Festivals Acadiens & other ramblin'

(September 25, 2000) I just got home from almost two weeks in New Orleans and Southwest Louisiana.  The trip was planned around attending Festivals Acadiens but bracketing the weekend, I was able to spend time in Louisiana that I normally don't have time for when just flying in and out for a festival.  A local called me a 'festival leftover' but it was time well spent as I got to unhurriedly visit with friends, eat some great food, attend music venues without the normal festival crowds, and play tourist visiting small towns in Acadiana.   The weather was just about  perfect, too.  During festival weekend, a cool spell came through and  the evenings were in the upper 60's/low 70's and in the day, the low to mid- 80's.   Many people commented that it was the best FA weather they  could remember and I have to concur.  After the festival, it warmed up to the upper 80's and rained briefly most afternoons. 

Musically, there was an incredible amount going on and you just had to make choices to cope and know that you couldn't do everything and that no matter where you went, it would be good. If  you have never attended before, suffice it to say that fanatic C/Z dancers from all over the country come to Lafayette for FA  and it is  quite a  party.  Outside of the acts at FA, I was  able to see in New Orleans: Geno Delafose and Steve Riley at Rock N Bowl, La Touche at Mulates and (non CZ) Kermit Ruffins at Le Bon Temps Rouler.  Over the course of the week in Lafayette,  I saw Keith Frank at Grant Street,  Tee Mamou, File, Zydeco Force and Keith Frank at Hamiltons. Tee Mamou and Charivari at Randol's and Beausoleil and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas at Downtown Alive.   In Lawtell, I saw J. Paul Jr at Richard's Club. Regrettably I missed:  Balfa Toujours and Kevin Naquin at Whiskey River, Thomas Fields at Cafe Des Amis' Zydeco Breakfast, Lil Pookie and Boozoo Chavis at Richard's, Horace Trajan and Step Rideau at El-Sido's.  I heard that the Balfa Toujours gig at Whiskey River was an unforgettable evening for those who attended. 

Some of the highlights for me at the Festival  were: Zydeco Force, Les Traiteurs, Bruce Daigrepont, Balfa Toujours with Zydeco Joe joining them for 1 song, File, Tee Mamou, Beausoleil, Keith Frank sitting in for Bois Sec Ardoin, with Christine Balfa and Dirk Powell for a traditional Creole set (Bois-Sec's wife had sadly just passed away), and the Bay Area's Danny Poullard playing a tradtional Creole set with his brother Edward and D'Jalma Garnier.  

With so much music, it is impossible to describe all the shows I saw in the detail they deserve, but a few acts deserve special mention.  Tops was Keith Frank at Grant Street.  I arrived around midnight, just as Keith was starting. (The first act was Steve Riley).  Keith put on an amazing show.  When Keith is good, he is hard to top.  The evening featured a tight band, minimal stage posturing, great vocals & accordion playing plus a driving beat that wouldn't let up.  Plus, I had some incredible dance partners, non-stop all night long - including both local dancers plus folks in town for the festival ..  all in all  one of my best dance nights in years - reminding me where the passion for dance comes from.  When we left around 2:30 AM, I was a very happy camper. 

At the Festival, the Cajun super-group, Les Traiteurs, took the prize.  Sonny Landreth on slide guitar sets their distinct sound. He is joined by Al Berard, Errol Verrot, plus for FA,  Michael Doucet was on fiddle.  This band never travels but oh, what a treat, to see them perform.  The music is very Cajun with a rockin' traditional sound and the inclusion of Sonny's slide guitar somehow never tilts the sound towards country, but rather has more of an Allman Brothers Southern rock feel to it.  

Keith Frank's surprise appearance performing traditional Creole music with Christine Balfa, Dirk Powell, Kevin Wimmer on the Heritage Stage  was an unexpected delight.  The  dynamics of this impromptu band was fascinating.  On one number, the players had set up a lively dance tune, and Kevin started a fiddle solo.  Keith looked at the other musicians, nodded his head, and set down his accordion.  Then he picked up another one,  waited a few bars, nodded to the band again, and took up the melody in another key.  The change in pitch notched up the energy level in the playing and drove the dancers into a frenzy.  It was fascinating to observe and very impressive musically. 

