Welcome to Issue #52
of FloridaCajunZydeco.com Update!
for May 2017
Can you believe it? Fifty years since the "Summer of Love." This newsletter showcases dance events from the FloridaCajunZydeco.com website and publishes articles not on the website pages. Join us on Groovy Tuesdays (First and Third Tuesdays), May 2 and May 16 at Caddy's in downtown St. Petersburg for Cajun Zydeco Dance 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. If there are enough dancers, we can go later. Dikki Du and The Zydeco Krewe
at Skipper's in Tampa on May 27. This band is outa-sight! See you at Skippers. The feature story titled "Summer of Love"
is on 1967 Musical Landmarks in Louisiana Music. Find out who did what, and who was born 50 years ago. 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 — in your pocket on your smart phone. Check the website for dance information wherever your travels take you. Regards, Jim Hance
Publisher, FloridaCajunZydeco.com
First + Third Tuesdays --- Cajun Zydeco Dance at Caddy's on Central (St. Petersburg)
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on first and third Tuesdays (April 4th and 18th) at Caddy's on Central, 4217 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33705. No cover charge!
Website: caddysoncentral.com May 2:
Songs About Death, Divorce, Drinking and Dancing Good mix of danceable music by Cajun and zydeco artists singing about death, divorce, drinking and dancing. It has been said that dancing to Cajun and zydeco music is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. Stop by and decide for yourself. We're in the lounge with a wood dance floor at Caddy's. It's around the corner from Ringside Cafe and Jannus Landing. Parking on the street is free after 6 p.m. and there is plenty of parking a block and a half away in the Sundial Parking Structure for just a $1 for the evening. No cover charge and drink specials the first hour. Great food. I can recommend the fish tacos and shrimp appetizer and the key lime pie. Stop by and let your hair down. Tonight I am featuring the music of
the Cajun Roosters, Thomas Big Hat Fields, The Revelers, Steve Riley, Andre Thierry, Balsa Toujours, Beau Jocque, Chris Ardoin, Boozoo Chavis, Lynn August, Cedric Watson, Chubby Carrier, Donna Angelle, Geno Delafose, Jeffery Broussard, Keith Frank, Leroy Thomas and a few others. Do drop in. Share this Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/129846100894135/
Sat. May 27 --- Dikki Du and The Zydeco Krewe in Tampa
Dikki Du (Troy Carrier) was born in 1969 in Church Point, Louisiana and discovered his love for zydeco music at the tender age of nine. Troy’s brother Chubby Carrier started a family band and offered Troy a job playing the drums. Troy toured with his brother from the late '80s until the '90s when he returned home to pick up the accordion. It has now been nineteen years that Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe have been on the scene. Dikki Du has incorporated his musical heritage and created one of the most innovative zydeco groups around. His original funky and hypnotic zydeco style announces that he has arrived, occupying a spot on par with the best.” Come out and dance to a great zydeco band. Skippers Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road Tampa, Florida 33613 813.971.0666. Cost: $10/$13. Come on out! Website for tickets: www.skipperssmokehouse.com
Sun. May 21, 2017 --- Gumbo Boogie (Bradenton)
5:00 p.m. at Ace's Live Music 4343 Palma Sola Blvd., Bradenton, Fl. 34209, 941-795-3886. No cover.
Summer of Love
Musical landmarks from the year 1967 in Louisiana musicFifty years ago was the so-called "Summer of Love." The younger generation of the time rejected the values of their elders. Many sought a new sense of freedom from conformity and restrictions and oppression. Many celebrated their individuality by acting less inhibited. Some taking drugs. Some openly defying laws that required they go to an unpopular and brutal war in Vietnam. Some challenging the policies of discrimination in street demonstrations, and sometimes riots. Some leaving the communities they had lived in for "communes" where they could live free of
social restrictions and judgments about their long hair. What seemed to be the universal language of the younger generation was its music. In pop music, rock 'n roll reflected the rebellion of the younger generation in ways words alone could not communicate. New FM radio stations appeared on the radio dial that broke away from the format of the AM stations of playing 3-and-a-half-minute songs. On FM radio, stations played long tracks of jazz, classical and rock artists which explored new sounds and tracks that broke free of the traditional limitations of commercial radio. After decades of oppression in public schools and in society, in the 1960s French speaking Cajuns began playing and sharing the language and music of their ancestors. Creole La-La music was brought to the world by zydeco
pioneers such as Boozoo Chavis and Clifton Chenier. In 1968, CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana) was established in Louisiana championed by Congressman James P. Domengeaux of Lafayette. CODOFIL required legal documents be published in French as well as English in 22 parishes of the "old French Triangle 'Acadiana'." While many disagreements arose over the integration of French (as opposed to "Cajun French") in the schools and society, the establishment of this organization was a start which began a recognition and appreciation of the unique Cajun culture and music in Louisiana. Before long, the Cajun French Music Association organized to preserve and celebrate the Cajun music of southwest Louisiana, and more recently the Louisiana Creole Research Association was founded to preserve,
appreciate and celebrate Creole history and culture. Here are some of the musical landmarks left by Louisianans in their music and the pop music culture at large in the year 1967 — fifty years ago.
