Putumayo Presents… Cajun (Putumayo, 2014 re-release)
Putumayo has re-released one of its best compilations of American roots. Cajun will allow the listener to discover an exciting selection of irresistible toe-tapping artists from southern Louisiana. This new edition contains 5 additional tracks plus a Cajun recipe.
Cajun music today has absorbed various musical influences so you will find elements of western swing, country, blues, jazz and R&B in some of the pieces. Vocals are a mix of Louisiana Creole French and English.
Artists featured include Filé, led by Louisiana accordionist Ward Lormand with a track titled “Pont de Vue” from its first album.
Track 2, “Les Blues de Bosco” is by Texas musician and songwriter Rodney Crowell.
Crowell recorded Les Blues de Bosco for an album titled Evangeline Made: A Tribute to
Cajun Music, produced by Cajun fiddler Ann Savoy.
“Rockin’ at the Mardi Gras” showcases the talent of one of the finest accordionists in American roots music, Jo-El Sonnier from Rayne, Louisiana.
Track 4 is “Hey La Bas” by Pot Folse. He hails from the town of Raceland, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) from New Orleans. Folse is part of the “Bayou Lafourche Cajuns,” who frequently see themselves as culturally different from the Cajuns in southwest Louisiana. “The music they play around Lafayette is more French, and always has an accordion in it,” says Folse. “Over here, the accordion never was that popular, and the music is mostly country, a good bit of 50s rock, or we can go French. We mix it up.” Folse is accompanied by daughters Debbie and Wendy.
Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Cedric Watson is one of the new stars of Cajun and Zydeco music. He was born in Texas, but later settled in Louisiana. He has recorded with the Pine Leaf Boys, Corey Ledet and his own band, Bijou Creole. On track 5, “Baby Please Don’t Go” he turns a blues classic into a mix of Cajun and Zydeco.
Baton Rouge band The Red Stick Ramblers was one of the best known Cajun acts. On “Made in the Shade” the musicians demonstrate their tasty blend of Cajun music, Western swing and gypsy jazz. “Made in the Shade,” was the title track of the group’s fourth album, produced by Dirk Powell.
Track 7, “Beau Geste” presents the music of the late Hadley J. Castille, a renowned fiddler who passed away in 2013. Castille led the his band called band The Sharecroppers. His main influence was Texas swing.
Guitarist David Doucet plays guitar in one of the most famous Cajun bands of all times, BeauSoleil. Here, he performs a new version of the famous Balfa Brothers song “Balfa Waltz” replacing the original fiddles with his guitar and the dobro of Josh Graves, introducing bluegrass to Cajun music.
Track 9, “Acadie à la Louisiane” features well-known accordionist Bruce Daigrepont who plays regularly in New Orleans. On this song he laments the forced exile imposed by the English on the French-speaking Acadians of Canada.
The last piece, “Chère Chérie” introduces one of the best known current Cajun bands, Pine Leaf Boys. They have revitalized Cajun music and have taken it to international stages, invited by the United States State Department to tour the world three times, presenting southern American music to audiences in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jerusalem in 2009, Latvia, Denmark, and Slovenia in 2010 and Eastern Europe in 2012.
Journalist and book author Michael Tisserand provides fascinating details about the history of Cajun music in the booklet liner notes. Tisserand is the author of The Kingdom of Zydeco, among other books.
Putumayo Presents… Cajun is a fabulous selection of modern party music from southern Louisiana, showing the exciting diversity of Cajun music.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
