Cajun and zydeco music is not just for old people

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thoughts?

A group known as the "Cajun Grateful Dead' does not interest me even if Michael Doucet from Beausoleil was once a member. But hey that's just me, maybe you like the Dead.

No shit! Really??! on "Wondering." I can totally hear that.

And obviously the man lived a long, full life, but enough of the death stuff already.

Cajun and country music are obsessed with death! Plus the young Cajun players are always talking about the old cajun players they learned from. Weirdly I don't read the young Creole zydeco players talking as much the same way (although they often learn from the old guys too).

I need to find the time to learn about the younger Houston zydeco outfits Novamax posted the myspace sites of on his October 27t posting above.

A note from Washington, D.C.'s Zydeco DJ Texas Fred.......
Tomorrow, while you're preparing your turkey dinner.......turn your TV on and watch him ride and play Zydeco with the Zydeco Cowboyz & Cowgirlz in the McDonald's 75th Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago!
This is really going to be something for us all to see! Fred and his horse Maggie, and some 14 other Zydeco horseback riders, will be followed by a truck blasting Zydeco music from it. Alongside will be 6 lucky Zydeco dancers, dancing to the music all the way down the parade route! Look out Chi-town, here they come! Yeah, you right!
Be sure to watch for it! The parade will be broadcast live on the WGN network nationally on cable, from 8-11am CST: WGN-TV9, WGN-HD, and WGN America. Or, watch it live on-line by clicking here: Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade. Texas Fred and his posse will be on camera at approximately 10-10:30am CST. Spread the word!
And to Everyone ~ Have a Happy Zydeco Thanksgiving, y'all!

You can see an hour long Red Stick Ramblers Cajun and swing show on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage archives here-http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/search_results.cfm?RequestTimeout=500#

I hear Brad Randell and the Zydeco Ballers from Louisiana were awesome last night at Remington's in Laurel, Maryland, in between DC and Baltimore. They will be at Glen Echo Park in Maryland this afternoon at around 4 (and maybe helping zydeco dance lessons at 3). On Jan 14 2009 they'll be at the Mermaid Inn in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and on Jan 17 2009 they'll be at the Eagle Club Ossining, New York

You can hear them here:

http://www.myspace.com/bradrandellandthezydecoballers

I wonder who won the Cajun and Zydeco grammy. It was controversial because they nominated only Cajun folks basically, including someone from Los Angeles who was tryig hard to get folks to vote for him.

Rosie Ledet was not nominated (no new album) but she's great. Here's a recent live gig of hers with Lil' Malcolm's band backing her.

Curmudgeon, Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album: "Live At The 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival," BeauSoleil & Michael Doucet

Thanks, Doucet & Beausoleil were competing against themselves as they had a studio album also nominated. Wilson Savoy of the Pine aleaf Boys noted that Cajun band Feofollet were not nominated, and of course no zydeco. It's a shame but to be expected.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/arts/dance/23elis.html?scp=2&sq=zydeco&st=cse

Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys with a modern dance company in NYC. I hear they were great on their recent East Coast tour (without the NY dance co.)

Some year I have to make it to this fest that includes just performers singing in French--Cajun, zydeco, African, and more. Below are the Louisiana locals-

April 22-26 Wednesday-Sunday Festival International
Jefferson St & W Vermilion St, Lafayette, LA 70501
Info: (337) 232-8086
Ann Savoy and Her Sleepless Knights (LA Cajun,Swing)
Chris Ardoin & NuStep (LA Zydeco)
Feufollet (LA Cajun)
Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie (LA Zydeco,Creole)
Pine Leaf Boys (LA Cajun,Creole)
The Red Stick Ramblers (LA Cajun,Swing)
Lost Bayou Ramblers (LA Cajun)
Racines (LA Cajun,Creole)
Bluerunners (LA Cajun,Zydeco,Roots,Rock)
Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys (LA Zydeco)
Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys (LA Cajun)
T-Sale (LA Cajun)
Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience (LA Zydeco,Other)
Many other Non-Cajun/Zydeco Performers
Roddie Romero & the Hub City All Stars (LA Cajun,Zydeco,R&B) (Sun)

"Kemosabe, big ballin' is my hobby," I wonder who sings this? Texas Fred the Zydeco Cowboy is playing it right now on his wpfw radio show that's also streamed live online on Saturdays from 2 to 4 US east coast time.