1967 — The Balfa Brothers recorded The Balfa Brothers Play Traditional Cajun Music (Swallow Records, 1967)The Balfa Brothers (or Les Frères Balfa) were an American Cajun music ensemble. Its members were five brothers; Dewey on fiddle, Will on fiddle, Rodney on guitar, harmonica, and vocals, Burkeman on triangle and spoons, and Harry on Cajun accordion. Adopting the name Balfa Brothers in 1967, Dewey, Rodney, Will, Hadley Fontenot, and Dewey's daughter Nelda started touring folk festivals and European venues, playing Cajun music at a time in which its impact on American music had largely been forgotten. They made their first new
recordings that year, and played at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. They released several albums and appeared in the 1972 documentary
Spend it All. Over time they experimented with blending traditional Cajun music with more modern orchestral sounds. They continued together until 1979; that year Rodney and Will died in an auto accident. In 1980 Dewey's wife died of trichinosis. Following further lineup changes, the group continued under the name a few years later, and an ensemble continued to perform even after Dewey died in 1992. 1967 Clifton Chenier released "Bon Ton Roulet" on Arhoolie label. The album is rated #633 for 1967 favorite album releases by RateYourMusic.com.
Clifton Chenier (June 25, 1925 – December 12, 1987), a French-speaking native of Opelousas, Louisiana was an eminent performer and recording artist of zydeco. He wore a crown and cape when he performed, and after winning accordion playing contests in Europe was acknowledged as the "King of Zydeco." In April 1966, Chenier appeared at the Berkeley Blues Festival on the University of California campus and was subsequently described by Ralph J. Gleason, jazz critic of the San Francisco Chronicle as "... one of the most surprising musicians I have heard in some time, with a marvelously moving style of playing the
accordion ... blues accordion, that's right, blues accordion." Chenier's popularity peaked in the 1980s when he was recognized with a Grammy Award for his album I'm Here, the first award for his new label, Alligator Records. Chenier followed Queen Ida as the second Louisiana Creole to win a Grammy. Chenier was credited with the design of the vest frottoir which his brother, Cleveland Chenier, played in the Red Hot Louisiana Band. At the time of Clifton's death, he had established himself as the preeminent ambassador of zydeco through his concert tours around the globe. 1967 — Arhoolie released
ZydecoIn this year, Arhoolie Records released a compilation album titled Zydeco which included tunes performed by a variety of blues and zydeco artists: Paul McZiel performs "Alons A Lafayette;" Sidney Babineaux performs "One Step;" Albert Chevallier performs "L'Haricot Sont Pas Sale;" Willie Green performs "Green's Zydeco;" Herbert Sam performs "They Call Me Good Rockin';" Amade Ardon performs "La Valse De Amities" and "Les Blues De Voyages;" Leadbelly performs "Corn Bread Rough;" Lightning Hopkins performs "Zydeco;" Clifton Chenier performs "Clifton's Blues" and "Louisiana Stomp;" and Clarence Garlow performs "Bon Ton Roulet."
