It wasn’t that long ago that Creole lala music appeared to be cliff hanging with all its musical youth swarming to the hip and groovy sounds of zydeco. But thanks to a little nudging by D’Jalma Garnier, Ed Poullard and others, slowly this banner is being hoisted again, this time with the marvelous pairing of Creole accordionist Joe Hall and Cajun-Creole fiddler Mitch Reed. Both befriended the late fiddler Calvin Carrière, one of the most intricate stylists ever, and have repeatedly dunked themselves into Creole music’s cool, baptismal waters. Like the informal gatherings of the titans they symbolize, the ambience here is more a casual backyard affair than anything associated with a bandstand. Their pace is not an aggressive one but a comfortable cruise allowing for plenty of ornamentation and expression. The gravelly-voiced Hall decorates his playing with plenty of syncopated accents, octave notes and rhythmic stops that’s unlike anything in contemporary zydeco or Cajun. Additionally, the arrangements’ “B” parts also deviate from their Cajun counterparts, which stir in a flavoring all its own. Whether it’s some tasty licks (“Amedee Two Step”), a surreal effect (“Hack à Moreau”) or prancing gingerly along (“La Robe à Parasol”), Reed’s bowing never lacks for imagination on this au natural affair. They pay homage to their mentor with an original, “Calvin Carrière Breakdown,” and remember Douglas Bellard with “Flames of Hell One Step,” a tune that’s believed to be the first incarnation of “Flammes D’Enfer.” While there’s many chestnuts here to behold, “Mardi Gras Jig” is the disc’s crowning jewel. It slows down, speeds up, fades in and out with an excellent use of dynamics that’s medicinally calming. A heartfelt rendition of the Creole standard “Home Sweet Home” bids the proceedings farewell, serving up a warming reminder that great things never really die but simply lie dormant until it is time.