I think it might be Brad Randell & the Zydeco Ballers

Zydeco Legend Roy Carrier is home now but has been hospitalized twice in the past few weeks with a serious blood clot in his leg (which he still has). He is on medication to dissolve the clot but as many of you know thrombosis is no walk in the park.
Needless to say he has not been able to work and has medical bill piling up.
If you are able to contribute anything towards these bills please send a check to:
Roy Carrier
PO Box 322
Lawtell LA 70550

Please pass this message on to any people/lists involved with or fans of Louisiana music - and especially friends/fans of Roy

The DC zydeco scene shaking and spinning to Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-chas at Glen Echo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34zGqXdOZMY&NR=1

From Wayne Kahn's Right on Rhythm Roots & Bluesletter

Zydeco Legend Roy Carrier had surgury Tuesday morning to insert a filter in his leg to prevent any clots from migrating towards critical areas. He is at home resting and will not be working during this recuperation period. His son Chubby is working with a few of the arts/musician help orgs that are in Louisiana as well as the Musicares Foundation to secure assistance for Roy in covering his medical needs and bills. We have begun some preliminary discusions about pulling together a benefit show to help with that as well.
Roy still needs our help in this interem period with medical bills piling up.
If you are able to contribute anything towards these bills please send a check to:
Roy Carrier
PO Box 322
Lawtell LA 70550

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2009/10/26/q-a-with-dancing-by-the-bayou-promoters-michael-hart-and-sharon-schiliro/

Zydeco fest in dc post-event analysis

ROR CARRIER HOLIDAY ZYDECO FESTIVAL IS ON!!!
Wednesday December 30 thru Sunday January 3
Offshore Lounge Schedule

SETBACK FOR ROY

Roy went back into Lafayette Hospital on Christmas Eve and initially into the ICU. Multiple problems but primarily one with his kidneys sent him there. He is out of the ICU and into a regular room but there are a host of serious issues working on him. He is awaiting surgery set for Tuesday 12/29 to gather biopsy material from his lungs and that now is the most worrisome issue of all.

Roy says MY FESTIVAL IS STILL ON!!!

Dikki Du, Chubby, Louise and Roy’s sisters and brother will be running the show if Roy cannot attend. If you are in SW Louisiana over the New Years Holiday please make it a point to stop by the Offshore Lounge for some great dancing and show your support and love for Roy.

The great Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole are playing for free (and webcast) from 6 to 7 pm Estern time Friday at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage and then they're heading up to NYC where they'll be part of that big "world music" event. I like their recent late 2009 album.

http://www.shoutcastblog.com/2010/01/31/buckwheat-zydeco-wins-best-zydeco-or-cajun-music-album-grammys/

Surprise, surprise I say sarcatically, the Grammy folks chose Buckwheat Zydeco for the Grammy. He's not bad (he's actually quite good) but I would have gone with one of the others.

I forgot to post some of my research on hiphop and autotune r'n'b-influenced zydeco--state of the art stuff from Houston and Louisiana. Tonight I will get back to this

Nice thread, some good music here that isn't really available in the UK.

I read about Cedric Watson touring the UK some. The Louisiana Music Factory in New Orleans sells zydeco and Cajun cds (but they're very pricey). Alot of acts come through the W. DC area where I am, but many Texas and Louisiana acts don't tour and its hard to find about their music (some ends up on youtube). Curley Taylor is coming here--he does some modern r'n'b influenced stuff.

Was just reading dancers grumbling about Buckwheat live--too many show-off solos and abruptly cut-off songs

Lots of acts touring for Mardi Gras. Just missed CJ Chenier in town and now Curley Taylor (son of the zydeco musician Jude Taylor) is gonna be at Glen Echo in Maryland outside of DC Tuesday night-Fat Tuesday. He was just at Connolly's in NYC on Valentines Day.

