Journal 23

Travels in Louisiana and Florida:

Week One- Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week

(I am extremely fortunate that my job gives me the
flexibility to work in any location I choose. This
year I decided to take advantage of the situation and
rent a townhouse in Lafayette for 3 weeks and then head
to Fort Lauderdale to attend the Crawfish festival
there. Here is my report for Week One)

Jam session led by Bois Sec Ardoin

(4/22/02) What an amazing three days I just spent at the 2nd annual Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week at Lake Fausse Point State Park outside St. Martinville, Louisiana. If you love Cajun and Creole music and have been looking for a way to delve more deeply into its culture & musical traditions, and/or if you are musician seeking to learn from the masters of these genres, this was the place to be. For those who don't play instruments, you could attend sessions on language, cooking, crafts, native plants, Cajun and zydeco dance, songwriting and culture/storytelling. This event is sponsored by Louisiana Folk Roots and named in honor of the great Cajun fiddler, Dewey Balfa, who is also the father of this non-profit organizations director, Christine Balfa.

I registered as a Local Lagniappe Program participant for 2 days and was able to attend a fascinating session on Cajun & Creole storytelling by folklorist and historian Barry Ancelet, who turned out to be quite a master storyteller himself, as well as a session with Lil Buck Senegal talking about his years on the road with Clifton Chenier. I also participated in the various dances and late evening jam sessions. Bois Sec Ardoin, Steve Riley, Edward Poullard, David Greely, Ann Savoy, Al Berard, Preston Frank, Lawrence Ardoin, Jesse Lege, Sam Broussard, Christine Balfa, Dirk Powell, Courtney Granger & Peter Schwartz were just a few of the musicians/staff members who were in the jams as well as always accessible to camp participants during the time I was in attendance. Pat Mould and Courtney Granger were kind enough to give me pointers on playing the Cajun triangle (t-fer). I also met Cajun filmmaker, Pat Mire, who has produced several excellent films about his culture, one of which was screened during the week. The two dances I attended included Bois Sec Ardoin, with Lawrence Ardoin playing traditional Creole music followed by Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin playing modern zydeco one evening, and Jason Frey and Travis Matte playing Cajun music the next.

Balfa week had considerable international attendance, including quite a few folks who traveled from Europe to participate in this event. Chef Paul Mould supervised the kitchen and served up tasty Louisiana fare to staff and participants while different musicians came together at dinner time to provide mealtime entertainment. Sonny Landreth played in an ensemble one evening. Leon Thomas showed up another evening dressed to the nines and joined the band that evening to sing a few numbers. Ann Savoy led a swing band a third night. Those who spent the nights at the park stayed in nicely appointed air conditioned cabins right on the bayou.

Demonstration workshops, jam sessions and an all-day dance were the activities available on Saturdays Heritage Day, which was free to the public. Of all the festivals I've attended in Louisiana over the years, this event ranks as perhaps the most special. The early afternoon featured Youth workshops, Accordion & Fiddle workshops and Jam Sessions held in pavilions situated along the bayou. These intimate sessions focused not just on music but on putting the music in a cultural context, as presented by the folks whose history it was. It was sweet to hear the sound of Cajun twin fiddles in the warmth of a Louisiana afternoon looking out at such lush, evocative surroundings. Particularly memorable sessions I attended included David Greely accompanied by Linda Handelsman tracing 400 years of Acadian Music. What made this session special was how Greely used his own research into his personal family history (his ancestors were one of the original Acadian families to come to Nova Scotia from France in the 1600s) to demonstrate the roots of Cajun music as it related to the Acadian experience in the Old and New Worlds. Another great session showcased Al Berard and Karen England, accompanied by Sam Broussard on guitar, playing twin fiddles. One unexpected musical highlight of this session included hearing Kevin Naquin's band in the distance playing The Lovers Waltz on the main dance stage, when Karen decided to step in and exquisitely play the melody on her fiddle in the side pavilion we were sitting in. It was a haunting few minutes, serendipity at its best. Other interesting sessions I attended during the afternoon included: Steve Riley and Preston Frank (Keiths father) demonstrating Cajun and zydeco accordion styles, accompanied by Kevin Wimmer on fiddle; a session on the Creole Fiddle Style of Canray Fontenot, led by Edward Poullard (Dannys brother) and assisted by Courtney Granger; and a discussion on French and English songwriting presented by David Greeley and Sam Broussard. One highlight of this session was the acoustic performance by David and Sam of a new Mamou Playboys song about Canray Fontenot entitled "Bonnes Reves", after Sam spoke about how he wrote it. Another was when David discussed how he took a fragment of a old tune he heard and turned it into a new song.

