Welcome to ISSUE #41 of FloridaCajunZydeco.com Update!

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

On the first and third Tuesdays, you can find us dancing at EDGE OF 9 to some of the best Cajun and zydeco tunes DJ Jim has been able to uncover. Check out the write-up below and make a plan to join us.

In October, Marcia Ball will be appearing at Ace’s Live in Bradenton, Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton and Daytona Blues Festival. You can receive discounts on tickets for those shows if you purchase your tickets now.

Also, 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

Cajun-Zydeco Dance at Edge of 9 in St. Pete on June 7 and 21

We meet to dance here on the FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAYS each month from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The music will be played softly from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for socializing and dance lesson. The music goes up at 7 p.m. No cover charge, parking lot, painted cement dance floor. No smoking venue. Hungry? You're welcome to bring food in from sandwich shop or restaurants. Check out the venue at facebook.com/edgeof9.  The address of Edge of 9 is 900 Central Avenue #25B, St. Pete 33705. It is located off 1st Ave. South at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street/9th Street.

At the Cajun-Zydeco Dance at Edge of 9 on June 7, I plan to play a tune from Cajun fiddlers Dennis McGee and Sady Courville who recorded some of McGee’s original music in New Orleans in 1928. McGee recorded and performed with Amédé Ardoin in 1929 and in the early 1930s, which is a story in itself. McGee and Courville reunited in the 1970s and toured internationally.  The song, “Rosa, Tomorrow is Not Sunday” was recorded in the 1970s, and I have it from a compilation CD, Les Flemmes D’Enfer (Flames of Hell), Best of Cajun and Zydeco Tradition.

Dennis McGee “was actually a friend of my family, so I grew up hearing him play,” noted Steve Riley.

Michael Doucet commented: “It’s hard to put into words how totally amazing Dennis McGee was. I met him in 1972, and I had to completely relearn everything because he was doing the old French style from the 1800s. I used to tape Dennis playing; I would just go over to his house and take coffee and let him be a mentor.”  

— Quotes from Louisiana Music by Rick Koster

Join us for Cajun and zydeco dancing in St. Pete at Edge of 9.  There will be three-and-a-half hours of non-stop dancing from recent recordings and some oldies too.

October Marcia Ball Tour in Florida

Put Marcia Ball on your calendar for early October. She will be appearing at Ace’s Live in Bradenton on Thurs. Oct. 6 and Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton on Fri. Oct. 7 on her way to Daytona Blues Festival on Sat. Oct. 8.

For those not familiar with Marcia Ball, she grew up in the small town of Vinton, Louisiana, right across the border from Texas. She began taking piano lessons at age five, playing old Tin Pan Alley tunes from her grandmother's collection. From her aunt, Marcia heard more modern and popular music. But it wasn't until she was 13 that Marcia discovered the power of soul music. One day in 1962, she sat amazed while Irma Thomas delivered the most spirited performance the young teenager had ever seen. According to Ball, "She just blew me away; she caught me totally unaware. Once I started my own band, the first stuff I was doing was Irma's." In 1966, she attended Louisiana State University, where she played some of her very first gigs with a blues-based rock band called Gum.

In 1970, Ball set out for San Francisco. Her car broke down in Austin, and while waiting for repairs, she fell in love with the city and decided to stay. It wasn't long before she was performing in local clubs with a progressive country band called Freda And The Firedogs, while beginning to sharpen her songwriting skills. It was around this time that she delved deeply into the music of the great New Orleans piano players, especially Professor Longhair. "Once I found out about Professor Longhair," recalls Ball, "I knew I had found my direction."

Marcia Ball has recorded with Capitol Records, Rounder Records and currently with Alligator Records. She has been nominated for a Grammy, and has been featured on numerous TV programs such as “Austin City Limits” and movies including Piano Blues and Angels Sing.

New York Times says, "Marcia Ball plays two-fisted New Orleans barrelhouse piano and sings in a husky, knowing voice about all the trouble men and women can get into on the way to a good time."

Boston Globe says, ”An irresistible, celebratory blend of rollicking, two-fisted New Orleans piano, Louisiana Swamp rock and smoldering Texas blues from a compelling storyteller."

Minneapolis Star Tribunes says, ”Ball is the bayou queen of the piano, steeped in blues and honky-tonk. When revved... she's a rollicking dynamo spewing heat-seeking triplets from the ivories while her horn-driven band wails. She's also a subtle songwriter and a formidable singer with a wisp of huskiness edging her Cajun-Texan twang."

So now you know.