Any of you New Yorkers seen/dance to any zydeco lately? Here's a NYC zydeco calendar:

http://www.letszydeco.com/

There's still a Creole audience out in the Bay area so there are always shows out there also.

Curley Taylor has such a soulful voice. Check him out on Youtube or Facebook

I forgot to post some of my research on hiphop and autotune r'n'b-influenced zydeco--state of the art stuff from Houston and Louisiana. Tonight I will get back to this

― curmudgeon, Monday, February 1, 2010 8:19 AM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark

looking forward to it!

great thread!

i like zydeco where all the instruments are overamped.

Computer problems and other stuff delayed me. Will do a partial update shortly! Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble seem to incorporate r'n'b influences from many eras--James Brown, 70s funk (kinda the way the late Beau Jocque did); and current r'n'b. Curley's on a US East coast tour now--did NYC on Valentines Day, MD/DC tonight, Baltimore Friday.

Chris or Sean Ardoin put out an autotuned zydeco single last year. I need to figure out which one--I think they're cousins. It's harder to find out about the Houston stuff. I wish "Novamax" who wrote/ still writes (?) for Texas alt-weeklies would start posting here again.

My son dismisses zydeco and says it all sounds the same. To a degree he's kinda right, but this is music designed for dancing and the best performers do manage to incorporate some unique melodies, hooks, or other touches (overamped instrumentation) that make individual songs and artists stand out.

My son dismisses zydeco and says it all sounds the same.

every musical genre ever to thread

Many Fat Tuesday zydeco and Cajun events today (and many fake lets throw beads and drink like we're in Louisiana-related happenings too)

Contemporary r'n'b and hiphop influenced zydeco in addition to Curley Taylor whose 2009 cd I should get:

Chris Ardoin’s “Swagga Remix” with guest performers J. Paul and Cupid is at Chris’s myspace site and I think it is on his 2008 album Mr. V.I.P.

quite a few bands in Houston
http://www.zydecoevents.com/bands.html

I was told to contact Houston zydeco dj JB Adams

Josh & the Zydeco Souljas from Ossun, Louisiana have been listening to the-Dream I think

Listen to "Souljas' Luv"

http://www.myspace.com/johandthazodecoouljas

I should have gone to Curley Taylor last night. Anybody see him in Ithica or Rhode Island or elsewhere on this current tour?

Roy Carrier Update 3/11/2010
Roy is set to finish the last of his radiation/chemo treatments this week and all indications are the treatment has taken. He will have scans done after the treatment and then wait 6 months for a check up on that.
BUT...
He is still having circulation issues with his right leg and the care there is ongoing with His spirits are still great and he wants to get out on the road and play!
Keep those cards & letters coming. He loves to hear from his friends & fans around the world.

BIG BENEFIT SANDWICH SALE & DANCE FOR ROY CARRIER & DONNA ANGELLE
Saturday March 27
at Roy Carrier's Offshore Lounge in Lawtell LA
(Donna had heart surgery last year and has also been hit hard by medical bills)
Sandwich sale begins at 10 am
pork --------- $3
chicken ---- $4
Dance begins at 9 pm until....
Music by Roy Carrier & Donna Angelle
admission $7
for more info or to make a donation call 337-351-2404
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The tax deductable non-profit For the Benefit of Roy Carrier Bank account is ongoing so if you are of a mind please consider making a contribution to help on his medical bills
IT'S TAX DEDUCTABLE!
Here is the info to donate money to Roy's account :
For wired donations the account name is:
Benefit Of Roy Carrier
Account # 819510637
Routing Number 065400137

If you wish to send a check by on-line banking or through the mail
Make the check out to:
Benefit Of Roy Carrier & put the account number on the check..
mail to:
Chase Bank
c/o Benefit Of Roy Carrier
800 Pinhook Rd.
Lafayette, LA 70503
www.chase.

