Cajun Spotlight 

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

CAJUN DEBUTS AT THE NEW RENDEZVOUS

The new Rendezvous Ballroom has been open for a few months now and has a busy schedule of dances and lessons. Its new location is 2524 Nicollet Avenue in south Minneapolis. The space is on ground level, has 2000 square feet of maple floor and high ceilings. The first Cajun dance at the new location will be on Saturday, December 4 and have music by the New Riverside Ramblers. There will be a dance lesson at 8:00 pm; the dance starts at 8:30 pm.
 

HALF TIME REC SOCIAL DANCES

The Sunday Night Social Dances at the Half Time Rec in Saint Paul continue in December. Here's the lineup:
  • December 05 - The Cajun Hot Soles
  • December 12 - The Swamp Sextet
  • December 19 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt
  • December 26 - No Dance Tonight

LOUISIANA MUSIC AT THE CEDAR

Three dances in December at the Cedar Cultural Centre featuring music from Louisiana. On Saturday, December 4 it's JJ's Zydeco Paydirt; exactly two weeks later on the 18th the expanded New Riverside Ramblers play and finally on Wednesday, December 22 the Swamp Sextet feature blues, zydeco and swamp pop with a few holiday surprises.
 

CAJUN/ZYDECO DANCE LESSONS

Maurine McCort's popular dance lessons will resume in January. The (so-called) new millennium will start with Cajun dance lessons before switching to zydeco. Classes are held Saturdays from 4:30 - 6 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 Basics: January 8, 22, 29, February 5
  • Cajun Jitterbug: February 12, 19, 26, March 4
  • Zydeco Basics: March 11, 18, 25

KREWE DE WALLEYE PRESENTS

A CAJUN AND ZYDECO CD PARTY ON
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11
BRING A TREAT OR DESSERT TO SHARE.
WE'LL PROVIDE COFFEE AND HOT CIDER
ODDFELLOWS HALL.
CORNER OF RAYMOND & HAMPDEN IN ST. PAUL
DESSERT POTLUCK & SOCIAL AT 7-8, DANCE 8-11 PM
MEMBERS $3, OTHERS $5
{PLEASE RETURN YOUR MEMBER SURVEY}
REMINDER: SOME MEMBERSHIPS EXPIRE SOON!
CHECK YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD
THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!!


FOLKLORE VILLAGE FARM CAJUN WEEKEND

One of our office staff is fond of saying, "It's never too early to start planning for a good time!" One such good time is the Cajun Music and Dance Weekend held at Folklore Village Farm in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. The dates next year are March 17-19. We will have details in the next issue, but we do know that returning this year are Eddie LeJeune, Kirby Jambon, Miriam Fontenot and Charlie and John Terr. The Twin Cities' own Eric Mohring will be there also. One good bit of news is that the weekend will not conflict with MooseJaw, the popular old-time weekend held in March each year. We will have brochures for the Cajun weekend when they are printed.
 

STEVE RILEY & ASSOCIATES IN FINE FORM!

The dance on November 27th (just after Thanksgiving) with Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys was definitely NOT a turkey. Bolstered by the presence of "retired" member Peter Schwarz on bass and vocals (Peter is now attending grad school) and local ace slide player Lee Tedrow on guitar it was a fine evening. With Peter back they did several tunes featuring three-part harmony vocals from their earlier albums, and the solid presence of Lee on guitar was a treat not just for the dancers but for the band as well. It was a slightly more traditional set than in their last local appearance but no one was complaining. In talking with the band we learned that early next year they will be in the studio to work on their next album, and that some of them are working in a swamp pop group called Band of Gold which also has a release planned. Thanks to Millie and Lee for all their hard work on making the Fais Do-Do this year (and every year) such a great time.
 

LAGNIAPPE

…Michael Tisserand's fine book, The Kingdom of Zydeco, is now out in paperback. Look for Rounder records to release a companion CD early next year…you may have seen them worn at local dances or heard about them on the Internet. Laura Corbin's Zydeco Tie™ is available at select retailers in the upper Midwest and Louisiana or you can email her at zydecoplaywear@cs.com for an order form…Zydeco Hound records has released on compact disc Keith Frank's 1993 cassette Get On Boy. Also new from Keith is a live recording at Slim's Y-Ki-Ki on Shanachie …Cajun/zydeco dance parties in Madison, Wisconsin will resume in February with live music by the Cajun Hot Soles…the Hackberry Ramblers have been on the Cajun music scene for over 60 years, playing a lively mix of Cajun and Western Swing. On December 4th they make their debut on the Grand Ole Opry. The group was founded in 1933 by Luderin Darbone and Edwin Duhon; both still play today. Darbone will donate a fiddle used on their first sessions to the Country Music Hall of Fame…
 

BUFFALO GALS NEW CD RELEASE

The Buffalo Gals will have a CD Release Party on Sunday, December 5 at Tapestry Folkdance Center in Minneapolis. Members of the group are Cathy Mosher, Mary DuShane, Betsy Neil, Janine Kemmer and Maureen Mullen. Their CD, Buffalo Moon, features the variety of dance tunes and songs the group is known for - swing, Cajun, polka and more. The release party at Tapestry will start at 7 pm and go until 10 pm; admission includes cider, coffee and cookies. Tapestry is located at 3748 Minnehaha Avenue in south Minneapolis. For more information call (612) 724-5341.
 

