I need an example of easy rocking, cajun tinged accordian. A swinging, sightly funky groove with some tasty driving accordian maybe. Any ideas? I have some running round my head but can’t think of the songs. Suggestions welcome!
Easy rocking Cajun tinged accordian.
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Yer man in Promised Land by Johnny Allen? Too obvious?
Just one of the greatest records ever. I love the cover of his cover by The Black Sorrows as well.
https://theblacksorrows.bandcamp.com/track/promised-land
Can’t go wrong with Buckwheat Zydeco:
From the same album “What You Gonna Do?” is just absolutely storming.
I Love You Goodbye, by Thomas Dolby is Cajun-influenced. There’s a well-known Cajun musician on this track, whose name escapes me.
Check out this fabulous dancing to some down home Zydeco- I’d love to be able to strut like this!
If by any chance you enjoyed that, check out the immortal D L Menard.
How more roots do you want?
That certainly put a smile on my face.
I was really into Cajun music way back in the 80’s.
Magnificent!
Thanks so much Jungle Jim!
D.L. Menard and his band absolutely made my Friday evening.
At the risk of being a dreadful being a dreadful bore, I just have to recommend The Big Easy.
‘
A NOLA soundtrack to die for.
And Ellen Barkin had me woofing away..
That is so good.
Dire Straits Cajun style.
This is better than the original.
Charles Mann – The Walk Of Life
I reckons this is a bit Cajun-y
Bob Geldof – Sunny Afternoon (originally recorded for NMEs Ruby Trax)
This one’s a doozy – Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys. As Cajun as they come, but the song was written by the not especially Cajun sounding Darrell Higginbotham. New Orleans by way of Barnsley, perhaps?
I know this from the Northern Exposure soundtrack – not sure if French Canadian is close enough to Cajun, but it’s got accordion on it and I always enjoy hearing it.
I do love a bit of Cajun. Not listened to any for ages. Here’s a massive playlist I found on Spotify
I’m not one to go all woo-woo over coincidence, but I do find it interesting [especially when it happens to me…] I posted the above, then closed my iPad and opened my Michael Connelly paperback [The Night Fire, chapter 6, page 44] and continued reading. On page 46 I read this “ The little jewel was in Chinatown but it didn’t serve Chinese food. It was pure Cajun.”
As you were.
Here’s a bit more Buckwheat Zydeco – this is very AW, I reckon- gorgeous!
Mind you, you being Twang and this being AW, here’s one of our favourite chaps.
Michel Doucet is the man behind excellent Cajun band BeauSoleil and also made a crossover rock n roulez album as MIchel Doucet’s Cajun Brew, which includes the above song, by and featuring RT.
Splendid. I love the track they did with Mary Chapin Carpenter. RT is very cajun sometimes isn’t he.
Down at the Twist and Shout.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/mary-chapin-carpenter-twist-and-shout-beausoleil-1077854/
Here you go!
That’s the one!
And, furthering the RT links to Louisiana:
Bit more zydeco, the more soulful and bluesier side Cajun of colour style. Whilst Clifton Chenier is the king, I always liked Rockin’ Dopsie, who I saw at London Victoria’s The Venue back in about 1979.
Finally a bit of Steve Riley and his Mamou Playboys:
Feufollet appeared on one of those Word samplers back in the day. and very fine they are too.
And talking of tears, we all know this fine song by Richard Thompson, but I’m posting it anyway.
Especially if we have scanned the earlier posts, eh?
Ooops, Sorry Retro! I didn’t check for recent updates before posting Jo El..
Great AW minds think alike.
Here are L’Angelus, who we saw backing D. L. Menard a few posts back, blending a little Norwegian pop into their cajun mix! Ingenious!
Just stumbled across this girl combo, Bonsoir Catin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewi2KDeH6MY
They are from Lafayette and make a very agreeable sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pcpL7tlfA
When they play in Louisiana, everybody dances.
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/music/article_cc1598e7-efc4-5085-9726-4c53085e25d0.html
No accordion but I am posting another song from L’Angelus anyway, as they kick up such a great cajun party sound. Four siblings from Louisiana.
I have the feeling that there are many fine musicians in Louisiana that keep their day jobs and play in a dance band at the weekend.
