Attention musicians: For those thinking they need to rush their product out with sub-par material and inferior packaging for that nifty festival gig, take note of Gina Forsyth. The New Orleans singer-songwriter/roots musician never releases anything before it’s damn good and ready—and then some—thanks to Katrina and other life interruptions. Her solo sophomore effort is [...]
Despite the personnel changes over its eight-year existence, the Lafayette Rhythm Devils still manage to find new grooves to mount its formidable dancehall attack. As evidenced on its first disc in five years, credit newest member Blake Miller for part of the spark. Besides his loose, innovative attitude in the studio, the talented accordionist never [...]
What most people don’t realize about Cajun music is that it was a family tradition long before it was played professionally. Such is the case here with John and Jane Vidrine (of Magnolia Sisters fame), whose charming collection of traditional Cajun fare and three originals resemble a sonic family photo album. The tradition that the [...]
Though there aren’t as many various artist Cajun-zydeco compilations being released these days, The Rough Guide to Cajun & Zydeco is one of the few that actually makes sense. Instead of featuring randomly selected tracks or historically based selections showing where the genre has been, music journalist/OffBeat contributor Herman Fuselier selected 15 tracks showing where [...]
Columbia Records signed Vin Bruce in 1952, making the 19-year-old the first Cajun to ever sign a contract with a major label. It was his beautiful French originals that attracted the record company, who recognized the potential of a Cajun country artist after Harry Choates garnered national acclaim with “Jole Blon” in 1946. Between 1952 [...]
When Corey Ledet sings about going back home on the freewheeling opening track, one has to wonder if this first generation/Clifton Chenier style of zydeco is indeed his home. Out of today’s current crop of players, no one does what Ledet does quite as well or as naturally. With dazzling trills and fingers flying dizzyingly [...]
Along with Iry LeJeune and Nathan Abshire, Lawrence Walker played an integral part in Cajun music’s accordion revival in the early ’50s. He was such a smooth, precise player that he was crowned “King of the Accordion Players” with his only real competition coming from Aldus Roger in the latter part of the decade. This [...]
One of the sonic jewels to be had at this year’s Festivals Acadiens et Creoles was Best of Festivals Acadiens 2002, released by Valcour Records. Its 14 tracks include such titans as Belton Richard, Walter Mouton and the Scott Playboys, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, and Wayne Toups, and another 10 tracks are available [...]
This 15-track collection commemorates Johnnie Allan’s 60th anniversary in professional music with mostly previously released material (1979-1999) now appearing on CD for the first time. One of Allan’s classics, “La bague qui brille,” is the impetus for this release, as the song has remained popular since super group Cajun Born, of which Allan was a [...]
Equipped with one of the best blue-eyed soul voices around, Gregg Martinez flirted with stardom in the ‘80s when Philly soul masterminds Victor Carstarphen and Keith Benson nearly launched him as the white Teddy Pendergrass. The Lafayette native returned home in 2006, where he, among other things, crooned with the legendary Boogie Kings and was [...]
