Welcome to ISSUE #43 of FloridaCajunZydeco.com Update!

This newsletter showcases dance events from the FloridaCajunZydeco.com website and publishes articles not on the website pages.

We will try a new venue for our St. Petersburg area Cajun-zydeco dances. We have a dance on Tuesday, August 9 at Dennis' Truck Parts in Pinellas Park.  We will be dancing to some great tunes including several from Cedryl Ballou's recent album, Country Roads. Read the story, "In The Spotlight: Cedryl Ballou" in this newsletter.

On August 13, we’ve got Chubby Carrier at the Bradfordville Blues Club. Tickets are still available online for $25, going up to $30 on the day of performance, if they are still available. There will be a group of us from Tampa Bay for this show. It will be great.

We're on Facebook in Groups (Florida Cajun Zydeco Dancers) and with our own Facebook Page (Florida Cajun Zydeco). Check us out and "Like" us to see the posts and reminders throughout the week. This is a good way to get your Cajun and zydeco fix between newsletters.

FloridaCajunZydeco.com loves to travel and fits neatly in your pocket on your smart phone. Check the website for dance information wherever you may travel.

Regards, Jim Hance
Publisher, FloridaCajunZydeco.com

Tuesday, August 9 Cajun Zydeco Dance
in Pinellas Park

6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wood dance floor, air conditioning, great tunes curated by DJ Jim.

Dance lesson with Jane Hance at 6:15 p.m. Jane has taught west coast swing, country dances, and Cajun and zydeco for more than a dozen years after completing two years of teacher training and certification for all the club and ballroom dances from Michael Khiem in San Diego. For several years she was an instructor at Gator By The Bay teaching what she calls "zyde-swing".

Bring your own beverages; water and cups provided. Please donate $5 towards the AC and venue.  At Dennis' Truck Parts, 10265 68th Street, Pinellas Park 33782. Info: Jim Hance, j-hance@wowpromotions.com

Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
in Tallahassee August 13

The premier zydeco showman on the scene, Chubby Carrier is a third generation zydeco artist and winner of the Grammy Award for his album “Zydeco Junky” at the 53rd Grammy Awards in the Cajun-Zydeco category. Chubby incorporates the crowd into his performances, bringing kids and audience members onto the stage playing rubboards and singing along. His performances are high energy and great fun. Chubby began his career at 12 playing drums with his dad, Roy Carrier, and toured the world for two years with Terrance Simien before forming his own band, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, in 1989. The band has recorded ten albums and headlined at every major Cajun-zydeco festival as well as major jazz and blues fests, and recorded with major artists including Tab Benoit and Jimmy Thackery. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear and dance to Chubby Carrier at Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee on Saturday, August 13. For our friends in Georgia, the band performs near Savannah the following evening.

Sat. Aug. 13 --- Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band (Tallahassee)
9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Bradfordville Blues Club, 7152 Moses Lane, Tallahassee, FL 32309. 850-906-0766. Tickets: www.bradfordvilleblues.com

Sun. Aug. 14 --- Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band (Georgia)
7 p.m. at Tybee Post Theater, 10 Van Horne Avenue, P. O. Box 2356, Tybee Island, GA 31328 (near Savannah).  Website: http://tybeeposttheater.org

In 2006 & 2007, LISA HALEY yodeled her way through four Slim Jim Snapalope commercials. She also is featured on fiddle, of course.  Snapalopes were very silly marionettes made from Slim Jims and in these commercials they are hunted in the aisles of the mini mart. Here is an ad titled “Snapalope Trap”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8OJpIC8DS4

Celebrating 21 years as a band, Lisa Haley and the Zydekats is working on the band's 9th album in Los Angeles to be titled Sky Hook. Their 7th album, King Cake, received a Grammy nomination. I'll include a Lisa Haley song or two at the August 9 Cajun Zydeco Dance at Dennis' Truck Parts in Pinellas Park.

Spotlight on:

Cedryl Ballou

 A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Cedryl (pronounced “see-DRELL”) Ballou began playing music at the tender age of five, making his professional debut as a drummer with his grandfather, legendary guitar pioneer Classie Ballou, at the age of 11. His future as a frontman was inevitable—both Cedryl’s father, Cedric Ballou, and step-grandfather, “Rockin’ Sidney” Simien, were successful touring musicians, and Cedryl grew up steeped in Creole music and culture.