Sandwich sale.... That's an interesting benefit idea for heart surgery...

http://www.theind.com/arts-a-entertainment/86-aae/6117-treme-filming-friday-at-crawfish-festival
Tremé filming Friday at Crawfish Festival
Written by Walter Pierce
Tuesday, 27 April 2010

The producers of the acclaimed HBO drama Tremé will be in Breaux Bridge Friday to film a scene for the New Orleans-based series. The scene will center around a performance by The Pine Leaf Boys, one of Acadiana’s most popular up-and-coming Cajun bands.

“They wanted to film at Jazz Fest,” says Pine Leaf Boys accordion player Wilson Savoy, “but Jazz Fest has real strict regulations about filming and they weren’t allowed to do it there, so I told them that we’re playing at Crawfish Fest, and they said they’d bring their crew out on the Friday night, believe it or not, all the way to Breaux Bridge and film us there.”

The band will be joined on stage by musican/actor Lucia Micarelli as part of the continuation of a story thread from the series; Savoy and Creole band leader Cedric Watson appear in episode No. 7 of Tremé with Micarelli, who plays an aspiring fiddle player trying to transition from busking in Jackson Square to becoming a part of the established New Orleans music scene.

Savoy says he and Watson filmed a scene last month in New Orleans in which Micarelli’s character gets a fiddle lesson from Watson’s character. In the scene to be filmed Friday at the Crawfish Festival, Micarelli’s character has won a fiddle contest; the prize is appearing on stage with The Pine Leaf Boys. Watson believes the Crawfish Festival will serve as a generic south Louisiana festival, although the producers may present it as Jazz Fest. The performance is also expected to be available as part of a Tremé iTunes package. The Pine Leaf Boys also filmed a scene for Tremé at Tipitina’s. Episode No. 7 is expected to air in May.

“It’s great for us, and it’s a great experience, once again,” Savoy adds. “The Tremé thing has been really fun for us to work with.”

April 28 - May 5, 2010
>
> Routes March On: Brass Bands & Cajun Youths
>
> Visit with musicians taking Louisiana roots music forward into the 21st
> century. Brass Bands like Soul Rebels, Rebirth and Hot 8 can be found
> everywhere in the streets and clubs of the Crescent City, mixing rap and
> funk with older traditional numbers. Over in Cajun country, the Pine Leaf
> Boys swap accordions and fiddles for guitars, moving back and forth between
> Cajun and zydeco tunes and new originals.
>
>
> See below for a full playlist, including song title, artist and release.
>
> Click here <http://bit.ly/b4KLs>; to find a list of stations airing American
> Routes.
> Or click here <http://bit.ly/18iwM2>; to listen to this episode.
>

RIP Roy Carrier

JOSEPH ROY CARRIER 2/11/1947 - 5/3/2010

It is with immense sadness that I pass on the the news that Southwest Louisiana music legend Roy Carrier died this morning of a heart attack in Opelousas General Hospital. Funeral arrangements will be announced when available.

Born in 1947, Roy was playing rub board by age six with his father Warren and other relatives and friends that would come by to cut up. Roy moved on to drums, but it was the accordion that caught his fancy. Since accordions were hard to come by, Roy's daddy wouldn't let him play, fearing damage to his instrument. Undeterred Roy "borrowed" his father's accordion and taught himself to play in the barnyard. When he got caught, he got a whippin'. However, Warren understood his boy's determination and eventually allowed him to play.

At 14 Roy formed The Night Rockers with his brother Murphy on drums and Chris Johnson on accordion. Playing guitar, Roy all the while watched what Chris was doing with the accordion and played it himself whenever he got the chance. A farm machinery accident a year later cost Roy half of the index finger on his right (chord) hand, and he nearly lost the ability to play the music he loved. Limited to the guitar it would be two years before Roy would return to the accordion. Meanwhile, Roy soaked up as much pure Zydeco as he could in local clubs around Lawtell and Church Point, Louisiana, following Clifton Chenier, Rockin' Dopsie, Fernest Arceneaux, and Marcel Dugas. Without the use of his right index finger, he developed a unique technique of "crossing" chords, something other musicians don't even try.