Jan. 7, 1967 — The Aaron Neville classic "Tell It Like It Is" hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Chart. The soulful ballad held the top spot for five straight weeks. It was included in Rolling Stone
magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" (Issue RS963).Aaron Neville (born on January 24, 1941 in New Orleans) is an American R&B singer and musician. He has had four Platinum-certified albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that went to #1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. His debut single, from 1966, was #1 on the Soul chart for five weeks. Mar. 10, 1967 — Zydeco accordionist and bandleader Jeffery Broussard was born in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Jeffery Broussard fronts the popular Creole band Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys. Broussard was previously a member of the popular Zydeco Force, and in his current band he has two albums on iTunes: Keeping The Tradition Alive
and Return of the Creole. Jeffery Broussard and The Creole Cowboys will be performing in Bradenton on Friday June 23 at Ace's Live, and in Tampa at Skippers Smokehouse on Sunday, June 25. Check www.FloridaCajunZydeco.com for a calendar of Cajun and zydeco events in Florida, and a separate page with a Festivals calendar. Mar. 18, 1967 — "Nothing Takes the Place of You" by Monroe, Louisiana native Toussaint McCall entered the R&B Chart in 1967; it went on to reach the No. 5 spot during its 15-week run on the chart. Toussaint McCall also charted on July 8, 1967 with "I'll Do It For You."
Apr. 13, 1967 — The musical "Catch My Soul" closed in Los Angeles in 1967 after grossing over a half million dollars; the play, a rock 'n roll version of Shakespeare's "Othello," featured Jerry Lee Lewis as the villian Iago.Jerry Lee Lewis born in Ferriday, Louisiana began playing the piano at age 9, copying the styles of preachers and black musicians that traveled through the area. A pioneer of rock 'n roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made his first recordings in 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis. "Crazy Arms" sold 300,000 copies in the South, but it was his 1957 hit "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin'
On" that shot Lewis to fame worldwide. He followed this with "Great Balls of Fire," "Breathless" and "High School Confidential." However, Lewis's rock 'n roll career faltered in the wake of his marriage to his 13-year-old first cousin once removed when he was 23 years old. Jerry Lee Lewis was the first person inducted into the first class of the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Aug. 16, 1967 — Louis Armstrong records his classic "What A Wonderful World" which hit No. 1 on the British pop charts, and remained at the top spot for 4 weeks.
Louis Armstrong (born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901), nicknamed "Satchmo" was an American trumpeter, composer, singer and occasional actor who was one of the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades, from the 1920s to the 1960s, and different eras in jazz. Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an "inventive" trumpet and cornet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. With his instantly recognizable gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also skilled at scat singing. Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his
trumpet playing, Armstrong's influence extends well beyond jazz, and by the end of his career in the 1960s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general. Armstrong was one of the first truly popular African-American entertainers to "cross over", whose skin color was secondary to his music in an America that was extremely racially divided. While "What a Wonderful World" was an big hit overseas, it did not chart in the U.S. because the label ABC Records did not promote it. The head of ABC Records did not like the song. Another side note: the song was was initially offered to Tony Bennett who turned it down. May 1, 1967 — Tim McGraw born
in Delhi, Louisiana.Louisiana country singer Tim McGraw has sold over 40 million albums and singles. He is married to singer Faith Hill, and is the son of the late baseball player, Tug McGraw. Starting with 1997's Everywhere, he developed a country pop sound, making him one of the first male country singers of his generation to crossover to the pop music audience. McGraw has released fourteen studio albums. Ten of those albums have reached number 1 on the Top Country Albums charts, with his 1994 breakthrough album, Not a Moment Too Soon,
named the top country album of 1994. Tim McGraw‘s song “Humble and Kind” won for Best Country Song at the 2017 Grammy Awards this year. "Humble and Kind” beat out Keith Urban‘s “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” Thomas Rhett‘s “Die a Happy Man,” Maren Morris' “My Church” and Miranda Lambert‘s “Vice” for the honor. McGraw has ventured into acting with supporting roles on television and in the movies.
June 24, 1967 — Shreveport, Louisiana native Brenton Wood's single "The Oogum Boogum Song" entered the Billboard Top 40 at #34. Brenton Wood would also chart the Billboard Top 40 on Sept 9, 1967 with "Gimme Little Sign" (on the chart for 10 weeks, peaking at #9), and "Baby You Got It"
(on the chart for 7 weeks, peaking at #30). The family moved to San Pedro in Los Angeles, California when Wood was a child. He attended San Pedro High School for part of his freshman year before moving to Compton, where Brenton became a member of the Compton High School track team and received several awards for his athletic achievements. Following his high school graduation, Wood enrolled in East Los Angeles College. Soon after, he took the stage name Brenton Wood, possibly inspired by the wealthy Los Angeles enclave of Brentwood. During this period, his musical interests began to manifest themselves. He was inspired by Jesse Belvin and Sam Cooke. Hee began cultivating his songwriting skills, and also became an accomplished pianist. July 1, 1967 — Zydeco accordionist and bandleader Chubby Carrier was born in Church Point, Louisiana.