“Being raised in a family of musicians gave me the chance to learn the ropes,” says Ballou, “but also the freedom to try new things. This music is all about people—people change, and the music changes with us.”

A young but seasoned zydeco musician and singer, Ballou shifts easily from drums to accordion and vocals, fronting the Zydeco Trendsetters and touring extensively with regional zydeco artists including Andre Thierry, Corey Ledet, Rosie Ledet, Step Rideau and Soul Creole. 

On Country Roads, Cedryl’s playing is equal parts tradition and innovation. His original songs speak to life in south Louisiana with an undeniable groove that gets you, and keeps you, on your feet.

A post from Ski and Sandi in San Diego: "Oh what a night it was.....dancing to the sounds of Cedryl Ballou and the Zydeco Trendsetters at the 24th anniversary of the BTSC....high energy....our friend Ginny Collins was invited to play the rubboard ....she was awesome ....a fun night it was ...sharing a few memories."

https://www.facebook.com/chester.nielubowicz/videos/10154075333548060/

Cedryl Ballou Shares His Roots

Reprinted with Permission:
By Herman Fuselier, The Advertiser, September 15, 2015

Cedryl Ballou couldn’t help but play zydeco. The music and his family share deep roots.
In 1954, Cedryl’s grandfather, Classie Ballou, played with Boozoo Chavis on zydeco’s first commercial hit, “Paper in My Shoe.”

The late Rockin’ Sidney, Grammy winner and composer of zydeco’s lone million seller, “My Toot Toot,” was Cedryl’s maternal grandmother’s husband. When Cedryl plays his white, triple-row accordion, he’s carrying some of Rockin’ Sidney with him.

“He left that white accordion for me,” said Ballou, 32. “He played the piano note (accordion) and he was learning how to play the triple row.

“He had written the notes to ‘Don’t Mess with My Toot Toot’ with a Sharpie on the accordion. With the sweat and everything, it’s faded away.

“I tried to keep his handwriting on it. It’s still pretty special.” Ballou looks forward to showing off his family’s music legacy at After Hours. Ballou specializes in high-energy, contemporary zydeco, which is prominently displayed on his latest CD, Country Roads. Public radio station KRVS recently featured Ballou and band performing the single, “Letter,” in its Local Produce video series, which can be seen on YouTube.

Although he’s only 32, Ballou has more than 25 years’ stage experience. At the age of 5, he started as a drummer in his grandfather’s band.

The family was living in Waco, Texas, where Classie Ballou led the house band at Walker’s Auditorium. The group performed as the opener and house band for James Brown, Ike and Tina Turner and other R&B legends.

Ballou credits his grandfather for fanning the flames.

“He gave me a chance to get on stage and develop my showmanship,” said Ballou. “Even when drummers were calling and telling him, ‘You got that kid, you need a real drummer.”
“He’d tell them, ‘No, I’m using my grandson. I don’t have to go looking for him. He doesn’t have bad habits.’

“I was around him all the time. He was the one who really taught me the game, all the ins and outs of being a musician.”

Festival Salutes South Louisiana's Dance Halls

According to Herman Fuselier, music and entertainment writer for The Daily Advertiser In Lafayette, south Louisiana’s disappearing dance halls will be highlighted during the 2016 Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, which is set for Oct. 13-16 at Girard Park, Lafayette, LA.

This annual festival, which started in 1974, traditionally honors a musician who has had a significant impact on Cajun and Creole culture. "Dance halls" will be honored this year. These live music and dancing meccas once numbered in the hundreds in South Louisiana. But only a handful of these clubs remain. The festival will honor dance halls as numerous efforts to preserve their legacies are underway.

John “Pudd” Sharp, a researcher at the Center for Louisiana Studies, leads the effort with the Louisiana Dance Halls Project. After finding limited information and photos on the historic dance halls, Sharp began compiling a list as a side project. He’s up to 1,700 halls and still counting.

Sharp’s work is among the ongoing dance hall projects that will be on display during the festival. A “Cajun Dance Hall and Zydeco Clubs” exhibit, curated by Sharp and photographer Philip Gould, will be held Sept. 9 through Oct. 16 in the A. Hays Town House at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum on the University of Louisiana of Lafayette campus.
The complete festival schedule will be released later this summer. For updates and more information, visit facebook.com/festivalsacadiens.