J. Paul Jr. performed at Richard's Club on Sunday night.  I actually left Keith Frank's show at Hamilton's early to see him.  This is the 4th time I've seen  J. Paul and he keeps getting better and better.  He is a dynamic performer,  with a charismatic stage presence,  and  an exciting sound that to me combines zydeco with hip-hop, soul, r&b, Motown, gospel & performance art. His vocals wail and his accordion playing is hard-drivin'.  The result is an urban sound with a zydeco beat fills the room with high-octane energy -  very exciting to listen and dance to. 

For those who asked, there were several Zydeco Joe sightings at the festival, although Joe was not scheduled to perform anywhere during the week. During  Balfa Toujours closing act on the Main Stage, Joe was called on stage for one number where he sang and accompanied the band on rubboard.  He also joined Beausoleil during their Heritage Stage performance.  And yes, Steve Riley continues to play sets that combine traditional Cajun music with swamp pop and his new, more free-form material. 

Because I had some extra time this trip, I actually had time to enjoy some Louisiana cooking and not just eat fast and dash off to another dance.  Some food highlights include: 

Breakfasts at Cafe des Amis (eggs begnaud) in Lafayette, Hub City Diner and Dwyer's Cafe (great biscuits) (both in Lafayette); 

Brigtsens  in the River Bend area of New Orleans (Corn & Shrimp Bisque and Pan Grilled Rabbit);

Shucks in Abbeville - this restaurant was started by the cooks from Dupuys, who opened it when the Dupuys decided to close.  Later, a Dupuy relative decided to keep the original restaurant open, but their chefs moved on.  Shucks was packed, serving oysters on the half shell for  $3.40 half-dozen, or $4.40/dozen & plus great gumbo served with a side of potato salad; 

Catahoula's in Grand Cocteau- features New Louisiana cuisine in an upscale setting.  We had a yummy  Fried Okra and Oyster Salad & plus Fried Polenta topped with Wild Mushroom Sauce to die for;

Back in Time in Opelousas has the best Crab, Corn and Shrimp soup.  It is located next to WhatBayou Trading Company, a wonderful shop featuring the arts and crafts of local artists as well as selling a good selection of Cajun and zydeco music.  Cheryl and Blake Castille have a special ability to  make all who visit the shop feel like old friends by the time they leave.  I spent over 3 hours there chatting about music!

Bollino's Coffeehouse on South State in Abbeville. With expresso & cafe latte plus, as a local told me,   "pecan pie so good it will make you want to slap your mama".

Dunbar's in New Orleans- delicious, inexpensive soul food.  I had the special: fried chicken with red beans & rice & cornbread.

Don's Seafood Hut in Lafayette - a local favorite with  great gumbo and bread  pudding,  plus grilled fish, baked potatoes and steamed veggies! 

Cafe du Monde (cafe au lait & beignets)  & Felix's (oysters & Abita beer) in New Orleans.  The only places I have to eat every trip I make to NOLA.

Other highlights from  this trip:  

The historical museum in Abbeville where I learned about their  Giant Omelette Celebration, which takes place the first Sunday in November.  According to legend, Napolean stopped in the French town of Bessieres for the night and the following morning, the town prepared a giant omelette for him and his troops the following morning.  The town continued this tradition to feed the poor every year since.  In 1983 three citizens of Abbeville traveled to Bessieres and were knighted Abbeville's first Chevaliers and brought their French heritage and tradition home to Louisiana with them.  Abbeville's omelette of friendship, prepared in the town square, with over 500 eggs, is made with the addition of crawfish and tabasco sauce.   

The Tony Chachere factory in Opelousas where the smell of Creole spice is so strong it tickles your nose.

The Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center, with an exhibition of some wonderful  photos of Cajun and zydeco musicians by Philip Gould.

An exhibit of Zydeco photographs at Tulane University by Barbara Roberds, who also took the photos for Geno Delafose's "La Chanson Perdue" CD.

Audubon Park in New Orleans, and its wonderful walking/jogging/biking path around a bird sanctuary, and giant oak trees. 

The Konrico Rice Mill in New Iberia that still uses turn of the century equipment to process their rice. 

Needless to say,  I had a great time, and from musical, weather and dancing standpoints, it was the best FA I've attended to date. 