He is the son of late zydeco legend Roy Carrier, and leader of one of the most popular zydeco bands today, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band. This month Chubby Carrier is headlining a Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival and in San Diego at Gator By The Bay. He appears at Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival in New Jersey first week of June. Check http://floridacajunzydeco.com/festivals.html for a listing of major Cajun and zydeco festivals. July 8, 1967 — "Tip On In (Part 1)" by swamp blues legend Slim Harpo entered the R&B chart.
James Isaac Moore (January 11, 1924 – January 31, 1970), better known by his stage name Slim Harpo, was an American blues musician, a leading exponent of the swamp blues style, and "one of the most commercially successful blues artists of his day." His most successful and influential recordings included "I'm a King Bee" (1957), "Rainin' In My Heart" (1961), and "Baby Scratch My Back" (1966) which reached no. 1 on the R&B chart and no.16 on the US pop chart. A master of the blues harmonica, his stage name was derived from the popular nickname for that instrument, the "harp."
Sept. 16, 1967 — "My Elusive Dreams," a duet by David Houston and Tammy Wynette, hit #1 on the Billboard Country Chart.Houston was born in Bossier City in northwestern Louisiana. He was a descendant of Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas, and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. In 1963, he rose to national stardom with "Mountain of Love" which hit number two on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart. Another song, "Livin' in a House Full of Love" (1965) did just as well. In 1966, Houston recorded his breakthrough secular smash, "Almost Persuaded." This song was nine weeks
atop Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart. For 46 years, no song equaled or bettered Houston's feat until Taylor Swift matched the nine-week record of "Almost Persuaded" on December 15, 2012 with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Houston was awarded two Grammy Awards for Best Country & Western Recording and Best Country & Western Performance by a Male in 1967 for "Almost Persuaded." Sept. 30, 1967 — "Fall in Love with Me" by Shreveport, Louisiana native Bettye Swann entered the R&B chart. The song peaked at No. 36, and remained on the chart for 8 weeks. Bettye Swann is better known for the #1 hit on the R&B chart of the
same year, "Make Me Yours"Swann grew up in Arcadia, Louisiana, and moved to Los Angeles, California in 1963. In 1964, she started a solo singing career, changing her name to Bettye Swann at the prompting of local DJ Al Scott, who became her manager. After a minor hit with the self-penned "Don’t Wait Too Long", her big breakthrough came with "Make Me Yours", which topped the Billboard R&B charts in July 1967 and made #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1968, she split with Scott, moved to Georgia, won a new contract with Capitol Records, and had another hit in 1969 with "Don't Touch Me." Oct. 14, 1967 — "And You Wonder Why" by Winnsboro, Louisiana native Fred Carter Jr. entered the country chart. Carter (1933 – 2010), a noted Nashville studio guitarist and producer, was the father of country superstar Deana Carter.Carter was raised in the delta country in Winnsboro, the seat of Franklin Parish in northeastern Louisiana. Carter grew up with the heavy musical influences of jazz, country & western, hymns, and blues. He started taking up guitar seriously in his early 20s and became a principle on the Louisiana Hayride. While on the Hayride, he formed lifelong friendships with many musicians including Slim Whitman, Floyd Cramer, Sonny James, Hank Snow, Faron Young, Johnny Horton, Jim Reeves and many others. Carter met Roy Orbison during this time, and became part of
his band, moving to Hollywood with Roy. Later, he worked with Orbison in Nashville on the Monument Sessions notably heard on "Dream Baby" as the opening guitar. He subsequently worked with Dale Hawkins of "Suzie Q" song fame, and then joined Dale's cousin Ronnie Hawkins whose group The Hawks later became The Band, (sans Hawkins). During this busy and formative time, Carter also toured and became lifelong friends with Conway Twitty. In the early 1960s, Carter settled into the Nashville session scene. He quickly earned a place as part of Nashville's famous A Team. His discography for the next three decades is extensive and wide ranging: Carter played guitar and mandolin for two of Joan Baez's albums in the late 1960s. He then worked on Simon and Garfunkel's
Bridge over Troubled Water. Carter provided numerous memorable guitar performances including five guitar parts for "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel (the iconic opening riff is Carter's creation). His guitar work is also evident on "I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal" by John Anderson, "I've Always Been Crazy," and "Whistlers and Jugglers" by Waylon Jennings. He also played guitar and bass on the Bob Dylan albums Self Portrait, Nashville Skyline, John Wesley Harding and on the Connie Francis hit single, "The Wedding Cake". During this time Carter was also a member of the supergroup Levon Helm and the RCO All Stars, composed of Levon Helm, Booker T. Jones, Dr. John, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and the Saturday Night Live horns.