The Heritage Day dance tent lineup was terrific, too: Jeremy & the Zydeco Hot Boyz, Bois Sec Ardoin, Kevin Naquin & the Osson Playboys, La Bande Feufollet, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys and Geno Delafose & French Rockin Boogie. The dance tent had a raised wooden dance floor and great acoustics.

I was really sorry when my three days at Lake Fausse Point came to a close. Too ease my suffering, I headed over to Whiskey River Landing on Sunday to see Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys again. They put on a fine show in this fabulous location, literally above the bayou, and were joined for 3 songs by surprise guest Wayne Toups, much to the delight of the crowd. From Whiskey River, I headed over to see File play at Randols in Lafayette. This particular evening I was struck by how often DJarma Garnier chose to put down his fiddle and instead pick up the electric guitar. Watching the Mamou Playboys, Wayne Toups and File on this Sunday made me consider how strongly this modern generation of Cajun bands is influenced by rock and roll. Perhaps it is a baby boomer thing, but when you talk to, or read comments by many contemporary Cajun musicians, quite a few of them talk about growing up listening to the Beatles and only later reconnecting with their Cajun roots. When you hear Sam Broussard of the Mamou Playboys take off in the ozone playing kick ass guitar licks or David Egan get groovin on boogie woogie piano during a File set, you can really hear rocks influence on Cajun music, which stands in contrast to older arrangements of many of these same songs. These musicians are respectful enough to keep the old tunes alive and yet their contemporary sensibilities infuse what they play, serving to make their roots music immediately accessible to a much wider audience, who, as it turns out, may one day find themselves traveling to Louisiana to sit by the bayou and soak it all in.

This morning I woke up listening to KRVS, the local public radio station, playing Cajun tunes with the announcer speaking in French. The show was followed by NPRs Morning Edition. Ain't life just grand?

To be continued..

(4/29/02) I just didn't know what I was missing all these years, nor did I understand why many friends kept telling me that their favorite festival in Louisiana was Festival International de Louisiane in downtown Lafayette. Now, after having spent the last 5 days attending FI, all I can say is "wow". Three evenings and two full days of fabulous music by Louisiana and international artists with a predominately French connection. And the admission charge - none! - except you could buy a souvenir pin (or 2, as they had 2 different styles available) for $5 each to help support the festival. Add to that easy street parking, lots of great food and craft booths, Louisiana cooking demonstrations, street performers, an Artwalk on the first evening, and late night performances at Grant Street for a ridiculously low price, and you have in total one terrific event.

Final Festival Jam: L-R: David Greely, Sonny Landreth, Michael Doucet, Steve Riley, Blaine Gaspard, Ann Savoy, Sam Broussard & DL Menard.

The festival had 6 stages with music performances starting on Friday night (Wednesday had 1 stage, and Thursday had 2 stages going). The starting time of the acts were staggered, and I really appreciated that many of the international artists played on more than one day, so if you missed them on one day you could see them on another. I also was glad that the festival was broadcast live on the KRVS radio (krvs.org) and then repeated in the evenings. Since I was unfamiliar with many of these artists, I was able to get recommendations during the festival by talking to friends or hearing the radio broadcast in my car or at home. Then I made sure to sample their performances the following day. I discovered some great music this way.