CAFE CHRISTMAS

Café Accordion Orchestra presents a holiday concert and show on Friday, December 10 celebrating their latest CD, Café Christmas. The special event will be at Baumgartner Auditorium in the Brady Education Center at the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul. The show will also feature dance performances by Keane Sense of Rhythm and other special guests. Tickets are $10 in advance and available at Mahler Music in Saint Paul, Homestead Pickin' Parlor in Richfield and the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis. Tickets at the door are $12; the concert begins at 8:30 pm. The new CD will be available at the concert for just $10.
 

CLOGGERS HOLIDAY SHOW

The 18th Annual Holiday Show with The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers is December 18 and 19 at the Brady Center Auditorium at the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul. Special guests will be two of the hottest bluegrass bands in the area: The Pretty Good Bluegrass Band and Becky Schlegel & True Blue.

General admission tickets are available for just $13 at Homestead Pickin' Parlor; tickets at the door are $15. The show on Saturday the 18th is at 8 pm; on Sunday the 19th music starts at 7 pm. For more information call (612) 722-9577.
 

UPCOMING CAJUN AND ZYDECO EVENTS

  • December 01 - Chicago Cajun Aces : FITZGERALD'S, BERWYN, IL
  • December 04 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MPLS
  • December 04 - Midway Ramblers : CLUB ZYDECO, CHICAGO, IL (9:00 PM)
  • December 04 - New Riverside Ramblers : RENDEZVOUS BALLROOM, MINNEAPOLIS
  • December 05 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 08 - Midway Ramblers : FITZGERALD'S, BERWYN, IL (8:00 PM)
  • December 08 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • December 11 - Krewe de Walleye Cajun/Zydeco CD Dance Party : ODDFELLOWS LODGE, ST. PAUL
  • December 12 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • December 16-19 - Com An' Cayenne Zydeco : CRAWDADDY BAYOU, WHEELING, IL
  • 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
  • January 02 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 09 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 12 - Cajun Jam : HOMESTEAD PICKIN' PARLOR, RICHFIELD, MN (7-9 PM)
  • January 16 - Zydeco Brothers (Joel and Mark) : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 23 - NO DANCE!: HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • January 27 - Beausoleil : PABST THEATER, MILWAUKEE, WI
  • January 28 - Beausoleil : CABOOZE BAR, MINNEAPOLIS
  • January 29 - Beausoleil : A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, ST. PAUL
  • January 29 - JJ's Zydeco Paydirt : CEDAR CULTURAL CENTRE, MINNEAPOLIS
  • January 30 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 05 - The Cajun Hot Soles : WILMAR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, MADISON, WI
  • February 06 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 13 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 20 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • February 23 - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie : KOHLER ARTS CENTER, SHEBOYGAN, WI
  • February 27 - Zydeco Brothers (Joel and Mark) : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 05 - The Swamp Sextet : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 12 - The Cajun Hot Soles : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL
  • March 17-19 - Cajun Weekend w/ Eddie LeJeune : FOLKLORE VILLAGE FARM, DODGEVILLE, WI
  • March 19 - New Riverside Ramblers : HALF TIME REC, ST. PAUL


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

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG...

Each year we have a small Thanksgiving dinner for our staff and it has become a tradition to find a non-traditional stuffing for the turkey. While looking for ideas at the grocery store a few weeks back we wandered down the breakfast cereal aisle and noticed a special version of Cheerios on sale called Millennios (it has both O's and 2's). What it lacked was 1's because, despite the hype, the next millennium does not begin at the end of this December, but at the start of 2001. The reason is simple: there was no year 0, so the first millennium began with Year 1, the second with Year 1001 and the next in Year 2001. People who think the millennium begins in 2000 are, to put it gently, less than correct. The theme for the quiz this month is 'wrong', that is, songs with wrong in the title. Can you match the performer with the song? 
 
 
01) IT WON'T BE WRONG a) Toad the Wet Sprocket
02) RIGHT OR WRONG b) Leonard Cohen
03) RIGHT PLACE WRONG TIME c) Waylon Jennings
04) WHEN IS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY BABY d) George Jones
05) SOMETHING'S ALWAYS WRONG e) Ernest Tubb
06) ONE OF US CANNOT BE WRONG f) Crystal Gayle
07) WRONG'S WHAT I DO BEST g) The Byrds
08) TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT h) Wanda Jackson
09) WRONG ROAD AGAIN i) Dr. John
10) WRONG j) Sam & Dave

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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 $10.00. Email Notessteps@aol.com or NOTES & STEPS/CAJUN SPOTLIGHT, John Tallaksen, 2425 East Franklin, #211 Minneapolis, MN 55406.