Let’s go back to the roots for a moment…
Great choices, keep ’em coming. Full disclosure, I had a cajun band at my wedding reception and got up and did a cajun stomping version of “Nadine” with them. This lot, though an earlier incarnation. They were terrific. I was in shock.
How about a little Arcadian dance music grand Derangement?
They are from Quebec.
More Thompson links, he appears on Evangeline Made but this is J Fogerty with Diggy Liggy Lo. Must dig this out again.
Thompson did of course write Cajun Woman which appeared on Unhalfbricking.
If you want to delve into cajun music, this Louisiana TV station is a great place to start.
https://kdcg.com/
Lots of great local bands..
Back to that Mary Chapin Carpenter song. She mentions the wonderful cajun band she is playing with:
“And here up north it’s a cold cold rain
And there ain’t no cure for my blues today
Except when the paper says: Beausoleil is coming into town
Baby let’s go down”
The driving force behind Beausoleil is fiddler and multi-instrumentalist Michael Doucet.
Despite the lack of squeezebox, they rock along very nicely.
I stumbled across Doucet’s cousin and ex-bandmate, Zachary Richard, on The Big Easy soundtrack.
Remember that Ann Savoy that did an album with Linda Ronstadt? Here she is withe her family band:
Busy lady! She and her husband Marc, also have a band together with Michael Doucet from Beausoleil
And all-girl band: The Magnolia Sisters
Not forgetting British exponents of the Cajun art, The Balham Alligators – led by Geraint Watkins on accordion. They spread the message in pubs and clubs around Europe in the 80s and 90s.
Wonderful stuff, KJwilly.
How can one not like a cajun band with an album called Bayou-Degradable?
“Standing on the corner in Lafayette..”
Odd that Paul Simon has not been mentioned yet. “That was your mother” is a song in praise of zydeco music.
Here he is doing a Willie Nelson cover backed by Buckweat Zydeco,
The hits keep coming…..
Wade Frugé ( 1916 – 1992) was a sheep farmer and fiddle player. He made only one album which was recorded at the home of the Savoy family.
What a splendid song!
Before Retro mentioned her on this thread, I had never heard of Ann Savoy of her husband Marc.
But reading and listening to various odds and sods over the weekend , has made me realise what very gifted musicians they are and also what a powerhouse for the conservation of cajun culture.
Here is a short film about Ann:
I think you would find this article from the BFI website on the documentaries of Les Blank ( and the documentaries themselves) right up your street.
https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/features/les-blank-joyful-documentaries-margins-american-life
Thanks, @Alias. What an excellent article. It really made me want to go and see some of his films. His name rings vague bells but I can’t remember seeing any of his films.
I suspected that there night be some interesting stuff on YTube and immediately stumbled across this wonderfully expressed and rather amusing tribute from Werner Herzog.
I have finally remembered the track I had in mind when I posted this. What a relief! I had the solo running around my head but couldn’t for the life of me remember what it was until my after work walk tonight. Phew!
Played by the superb Ricky Fataar I discover, who also plays one of my favourite drum breaks on the opening track “You got my letter”.
We got this far and no-one suggested the greatest single ever recorded? Shame.
Er, literally the first comment. Is this thing on?
Oh yeah, so it was. Oops.
Listening to some Los Lobos, I was shocked when their lift of the accordion solo is played in this song as a middle eight:
Thanks for suggesting a visit to the Bayou, @Twang
I had a great time revisiting some old favourites and discovering a few new ones. Naturally I made a playlist.
So many artists who have visited Louisiana to make music: Taj Mahal, Paul Simon, Ry Cooder, Daniel Lanois..
The hits just keep on coming…
This was used for the OST of Beasts of the Southern Wilds.
But then there’s Creedence. Don’t get me wrong. I do love John Fogerty. But Born on the bayou?
Great song but a bit of porky!
He’d never been near the Bayou!
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/creedence-clearwater-revival/born-on-the-bayou
Nice one!
I mentioned Ry Cooder and Yer Tube suggested I watch this. Ry at the Concert for New Orleans with Buckwheat Zydeco, Irma Thomas and Lenny Kravitz.
Yes Please!