4th Annual Cajun/Zydeco Festival at Ardenwood Historic Farm 

Held on Saturday, September 23rd, the 4th Annual Cajun/Zydeco Festival at Ardenwood Historic Farm featured  Boozoo Chavis & the Magic Sounds, Queen Ida, California Cajun Orchestra, Motor Dude Zydeco, Andre Thierry and Zydeco Magic and the Zydeco Flames. It was a delightful event held in a wonderful location on a gorgeous day. A large wooden dance floor was set up and in between sets, Olivia Thierry gave dance lessons.  The bands all sounded terrific.  The highlights were appearances by zydeco legends,  Queen Ida and Boozoo Chavis,  plus the musician Boozoo proclaimed had all the makings to be the next legend in zydeco, the Bay Area's Andre Thierry.

 Grammy-award winning, Queen Ida, now in her 70's, played her distinctive, Tex-Mex influenced zydeco.  She has a peppy, cheerful sound and her gracious stage presence charmed the crowd.  

Ida was followed by Andre Thierry who is a masterful  accordion player. He played  hard-driving zydeco riffs that leave you breathless in astonishment from their creativeness and virtuosity.  

The festival headliner was Boozoo Chavis and the Magic Sounds, from Lake Charles, LA.  Sixty-nine year old Boozoo was in a gregarious mood.  He had relatives in the audience and spent time between sets bantering  with them and praising Andre Thierry's talents and modest personality.  He told the crowd he thought Andre was one of the best  players on the scene today and had what it takes to go to the top. Then, he showed us what the top was all about.  This  'Old School" zydeco master wrote many zydeco tunes that are now classics in the repertoire, including "Motor Dude Special" and "Uncle Bud", which he performed this afternoon to an enthusiastic audience. The Magic Sounds include Classie Ballou Jr on guitar and Boozoo's son Charles on rubboard.  Needless to say, the dance floor was packed. 

Kudos to Marianne and the Ardenwood staff for cooking up such an inspired line-up.  

Ain't Nothing But A Party

On the weekend, Nathan played for two completely different audiences. The Ben Lomand show could best be described as the Louisiana Bayou meets the Woodstock generation and the Deadhead crowd.  Some of the band members were in the cowboy hats, and  dark starched long-sleeved cowboy shirts that typifies stylish wardrobe in zydeco country.  Most of the crowd, excepting the 20-odd zydeco dancers in the crowd,  was in tie-dye, with whiffs of illegal substances in the air.  The crowd stared at the band.  The band stared back.  It was wild.  But everyone danced,  sang along, followed instructions when Nathan hollered "Lemme hear scream",  and had a great time.  Following the Cha-Chas, Elvin Bishop came on stage & right away pulled Nathan's rubboard player, Mark Williams, to do a number with him.  

Sunday evening at Alameda was another story.  A full crowd, including visitors from New Orleans, Washington DC and Southern California  were in the house, and everyone was on the dance floor.  It didn't take the band long to figure out they weren't in Santa Cruz anymore... and later on in the evening, Nathan said it felt like home to him here.  Nathan's band is one of the tightest and most professional in the business, and stay close to their musical roots and the stylings of Clifton Chenier.  Nathan's songbook of original tunes is extensive and the title song from his latest CD, "Let's Go" is as good as it gets for getting a crowd up dancing, or in this case, working a dancing crowd into a frenzy.  Some of the best line-dance songs have been written by Nathan and at one point almost half of Eagle's Hall was stepping back and forth in unison to one of them.  This was a sight to behold.  Nathan  also played a terrific version of Chris Ardoin's "Lake Charles Connection", a song that is on its way to becoming a  staple in the zydeco  repertoire, as just about every band seems to be playing it these days.  There were some great moments on stage as Nathan's guitar player swung his guitar over his head and played it behind his back.  And great moments in the audience as well as some of the local Creole community got up front of the stage and cheered the band on.  

Great Expectations: The Long Beach Bayou Festival

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Keith Frank made his California debut on Saturday, June 24 at the 1st Annual  Long Beach Bayou Festival. Along with the usual casual festival-goers, the  venue was filled with Louisiana music fans who were curious to see the man, who,  along with the late Beau Jocque, shared both the privileges and burdens of being in the zydeco spotlight  during the 1990's,  shaping and  defining the contemporary nouveau zydeco music scene we know today. For any musician who  plays a regional style of music, particularly one steeped in long tradition,  there is an inherent conflict in trying to win over new fans and increase your commercial appeal, while not abandoning the source of your musical strength and keeping your old fans happy. Keith Frank casts a large shadow on the zydeco scene and his greatly anticipated  performance at Long Beach, showed him grappling with those issues as he ventured  forth from Southwest Louisiana. It was fitting that sharing the billing with  Keith Frank at the festival were three other Louisiana musicians, Walter Mouton,  Willis Prudhomme, and Terrance Simien, who also have traveled that path from  home to Hollywood (well at least to Long Beach which is near Hollywood), and  found their own answers.