Book on Historic Louisiana Dance Halls
To Be Released in October

In related news, the new book Ghosts of Good Times: South Louisiana Dance Halls Past and Present by Herman Fuselier with photos by Philip Gould is due to be released in mid-October by UL Press.

The book examines a world of Cajun dance halls, zydeco clubs, chitlin’ circuit R&B night clubs, swamp-pop honkytonks and other venues that at one time were prevalent throughout the region. Photographs by Philip Gould blend architectural imagery of buildings still standing with historic photographs of the clubs that he took in their heyday. Herman Fuselier and other writers provide a rich selection of historic accounts and essays about their personal experiences in the clubs.

The book also examines the dance hall scene today and how the venues have changed. The music following remains strong and people still come to dance. The surviving old dance halls and newer venues are still in full swing. Old or new, they are icons, a proud south Louisiana legacy of good times.

Herman Fuselier, a native of Opelousas, La., has covered the Louisiana music scene for more than twenty-five years. He is the music and entertainment writer for the Daily Advertiser and Times of Acadiana in Lafayette, La. As a freelance writer, Fuselier has contributed features to Offbeat Magazine of New Orleans, Oxford American, Living Blues, and other national publications. He’s written CD liner notes for Lil’ Nate, Leon Chavis, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Beau Jocque, Jeffery Broussard, and the World Music Network of Australia. He has been interviewed for cultural stories done by NPR, The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and more.

To order Ghosts of Good Times: South Louisiana Dance Halls Past and Present, use the form at http://www.ulpress.org/catalog.php?item=192

Florida bands Gumbo Boogie and Porchdogs are appearing at the following locations in July:

Aug. 21: Gumbo Boogie at Ace’s Live (Bradenton)
Sept. 3 & 4: Porchdogs at Johnny Longboats (Riviera Beach)

For more information, visit floridacajunzydeco.com/calendar.html

Find a list of festival events throughout the United States at floridacajunzydeco.com/festivals

August 4-7, 2016 --- Sailieu Cajun Nights Festival (France)
N'hésitez pas à nous contacter par téléphone ou par e-mail pour tous renseignements complémentaires. Tél : 06.08.53.88.75. Email: bayouprod@aol.com.
 
August 5-7, 2016 --- Long Beach Crawfish Festival
Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws, Dwight Black Cat Carrier and The Zydeco Ro Doggs, T-Lou and His Super Hot Zydeco Band, Theo and The Zydeco Patrol, David Souza and the Zydeco Mudbugs, The Mudbug Brass Band, Bonne Musique Zydeco, CZ and The Bon Vivants, The Bayou Brothers and AJ Gibbs Mr. 1-Man Show.

August 12-14, 2016 --- North Shropshire Cajun & Zydeco Festival (UK)
A joyous celebration of Cajun and Creole music, dance and cuisine featuring Wayne Singleton and Harold Guillory, Lisa Trahan, Flatville Aces, Bearcats, Joe Le Taxi, Rip Roaring Success, Jock Tyldesley and Vera Van Heeringen, Joli Blon, The Rosellys, Bakerfield -- Cajun and zydeco bands from US, UK and Europe. 

August 20-21, 2016 --- Cotati Accordion Festival (Cotati, CA)
MotorDude Zydeco, Mark St. Mary Band, The Bon Vivants, Do Wah Riders, Those Darn Accordions, The Mad Maggies and other accordion bands from around the world.  Festival location is north of San Francisco.

Aug. 28 through Sept. 4, 2016 --- Louisiana Proud Dance Cruise (New Orleans)
Dance cruise featuring Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners.  Website: https://www.travelmachine.net/Featured-Cruises/56

Sept. 2-4, 2016 --- Rhythm & Roots Festival (Rhode Island)
Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, Lucinda Williams, David Grisman Sextet, Donna the Buffalo, Dave & Phil Alvin, Matt Andersen & The Bona Fide, Sarah Potenza,  Uncle Earl Reunion, Dustbowl Revival, Roomful of Blues, The Revelers, Jim Kweskin & Geoff Muldaur, Cedryl Ballou & The Zydeco Trendsetters, Waylon Thibodeaux, Hat Fitz & Cara, Willie J Laws, The Huntress & Holder of Hands, The Suitcase Junket, Guthrie Brown & The Family Tree, The Quiet Life, Kelsey Waldon, Occidental Gypsy Jazz BandRhythm & Roots Festival at Ninigret Park, Charlestown, Rhode Island.