Among the many Cajun and zydeco bands that played during the festival, I was able to see: Hadley J. Castille & the Cajun Sharecroppers Band, Bruce Daigrepont, D. L. Menard, Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, Rodney Fontenot, Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin, Bois Sec Ardoin, Step Rideau & the Zydeco Outlaws, Shelton Manuel, Eric & Clay Chapman with John & Jane Vidrine, Nooney & the Zydeco Floaters, and the festival closer - Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys with an All-Star Guest list that included Sonny Landreth, Michael Doucet, D.L. Menard and Ann Savoy. Other Louisiana bands I watched performing were Irma Thomas, the Red Stick Ramblers , Bobby & the Rockers, & Steve Conn with special guest Sonny Landreth. From New York, I saw Donna the Buffalo. From France I saw Tornaod; from Nova Scotia, Grand Derangement; from South Africa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and the Mahotella Queens; from Zimbahwe, I saw Oliver Mtukudzi (twice!); from the Congo, Tambours de Brazza. That is just a partial list of performers. Friday night I went to Wranglers in Carencro to see Geno Delafose, Saturday night I managed to see both Keith Frank at Hamilton's for a few hours before heading to Grant Street to see Sonny Landreth, and on Sunday night I went to the international jam session at Grant Street.

As I've been recovering from a knee injury recently, I found dancing on the concrete payment difficult but fortunately I had so many other great alternative music choices during the festival and in the evenings that I really didn't have anything to boo-hoo about.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Some of my personal festival highlights:

Cajun and zydeco bands:

Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic. Although Andre was listed as being a Texas band, those of us from the SF Bay Area know that Andre was born and raised, and learned to play accordion, in Richmond, CA. He put on a killer show, and I noticed a lot of musicians in the audience watching him demonstrate his accordion chops. Go Andre!

Eric and Clay Chapman with John and Jane Vidrine. Grandsons of fiddler Sady Courville, their beautiful twin fiddle numbers and a distinctive singing style made this a delightful set.

Separate sets by Shelton Manuel (fiddle), Rodney Fontenot (fiddle), Bois Sec Ardoin (accordion), D.L. Menard (guitar) showcased the legacy of these elder statesman of the Cajun and Creole traditions.

DL Menard Shelton Manuel

Closing Festival Jam with Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. This was one rockin' set. It started with a half dozen songs by SRMP, including Sam Broussard's crowd-pleasing "Bonnes Reves". The first guest of the evening was guitarist Sonny Landreth. Later Michael Doucet played several twin fiddle numbers with David Greely and sang several tunes. D.L Menard followed, and sang 2 numbers, including, The Back Door. Finally Ann Savoy joined the party to sing "Pa Janvier" from the recently released "Evangeline Made" CD, which she produced. This was followed by "Arrette Pas La Musique" sung by David Greely, and "Les Flammes d'Enfer" with Ann, Steve Riley, DL Menard and Michael Doucet taking turns on the vocals. The latter songs were also included on "Evangeline Made".

Other Music:

Tornaod (France) French Celtic music, with fascinating texture added by their persussion and sound effects section.

Grand Derangement (Nova Scotia) Last week at the Balfa camp, David Greely spoke about how early Acadian/Cajun get-togethers used to include step dancing, and here was a band from Nova Scotia that included step dancers as part of its very entertaining performance.

Mahotella Queens (South Africa) When I grow up, I would like to have half the energy and joie de vivre these wonderful women from South Africa demonstrated in their unforgettable performance.

Oliver Mtukudzi (Zimbahwe) "Tuku" plays music with gorgeous melodies and an infectious rhythm. His lyrics concern themselves with the serious social issues of the day, including one song about HIV/AIDS, yet his stage show is very upbeat.

Tambours de Brazza (Congo). Whew! The sounds of these congo drummers physically resonate in your body as you hear them and their stage performance is incredibly erotic. You just can't believe your eyes as these hunks of musicians dance across the stage with their drums wedged between their legs.

Sonny Landreth (Louisiana) (at Grant Street) Ain't nothing like watching Sonny playing fab guitar and perform his original songs south of I-10 to a hometown crowd.