The Long Beach Bayou Festival is a fund-raiser for the Comprehensive Child Development (CCD) nonprofit organization which provides high quality care and  education for children of low-income families in the greater Long Beach area.  This is the 13th year they have been involved with a Cajun and zydeco  music festival in Long Beach, but the first time they have been the prime  organizers of the event. And for novices, they not only put on a great event but  managed to snag Keith Frank to boot. The Force must be with them, yeah you right.

As for Keith Frank's set, on Saturday, it was similar to his performance at this year's  Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans. Initially, the Soileau Zydeco Band came out  by themselves and played a short waltz. Then, in a tradition that recalls the  dramatic buildups of a James Brown show, they moved into a zydeco beat, while  Keith Frank teased the crowd and began playing accordion while still off-stage.  Finally, about 10 minutes into the allotted 90 minute set , the Man shows up on  stage and seriously kicks off the music. His set starts with a mix of songs from  his recordings which he often put together in groups of 4 or 5 to create a 20-30  minute nonstop dance medley. Then he plays with the audience, creating some audience interaction by setting up a shouting match to see whether the woman or  men in the audience can scream or say 'yo' louder. His next song is either a 50's or 70's zydeco remix, (the "Teenager in Love" medley from his latest album or as in Long Beach, the 70's hit, "Moving on Up". ). He also takes several breaks to play guitar  instead of accordion. Here I think his concentration on his guitar playing  dissipates the focus and energy of crowd and the momentum of the show slows down.  However, by the close of his set, he gets down to play the irresistible zydeco  songs that built his reputation. When this band means business, they can't be  beat. The music is in your face, hard, insistent and funky. The band members move up and back, and jump up and down in unison. Keith plays accordion behind  his back, over his head, lying on his back, doing aerobic Radio City Rockette  kicks to the beat, spinning around in circles like a whirling dervish, and  swinging the instrument over his head and over the audience. It is an exciting,  professional, polished, crowd-pleasing show. It is also a long way from Slim's  Y-Ki-Ki. And the audience's reaction to it is very interesting. The general  audience who stands out front, shakes their booties (and their beers) , and is  discovering Keith Frank and nouveau zydeco for the first time goes crazy and  cheers wildly. The new zydeco dancers, who are seeing Keith for the first time are also generally blown away. But us cranky old-timers, who have seen Keith playing for hours with no break in his home turf, come away a little disappointed. We know  what we are missing. With such a short time on stage, we are not happy when  those precious minutes are squandered on show-biz. Like junkies, we want the  intensity and rush we can get from the killer sets we know Keith can play if he  wants to. Yet, the audience for zydeco is small, and the realities are that a  general audience will probably enjoy this more commercialized introduction than the kind of  sets that would get us blissed out.   I should add that I did not see Keith's Sunday show but have the following report to add from Steve Swezy:

     Keith was hot.  He played better than Saturday. He said he loved his
     first time in CA, and he would definitely be back. He said there were
     a lot of great people that he met, and he thanked Franklin Zawacki
     (the artist coordinator). And then, near the end, he, the rubboard
     player, and two of his women friends paraded through the crowd, Keith
     playing behind his back! They walked onto the dance floor, into the
     center (of the crowd) for a couple minutes, playing the whole time,
     then to the corner near the stage, where he dropped his accordion and
     danced with one of his friends for a few minutes, then went back up on
     the stage. He looked and sounded like he was enjoying himself, and
     they sounded good.

To keep Keith Frank's set in perspective, he has not ventured as far from his  roots, as Terrance Simian has. Terrance has been in the zydeco limelight a lot  longer than Keith and his act has also evolved. If you have heard and seen  Terrance, you know he has a gorgeous voice, and his shows exploit that. He also  loves to play with his audience, periodically teasing them with handfuls of  beads which he tosses to the crowd. Terrance started out a true zydeco man, even headlined at the Plaisance festival. When he wants to he can play straight zydeco to knock your socks off. And over time, with success,  his audience has expanded. He has  performed and recorded with Paul Simon, appeared in the movie, "The Big Easy" , and was voted one of the Top 10 performance acts in 1987 by Billboard Magazine. His mainstay is to put in a gumbo of musical genres in his shows, which showcase his soulful voice and participatory stage act. At Long Beach  he did a lovely version , with no zydeco treatment whatsoever, of The Band's "The  Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". The general audience loves the pop-zydeco mix  that Terrance plays to perfection. He has successfully crossed over, even while he still keeps one of those barefoot feet of his submerged in the bayou.