Roy came up front to play the accordion when Murphy and Chris Johnson quit the band. His own son Chubby, age eight, played drums. At the time the band featured two rub boards, with Roy's uncle, John, teaching Roy's other son, Troy then six. Roy often got together with Boozoo Chavis, Chris Johnson and Delton Broussard to play for the horses in the barnyard because they wouldn't be allowed to make so much "noise" in the house.

Roy took a job on the offshore oil rigs around 1972, and the seven-day-on, seven-day-off shifts allowed him to continue playing Zydeco. As Roy recalls, he was soon playing Zydeco in an era dominated by youth-oriented disco music and well before it became “cool” again. While many of the newer players moved towards other styles Roy would not. Roy and sons Chubby & Troy often refer back to the ridicule they were subjected to for playing the music that only the old-timers liked. Whenever Clifton Chenier, the King of Zydeco, was in the area, he made it a point to come out to see Roy, sometimes sitting in with him. Roy remembers what Clifton told him: "Roy, don't ever let nobody beat you. You're the best. Whether you're in the mud or the water or wherever, be a hog."

1981 marked the establishment of Thursday night Zydeco jams at Roy's Lawtell, Louisiana club, The Offshore Lounge. Patrons could enjoy as many as six bands for a two dollar cover charge. Throughout the 80's it became THE place for aspiring Zydeco musicians to meet, learn and jam with other Zydeco musicians. It is difficult to find any Zydeco musician that came of age in the 80's and 90's that weren’t encouraged and tutored by Roy. From helping Beau Jocque find his boogie to encouraging John Delafose to perform publicly to loaning equipment to Zydeco Force to giving Geno Delafose his first paying gig, Roy was at the center of Zydeco music development. Roy showed younger musicians what Zydeco is all about. He taught a lot of people in that club." Most of today’s active musicians played The Offshore Lounge on Thursdays, honing their Zydeco chops. .

In 1987 Roy gave up the oil fields and took his band, The Night Rockers, on the road.

Roy felt it was up to him to keep the tradition alive. “When I first came up in the 70's, I was playing for an audience of old timers. But, luckily, a lot of new people are discovering what real Zydeco is all about— the blues. I guess I’ll play the true stuff as long as there are people willing enough to listen. But catch me quick ‘cause I could very well be the end of the line.”

Roy is a bridge from all that Zydeco was-to what it is today. He belongs at the head of any list of Zydeco influences.

Hopefully thunderstorms won't impact the Swamp Romp at Wolf Trap today with sultry-voiced Rosie Ledet & her zydeco Playboys and Cajun vets Beausoleil plus others.

Rosie's voice was great, her guitarist's solos not so great. Beausoleil were as good as always.

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
General Information
When
Thursday August 5th : 8 p.m.
Where
Skirball Cultural Center
Los Angeles, CA
FREE

I was looking for things to do on my upcoming visit to California and saw this. I always liked Steve Riley & his band. They've got some great swamp-pop melodies that transcend mere genre exercises (and you can still dance to them).

Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble sure do a nice job of melding zydeco and circa 2010 r'n'b

http://www.myspace.com/CurleyTaylorAndZydecoTrouble

The keyboards and the vocals bring out the r'n'b influence effectively without overwhelming the zydeco aspects

Rhythm and Roots Festival in Charlestown, R.I. this weekend (unless Earl gets too rough). Sunday will feature Rhode Island’s only Cajun band, Magnolia.

Michelle Kaminsky, the gal with the funky glasses, gave Blake Miller (former Pine Leaf Boy, now with Cedric Watson) his first fiddle lesson.

Cool. So Blake's with Cedric. Interesting. A bunch of DC area zydeco dance fanatics are heading up there for the Fest. They love it. I'd have to practice zydeco dancing every night for months and months to be anywhere close to the technique level of those hardcore 2-steppers. Most of them have been doing it for years and years. I'm too much of a diletante -- dedicating myself to just Cajun & zydeco is not me (plus parenting, work and more). I wish I could zydeco dance well though.