Sept. 11, 1967 — American singer, big band leader, talk show host and actor Harry Connick Jr. was born in New Orleans.Harry Connick Jr. was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. His mother was a lawyer and judge in New Orleans and, later, a Louisiana Supreme Court justice. His father, Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Sr., was the district attorney of Orleans Parish from 1973 to 2003. His parents also owned a record store. Connick's musical talents soon came to the fore when he started learning the keyboards at age three, playing publicly at age five, and recording with a local jazz band at ten. When Connick was nine years old, he
performed the Piano Concerto No. 3 Opus 37 of Beethoven with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. Connick is ranked among the top 60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America with 16 million in certified sales. He has had seven top 20 US albums, and ten number-one US jazz albums, earning more number-one albums than any other artist in US jazz chart history. Connick's best-selling album in the United States is his Christmas album When My Heart Finds Christmas (1993). His highest-charting album is his release Only You (2004), which reached No. 5 in the US and No. 6 in Britain. He has won three Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards. He played Grace's husband, Leo Markus, on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace
from 2002 to 2006. Oct. 28, 1967 — "Go-Go Girl" by Lee Dorsey, entered the R&B Chart. It peaked at No. 31 and remained on the chart for 5 weeks.Lee Dorsey epitomized the loose, easygoing charm of New Orleans R&B perhaps more than any other artist of the '60s. Working with legendary Crescent City producer/writer Allen Toussaint, Dorsey typically offered good-time party tunes with a playful sense of humor and a loping, funky backbeat. Even if he's remembered chiefly for the signature hit "Working in a Coalmine," it was a remarkably consistent and winning combination for the vast majority of his
recording career. In 1965 he had a hit with "Ride Your Pony", followed by "Working in the Calming" in 1966. Dorsey toured internationally with the Meters backing him up. Nov. 17, 1967 — Swamp blues man Tab Benoit was born at Bayou Petit Caillou (near Baton Rouge).Tab Benoit (pronounced ben-wah) is an American blues guitarist, musician, and singer. His playing combines a number of blues styles, primarily Delta blues. He plays a Fender Telecaster Thinline electric guitar and writes his own musical compositions. A guitar player since his teenage years, Benoit appeared at the Blues Box, a music club and
cultural center in Baton Rouge run by guitarist Tabby Thomas. Playing guitar alongside Thomas, Raful Neal, Henry Gray, and other high-profile regulars at the club, Benoit learned the blues first-hand from a faculty of living blues legends. He formed a trio in 1987 and began playing clubs in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. He began touring other parts of the South two years later and started touring more of the United States in 1991. Today he continues to perform across the country. Benoit has been honored with the BB King Entertainer of the Year award by Blues Music Awards, inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, and has been named Blues Music Awards Contemporary Blues Male Artist. In 2003, he formed "Voice of the Wetlands," an organization promoting awareness of coastal wetlands preservation. Tab Benoit is a frequent headliner of blues festivals throughout Florida, and
he has a dedicated fan club in Tampa who attend his many performances in Florida and in Louisiana. The fan club Facebook page link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/132880796805693
Nov. 25, 1967 — Zydeco guitarist Joseph "Cookie" Chavis was born in Lafayette, Louisiana.Chavis has worked with Buckwheat Zydeco, Beau Jocque, Geno Delafose, Rosie Ledet, and others. Allmusic.com shows Cookie played guitar with Buckwheat Zydeco on Tomorrow's Zydeco, Buckwheat Zydeco Story, Trouble and On Track; he played guitar with Beau Jocque on Git It, Beau Jocque!, and I'm Coming Home, as well as Rosie Ledet's Now's The Time and Chubby Carrier's Take Me to the Zydeco. He played scrubboard on Keith Frank's sensational
Live at Slim's Y-Ki-Ki. Nov. 26, 1967 — Musician, singer and songwriter John Stirratt was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Stirratt has been the bass player for Wilco since their start in 1994, and was with Uncle Tupelo prior to that. He is accomplished on bass, guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, banjo and violin. Dec. 16, 1967 — "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" by John Fred & His Playboy Band entered the Billboard Top 40. The song title was a parody of The Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper
album was released on June 1), and John Fred's song ironically knocked another Beatles song ("Hello, Goodbye") out of the No. 1 chart position on the Billboard Hot 100. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song was also recorded in 2014 by Kevin Naquin & The Ossun Playboys on their No Guarantee / Jamais Garantie album. The Billboard Top 10 artists for Jan. 20, 1968 are mostly familiar to us today:
1. "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)" — John Fred And His Playboy Band
2. "Chain Of Fools" — Aretha Franklin