At the other extreme of the commercial spectrum is Cajun accordion legend, Walter Mouton, fronting the Scott Playboys. Walter formed the Scott Playboys when he was only 13 and has been  playing music at the same dancehall, La Pouissiere in Breaux Bridge every  Saturday night for the past 30 years. He refuses to record because doesn't want to  create more demand for his music than he can fulfill, since the band has regular jobs, and rarely travels. And yet, in some ways, he has already been recorded.  When you hear Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys playing straight-on Cajun, you hear Walter in every note, as if Steve and Walter had been through a Vulcan mind-meld. Walter and the  Scott Playboys are as no frills an act as you can get: unpretentious, strong and out  there. Slide guitar, fiddle, accordion, drums and guitar. Two-step to waltz to  two-step. Walter plays in shorts, with the clip on sunshades flipped up on his  glasses. His hands are enormous, with broad, thick fingers. They must span  two-thirds of his accordion. It makes me wonder if great musicians, besides  having being musically gifted, may also have a physical advantage to the  instrument they gravitate too. I can't imagine these powerful fingers playing  the fiddle or piano with such alacrity.

Willis Prudhomme, who opened the festival on Saturday,  plays old-style zydeco as he has  been  for years. Like Walter Mouton, Willis just plays his music straight on. During his sets at Long Beach, he played a tribute song to Beau Jocque, and added Chris Ardoin's Double Clutchin' song to the mix, removing the signature double-clutchin' beat, and taking it back to straight zydeco.  It was interesting to hear, since most of us are used to the younger bands taking the traditional songs and goosing them up and this was exactly the opposite treatment. Yet Willis shows how  powerful and compelling the tradition can be, without the hip-hop and funk and  rap mixed in. It's fine that the young bucks put it there, but when Willis plays  you realize the music doesn't really need it. It stands proud and strong on its  own.

Also on the Long Beach schedule were several local bands. T-Lou and His Super Hot Zydeco Band play in the tradition of Clifton Chenier.  I particularly enjoyed inclusion of a saxophonist to this band.  The San Diego Cajun Playboys did a fine, traditional Cajun set. Acadiana helped out with the Mardi Gras parade each day.

Finally, I should comment on the Long Beach Festival itself, which is in a new and greatly improved location this year. Located out by the Queen Mary ship,  overlooking Queensway Bay, and Long Beach Harbor, it is a truly magnificent  site. This year, a wonderful dance floor was located under a big tent so we  could dance in the shade. However the floor was still to the side of the stage,  and from most of the dance floor you could not see the bands when you danced.  Also, the musicians' view of the dancers appeared to be blocked by the tent so  that special interaction was missing. Keith Frank's move on Sunday to play on the dance floor among the dancers illustrates just how important this two-way relationship is.  If the dance floor was not going to be  located in front of the stage so that other spectators could have an  unobstructed view, and the organizers had to choose between shade for the  dancers versus seeing the band, they did make the right choice, but it is a  shame that the folks who support these bands, year in and year out, were made the lesser priority over more casual festival-goers.  Years  before I started dancing to this music, I used to think of the dance crowd as  part of the entertainment when the bands played and I can't imagine that other  spectators don't feel the same way. I would respectfully suggest that the Long  Beach staff take a peak at what the other festival organizers, particularly at  Fort Lauderdale and Simi Valley, are doing with their stage logistics for next  year.

The other area of the festival that needs some fine-tuning is the schedule. This year, a  swing band was booked for mid-Sunday afternoon. First, let me state my own  musical prejudices. I am not a swing music or dance fan. So for me booking the band midday hurt the flow of the 2nd day. I think it might have been  better, if the organizers felt they needed to book swing music to attract more paying customers, to either devote a day of the festival  exclusively to swing music, so they could attract a critical mass of folks who  love that kind of music, or to put the swing  music at the beginning of the each day.  I thought I  saw quite a few people leaving when the swing band came on, and no new arrivals,  so it is unclear to me whether this experiment in mixing the genres was the  success they hoped for.

