had played Thursday, September 9 at the Rock 'N' Bowl in New Orleans. The next morning he died at home. His father, Sandrus Espre, had passed away a few weeks before. 

Beau Jocque was born Andrus Espre. Following an accident while working construction in 1987 he took up the accordion while his back was on the mend. He went to clubs and listened to the sounds that seemed to get people moving. By 1992 he had developed his style and showed that he had done his research well. His band was one of the top acts in zydeco; appearing on national television frequently and getting coverage in Rolling Stone magazine. One of his biggest songs was 'Give Him Cornbread'; fans at one zydeco festival pelted him with just that in tribute. His back still gave him problems, though, and he frequently played with pain in his back and hip. He also had heart problems.

Beau is survived by his wife Shelly and two sons, Andrus Adrian Espre and Justin Travis Espre. Services were held September 15 in his home town of Kinder and he was buried in Eunice. He will be missed by many people; our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. 
 

COMMUNITY DANCE IN DALBO

A community dance is scheduled for Saturday, October 9 at the town hall in Dalbo, Minnesota. Dalbo is located on Highway 47 in Isanti County about an hour north of the Twin Cities. Music will be provided by a variety of musicians and will include Cajun, Scandinavian, blues, country and more. Further details of the event were not available at press time, but it will probably start around 7:00 pm. For more information and directions contact NOTES & STEPS.
 

UPCOMING CAJUN/ZYDECO EVENTS

  • October 02 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MPLS
  • October 03 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • October 08 - Savoy-Doucet Band w/ Trailer Trash : MEDINA BALLROOM, MEDINA, MN
  • October 09 - The Midway Ramblers, Savoy-Doucet Band : FITZGERALD'S, BERWYN, IL (6:30 PM) 
  • October 10 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • October 13 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7:00 -9:00 PM)
  • October 15 - The New Riverside Ramblers : PARK BALLROOM, NEW PRAGUE, MN
  • October 16,17 - Bone Tones Farewell Dances : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • October 17 - ZoloGo : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • October 17 - The Midway Ramblers : OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC, CHICAGO, IL (6:00 PM)
  • October 20 - The Swamp Sextet : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE
  • October 23 - Cajun/Zydeco CD Dance Party : ORCHARD RIDGE UCC, MADISON, WI
  • October 24 - The New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • October 30 - New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • October 31 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • November 06 - The Cajun Hot Soles : PLAYWRIGHT'S CETNTER, MINNEAPOLIS
  • November 07 - The Buffalo Gals : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • November 13 - Beausoleil : IOWA STATE CENTER, AMES, IA
  • November 13 - Krewe de Walleye Anniversary w/ JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : FOUR SEASONS, MPLS
  • November 14 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • November 14 - C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band : STAR PLAZA, MERRILLVILLE, IN
  • November 17 - C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band : MARK OF THE QUAD CITIES, MOLINE, IL
  • November 20 - Cajun/Zydeco CD Dance Party : ORCHARD RIDGE UCC, MADISON, WI
  • November 20 - New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • November 21 - ZoloGo : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • November 24 - The Swamp Sextet : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • November 27 - Upriver Fais Do Do w/ Steve Riley : MEDINA ENTERTAINMENT CENTER
  • November 28 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 04 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MPLS 
  • December 05 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 12 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 18 - New Riverside Ramblers : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • December 19 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 22 - The Swamp Sextet : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
NOTE: Please call to confirm events more than six weeks from first item on calendar.
 

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK US...

People often ask us how we come up with the ideas for our music quizzes. Actually our research staff carries around slips of paper and, whenever a theme for the quiz suggests itself, jot it down and put the slip in an old mayonnaise jar. From time to time we ask them, 'Is the jar empty yet?' Apparently this question led to the quiz this month. Each of the songs below has the word empty (or a variant) in the title. Can you much the song with the performer? 
 
 
01) RUNNING ON EMPTY a) Elton John
02) MY MAILBOX IS EMPTY b) Stone Temple Pilots
03) MY WORLD IS EMPTY WITHOUT YOU c) Bad Religion
04) EMPTY COT IN THE BUNKHOUSE d) Jackson Browne
05) EMPTIEST ARMS IN THE WORLD e) Garrison Keillor & Friends
06) EMPTY CHAIRS f) The Who
07) BIG EMPTY g) The Supremes
08) EMPTY CAUSES h) Don McLean
09) EMPTY GARDEN i) Gene Autry
10) EMPTY GLASS j) Merle Haggard 

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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.