3. "Hello, Goodbye" — The Beatles
4. "Woman, Woman" — The Union Gap Featuring Gary Puckett
5. "Green Tambourine" — The Lemon Pipers
6. "Daydream Believer" — The Monkees
7. "Bend Me, Shape Me" — The American Breed
8. "I Second That Emotion" — Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
9. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" — Gladys Knight & The Pips
10. "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" — Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Your Festival Planner: FloridaCajunZydeco.com/festivals.html
May 5-7, 2017 — Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival (Breaux Bridge, LA)
Bands include Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Kevin Naquin & the Ossun Playboys, Lil Nate & the Zydeco Big Timer, Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band, Horace Trahan & the Ossun Express, Travis Matte & the Kingpins, Forest Huval, Roddie Romero & the Hub City All Stars, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Wayne Toups & Zydecajun, High Performance, The Revelers, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha-Chas, Wayne & Same Ol 2 Step and Corey Ledet. Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, Parc Hardy, Breaux Bridge, LA. The Crawfish Festival has become one of the largest gatherings of world famous Cajun musicians. All weekend long you can hear the sound of authentic Cajun, zydeco and swamp pop music rising from the festival. Whether your musical taste is Cajun or Creole, you can witness over 30 bands perform
over the three day event if you think you have the stamina. It's a perfect opportunity to see our musical tradition passed from generation to generation. Watch the Cajun dance contests, and if you're brave, join in. There's no better way to learn. There are even Cajun music workshops held in the heritage tent. Website: http://bbcrawfest.com/
May 11-14, 2017 — Gator By The Bay Zydeco, Blues & Crawfish Festival (San Diego. CA)
Headliners include Marcia Ball, Geno Delafose & French Rockin Boogie, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Igor Prado Band and Dennis Jones Band. There are more than 60 bands over the weekend. The event draws 20,000 each year, and offers the dancer seven music stages from which to choose, with two main stages offering 3,000 sq. ft. tented dance floors at each. The event is situated on mile-long Spanish Landing Park on San Diego Bay directly across the street from San Diego Lindbergh International Airport. The weather in San Diego is particularly nice in May with temps at the bay around 75 degrees, but bring a jacket because when the sun goes down it gets a bit chilly. Also, Saturday evening dance in the hotel is a tradition that usually gets members from several bands on stage jamming together. Geno is starting the evening off a 9 p.m., to be
joined by Steve Riley and Chubby Carrier on stage, but there are always more surprise artists in store. Website: www.gatorbythebay.com.
May 27-28, 2017 — Simi Valley Cajun, Blues Music Festival (Simi Valley, CA)
Cajun and zydeco bands: Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Jo-el Sonnier
Doug Kershaw, Michael Doucet, David Doucet and Mitch Reed, Crawdaddio, and The Bayou Brothers. Blues and some legendary rock bands include: Robbie Krieger Band, The Yardbirds, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and The Golden Eagles, The 44s, and Lazy Lester. Website: http://www.simicajun.org.
May 26-28, 2017 — Florida Folk Festival (White Springs, FL)
Florida Cajun band Gumbo Limbo Band
is among the many folk artists performing. Florida Folk Festival is a three-day celebration of the music, dance, stories, crafts and food that make Florida unique. From Irish fiddle tunes, techno contra dancing and kumquat pie, to the wide varieties of music brought by immigrants, the state's cultural heritage reflects the lives of generations of Florida families and communities. Throughout the Memorial Day weekend more than 300 performances give voice and meaning to Florida's heritage. Every year the Department of State's Florida Folklife Program researches a special topic on Florida's traditional heritage. The Festival's 2017 Folklife Area will feature performances and demonstrations celebrating the diverse living traditions of Southwest Florida. Be sure to visit the Folklife Area to experience the compelling
traditions and savor the flavors, sights, and sounds, of some of Florida's oldest and newest cultural communities. At the Florida Folk Festival you can sit with the masters who keep cultural traditions alive. In jam sessions, demonstrations and workshops, try your own hand at playing mandolin, telling stories, or making a pine needle basket. Learn how to collect your family's history, call a square dance, or the importance of native plant and animal species. Take a shopping excursion and visit with Florida's traditional and contemporary craftsmen. Then dine on collard greens and cornbread, chicken pilau and hoppin' john, shrimp gumbo, barbecue, curries, gyros and lime fizzes. As the sun sets, settle in for concerts by moonlight or dance the night away at the Heritage Stage. At the end of the day you'll have discovered new corners of the state from the people who call Florida home. The
Festival is held at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, which is located at 11016 Lillian Saunders Drive, White Springs Florida 32096, just off U.S. 41.