I want to stress, however, that these are two minor criticisms of an event that is overall a pleasure to attend. The location couldn't be better, the staff  is caring, the cause is good and the music is first rate. Kudos to all involved,  and particularly Franklin Zawacki, the artist coordinator, for grabbing that gold  ring and bring Keith Frank and Walter Mouton out to California, and to Murphy  Matthews and Connie Benjamin, who were the prime movers on the CCD Board, for  this event.

Simi Valley Cajun Creole Music Festival 2000

(click on the photos to enlarge them)

(May 27-28, 2000).  I attended the 11th Annual Simi Valley Cajun Creole Music Festival last weekend, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise, and I must say, they put on a  first class event.  From the quality of the acts they booked, to the beautiful stage, great dance floor with screening to cover both the dancers and the extensive area of picnic tables and chairs, to the pleasant fairgrounds with plenty of  shade trees  to the reasonable admission charge and free parking, this may be the premier Cajun zydeco festival on the West Coast right now.  

Simi Valley Stage

This was my first attendance at the Simi Valley festival, partially because it had been held so close in time to the Long Beach festival, and partially because I had never been inspired by the lineup.    However, the schedule this year was outstanding.  The Louisiana bands included Boozoo Chavis & the Magic Sounds, Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie,  Rosie Ledet,  Lil' Band of Gold (swamp pop featuring Steve Riley, Warren Storm and CC Adcock), and Doug Kershaw.  California favorites were represented by Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, Lisa Haley & Z-band and Acadiana Cajun Band.    And everyone was in fine form.  

Boozoo Chavis

 Boozoo, who closed the festival on Sunday,  was in a jovial mood, and played a strong set, interspersing his songs with lots of commentary to the audience.  "I'm 69 years old and I've been married to the same woman for 48 years and been playing zydeco for 50 years",  he told the crowd.

Boozoo's bass player, Classie Ballou, Jr. 

Geno played great sets both Saturday and Sunday.   I don't know how else to describe it but to say that Geno plays happy zydeco.  There is something about his material and delivery that always make me smile. After their  Sunday set, both Geno and Germaine Jack, his drummer,  mingled with the crowd during Boozoo's performance, and even joined us on the dance floor.  

Geno Delafose and "Popp" Esprite (right) 

Rosie Ledet was in fine form too. She looked good, sounded great, and hypnotized the male onlookers as usual.  For this Memorial weekend family crowd, she stayed away from some of her raunchier material.  Compared to her last West Coast performances several years ago, she has really matured as a musician, and is really a first class act now, with original material,  strong vocals and a unique perspective.

Rosie Ledet  

I also enjoyed the swamp pop set by Lil' Band o' Gold.  This is a band still seeking its style.  Depending on who has the lead vocals, the feeling of the band changes, from Steve Riley's Cajun-derived songs, to C.C. Adcock's rockers to Warren Storm's swamp pop ballads.  All the songs are enjoyable, but if you see them and are a C/z dancer, don't expect to be able to dance the entire set in your usual style. 

Lil' Band O' Gold

Doug Kershaw was the headliner on Saturday, and the dance floor was packed for his set with non-dancers moving up close to get a better look.  Doug had several hits with his brother Rusty in the 60's including "Diggy Liggy Lo" and "Louisiana Man", and is a wildly, enthusiastic fiddler.  I would put him in the theatrical Cajun show band category.

Three California bands also took the stage. Unfortunately I missed Andre Thierry's set with Zydeco Magic, because my flight was delayed, but I heard he put on a great show.  Lisa Haley's music is an interpretive blend of Cajun, Creole and zydeco.  She has an outgoing personality on stage and plays a mean blue fiddle.   Acadiana Cajun Band were also crowd pleasers. Their strong suite are great vocals and a set that included some nice original material.  

Lisa Haley

The only thing I found odd during the weekend was that the dancers from different locations really didn't mix it up too much.  At most festivals I've attended,  everyone mingled contantly and, in fact, much of the fun came from meeting people from other areas.  At this festival, it seemed to me that each geographical group had a section of stage that they congregated at and I felt that  I had to make a special effort to  meet some of the other dancers.   

The logistics and organization of the Simi Valley Cajun Creole  festival are truly excellent. If the organizers of the festival continue to book such outstanding musical line-ups, this will become a 'can't miss' West Coast event.  

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