Florida bands Gumbo Boogie, Porchdogs and Gumbo Limbo are appearing at the following locations in the next month:

May 27-29: Gumbo Limbo Cajun Band at Florida Folk Festival (White Springs, FL)

May 27: Gumbo Boogie at Cafe in the Park (Sarasota)

May 28: Gumbo Boogie at Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub (Bradenton)

May 28-29: Porchdogs at Johnny Longboat’s (Riviera Beach)

June 19: Gumbo Boogie at Ace’s Live (Bradenton)

June 25: Gumbo Boogie at Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub (Bradenton)

July 1: Porchdogs at Fridays on the Plaza (Winter Garden)

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

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

May 27-29: Florida Folk Festival featuring Gumbo Limbo Cajun Band (White Springs, FL)
This weekend, Gumbo Limbo performing at Florida Folk Festival. Starts off Friday with two performances including Cajun lesson and dance at Heritage Stage.  Florida Folk Festival is near intersection of I-10 and I-75 in northern part of Florida. Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park is a Florida State Park located in White Springs off U.S. 41, along the Suwannee River in north Florida. Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, 11016 Lillian Sanders Dr, White Springs, FL 32096. Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/folkfest

May 27-29, 2016: International Cajun Zydeco Festival (Netherlands)
Website: http://www.zydecozity.nl/en

May 28-29, 2016: Simi Valley Cajun, Blues Music Festival (CA)
Bands this year include Cajun and zydeco artists Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band, Doug Kershaw with Steve Riley, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Jo-el Sonnier, Bayou Brothers featuring Sista Judy on Rubboards, Mark St. Mary, Bonne Musique Zydeco, and blues bands Booker T., Eric Burdon and The Animals, Leon Russell, (the great) Barbara Morrison, Alvon Johnson, Guy Martin, Rebirth Brass Band, Reverend Tall Tree and Kelly’s Lot.  Website: http://www.simicajun.org

June 3-5, 2016: Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival (Augusta, NJ)
Bands include Marcia Ball, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, The Revelers, David Greely Trio, Amanda Shaw, Mike Zito and the Wheel, King James and the Special Men, George Porter Jr., Samantha Fish, Funky Meters. Website. http://www.crawfishfest.com/

June 9-12, 2016: 20th Annual Blast from the Bayou Cajun-Zydeco Festival (Preston, CT)
Bands this year include Geno Delafose & French Rockin Boogie, Pine Leaf Boys, Wayne Singleton’s Same Ol Two Step, Jesse Lege and the Bayou Brew, Savoy Doucet Dance Band, Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys, Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys, Jimmy Jo and The Jumbol’Ayuhs, Magnolia Cajun Band, Roddie Romero and The Hub City Allstars, and K Jones and the Benzie Playboys. Website.  http://eliteresorts.com/destinations/connecticut/strawberry-park/music-festivals/19th-annual-cajun-zydeco-festival-2015/

June 18–19, 2016: Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival (New Orleans)
11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. both days. Louis Armstrong Park. 901 N. Rampart Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116. Admission: Free.  Website.

June 18-19, 2016: Long Beach Bayou Zydeco, Blues, Creole & Cajun Festival (Long Beach)
Louisiana-style bands include Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners, Terry and The Zydeco Badboys, JJ Caillier and The Zydeco Knockouts, The Revelers, Bonne Musique Zydeco, Mark St. Mary Louisiana Blues and Zydeco Band, and La Recolte Cajun Band. Blues bands include Guitar Shorty, Big Jay McNeely, The Sai Whatt Band, Kenny Sara and The Sounds of New Orleans, Hard Rain, and Leon Hughes Sr. and His Coasters.

June 18–19, 2016: Muddy Roots Europe Festival (Belgium)

July 1-4, 2016: Waterfront Blues Festival (Portland)
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys, California Honeydrops, Tedeschi Trucks Band, ZZ Ward, JJ Grey & Mofro, Jimmie Vaughan and the Tilt-a-Whirl Band, Maceo Parker, Femi Kuti and the Positive Force, Curtis Salgado Band, The Soul Rebels, Samantha Fish, and more. Website: http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com

July 10-15, 2016: Cajun-Creole Week at Augusta Heritage Center (West Virginia)
"It's a great way to get out of the heat and head for some of the most scenic mountains in the East. Over the years a lot of Floridians have attended." Music and cooking workshops and dancing. See American Heritage Center YouTube Channel.  https://augustaheritagecenter.org/augusta-schedule/cajuncreole/

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 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Atlanta Cajun Zydeco Association

Saturday, June  11 --- Carolina Gator Gumbo
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.

July  9  --- Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys
August  6 --- T'Canaille
September  10 --- TBA
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.”