June 1-4, 2017 — Orange Blossom Country Dance Festival (Orlando, FL)
Country two-steppers, this is your Florida festival. Competitions, workshops with the pros, world champions Gary McIntyre and Susan Kirklin, and late-night social dancing with folks from all over the state and elsewhere. Shawn Swaithes and Donna Bonham Steinfeld are your hosts. Location: The Florida Hotel and Conference Center, 1500 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809. Website: http://www.orangeblossomdance.net/
June 1-4, 2017 — 21st Annual Strawberry Park Cajun Zydeco Festival (Preston, CT)
Bands include Geno Delafose, Jesse Lege, Kevin Naquin, Zydegroove, Pine Leaf Boys, Rusty Meter, C'est Bon, Jimmy Jo, Leroy Thomas, Magnolia, and Slippery Sneakers.
Strawberry Park is a 160-acre campground nestled in the heart of southeastern Connecticut, in a region of lakes, streams and ocean beaches, conveniently located near all the major points of interest, and only 5 miles off I-395 or 15 miles from I-95. Strawberry Park offers a wide variety of campsites, ranging from open lawns, wooded and shaded sites, some close to the facilities, while others are more secluded.
http://www.strawberrypark.net/strawberry-park/21st-annual-strawberry-park-cajun-zydeco-festival/
June 2-4, 2017 — Michael Arnon's 28th Crawfish Fest Festival (Augusta, NJ)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Kim Wilson, Anders Osborne, Tab Benoit, Rebirth Brass Band, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience, Charles "Horn Man" Neville, Henry Butler's Jambalaya Band, Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie, Little Freddie King, John Papa Gros Band, The New Stew featuring Corey Glover and Roosevelt Collier, Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band, Maggie Koerner, Kevin Naquin and The Ossun Playboys, Cabinet, Feufollet (2 Sets), Yarn, Brandon "Taz" Niederauer, Alexis P. Suter Band, Nick Moss Band, Mason Ruffner, Darcy Malone and The Tangle, John Ginty Band, John The Martyr and Krystal A. Livingston. Master Workshops by Terrance Simien, John Gros, John Ginty. Website: http://www.crawfishfest.com/
June 24-25, 2017 — 31st Long Beach Bayou Festival (Long Beach,
CA)
Pine Leaf Boys, Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers, T Broussard, Mark St. Mary, Dennis G and the Zydeco Trail Riders, and Bonne Musique Zydeco. Two-day family festival, food, music, dance lessons. http://www.longbeachbayou.com There are plenty more festivals featuring Cajun and zydeco bands. For more festival information, visit http://www.floridacajunzydeco.com/festivals.html
Outside Florida
Atlanta Cajun Zydeco AssociationSaturday June 10, 2017 --- Cedryl Ballou & Zydeco Trendsetters
Dorothy Benson Center, 6500 Vernon Woods Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30328.
7 p.m. Beginner Dance Lesson
8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Open dancing to Cedryl Ballou & Zydeco Trendsetters
$18 admission / $14 for members A native of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Cedryl (pronounced "see-DRELL") Ballou began playing music at the tender age of five. He made his professional debut as a drummer with his grandfather, legendary guitar pioneer Classie Ballou, at the age of 11. His future as a front man 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. Atlanta Cajun Zydeco Association website:
http://aczadance.org/ Houston/Texas Cajun-Zydeco Eventshttp://www.zydecoevents.com/texaszydecoevents.html Southern
California Eventshttp://www.icajunzydeco.com
If you missed last month's newsletter...Discover all of the Update! newsletters and feature stories on Cajun and zydeco artists on the "Stories" page at floridacajunzydeco.com/stories.html
|
|