Oct. 1, 2016 --- The Creole United Festival (Sausalito, CA)
The Creole United Festival celebrates it's 4th year in Northern California, a rhythmic magnet attracting all generations from throughout the U.S. and abroad. Grammy-nominated Andre Thierry brings high energy and captivating entertainment  with special guest bands from Louisiana and Texas.  Fun for all ages, arts & crafts, kidzone, wood dance floor, food vendors selling a variety of authentic Louisiana flavors, Creole cuisines combined with a blend of California favorites and libations. Plenty of lawn seating and VIP reserved table seating available, set for comfort and serving delicious hospitality.The Creole United Festival at Lagoon Park, San Rafael, CA. No information posted yet.

Information and websites for these festivals can be found at http://www.floridacajunzydeco.com/festivals.html

Cajun-Zydeco Programming on the Radio

Here is a list of Cajun and zydeco radio programming streaming over the Internet. You can find this list and a host of other information at floridacajunzydeco.com/links.html

MONDAY

"Louisiana Dance Hall"
WRIR (Richmond, VA)
Mondays 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST (EST 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.)

TUESDAY

"Zydeco n Blues"
KMUZ, Salem, OR  /  Link: http://kmuz.org/
Tuesdays, 8-10 p.m. PST (EST 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.)

THURSDAY

"Zydeco Workout with Lola Love"
www.ustream.tv/channel/the-zydeco-workout-feat-lola-love
Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PST
EST 10:00 p.m. to 1 a.m.)
http://www.zydecoOnline.com

FRIDAY

"Louisiana Rhythms"
KFAI, Minneapolis, MN
Fridays 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. (EST 3 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)

SATURDAY

"Zydeco Est Pas Sale"
KRVS, (Lafayette, LA)
Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon  (EST 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Traditional, contemporary and live Zydeco sounds. Cultural conversation and information on community events.

"Zydeco Stomp"
KRVS, (Lafayette, LA)
Host: Herman Fusiler
Saturdays, noon to 3 p.m. (EST 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
Louisiana music including Zydeco, Cajun, Swamp Pop and Blues.

"Born on the Bayou"
KRVS (Lafayette, LA)
Saturdays, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. (EST 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
hosted by Lee Kleinpeter
Swamp pop and Louisiana R&B, zydeco, Cajun, blues and more.

"Second Line Parade" with Drew Miller
KSDS (San Diego, CA)
Saturdays, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. PST (EST 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.)

SUNDAY

"Zydeco Zity Radio"  (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Link: http://www.zydecozityradio.com/
Sundays 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (EST 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

"Cajun and Zydeco" with Charles Laborde and Jim Hobbs
WWOZ (New Orleans, LA)
http://www.wwoz.org/programs/cajun-and-zydeco-with-charles-laborde-or-jim-hobbs
Sundays, Noon to 2 p.m.  (EST 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.)

"Zydeco Workout" featuring Zydeco Lady, Lola Love
KZSU (Stanford University, CA)
PST 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., Sundays (EST 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.)

"Louisiana Gumbo Show" with Kid Red
WSLR (Sarasota, FL)
Sundays EST 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. (Note recent time change)

Atlanta Cajun Zydeco Association

August  6 --- T'Canaille
at Benson Center, 6500 Vernon Woods Drive, Sandy Springs, GA 30328; Phone: 404-613-4900. Free beginners dance lesson 7-8 p.m. Free intermediate dance lesson 6:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dance to live music 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

September  10 --- Johnny Ace and Sidewalk Zydeco
October  1 --- Zydeco T
October  29 --- Roux du Bayou
December 3 --- Jambalaya Cajun Band
The Atlanta Cajun Zydeco Association (ACZA) would like to remind dancers traveling to Atlanta that there is information about a hotel discount for out-of-town dancers on their website (http://aczadance.org/). “It’s the hotel where the bands stay when they play for us.”