Louisiana Movie: Zydeco: Creole Music and Culture in Rural Louisiana

Carriere brothers. Credit: CD Universe.

One of the reasons I chose Opelousas as my new South Louisiana base is because of its history, especially of the Creole culture and music. Lawtell, just outside of Opelousas, is (arguably) the home of Zydeco.

The 1986 documentary, Zydeco: Creole Music and Culture in Rural Louisiana, is a perfect companion to J'ai Ete Au Bal, the very entertaining movie about South Louisiana's Creole / Cajun music roots.

Some songs from Zydeco: Creole Music and Culture in Rural Louisiana:

Josephine C'est Pas Ma Femme (Josephine Isn't My Wife), below performed by Clifton Chenier:

Blues a Bebe, below performed by Beausoleil. Immerse yourself:

"Bebe Carriere" referred to in the song is Joseph "Bebe" Carriere, a Lawtell Creole musician who popularized this song back in his own day in the 40s and 50s.


Blue Runner, also popularized by Bebe Carriere, performed below by D'Jalma Garnier:

Two versions of Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes (Joe Pitre Has Two Women), a lazy, sexy one by Creole musician, Canray Fontenot, and another, more vigorous one, by Zydeco band Motodude Zydeco:

In the documentary, you can watch John Delafose perform the song at Slim's Y-Ki-Ki in Opelousas. Speaking of John Delafose, he's interviewed in this movie and also in another, just-as-delightful film, The Kingdom of Zydeco. Mr. Delafose comes across as an unflappable guy who doesn't give a flip for what other folks might be doing; he's good with what he's doing. He says about his music: "I think about making everybody happy" when performing.

In both films, you see Mr. Delafose's son, Geno, as an adolescent. In Zydeco, you see Geno Delafose's famous smile, and you also see where he got it - from his mama, Jo-Ann Delafose.

Prominent names from the movie include:

• Joseph "Bebe" Carriere and his brother Eraste Carriere
• Canray Fontenot
• Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin
• August Fusilier
• Norbert Auzenne
• Leon Guillory
• Arnold "Slim" Gradney
• Luke Collins
• Amadee Ardoin
• Queen Ida Guillory
• Clifton Chenier

In the musical context, the filmmakers focus on what they're calling the Cajun-Creole cultural renaissance, which took place mid-century-ish.

The documentary also delves into the Creole cultural of Opelousas, Lawtell, and some points a little west of here. It addresses some of the layers of exclusiveness/inclusiveness based on how light or dark one's complexion was. Viewers also learn about the Inseparable Friends Benevolent Society (IFBS), still active today. My understanding is that this organization was largely for Creole men (i.e. Afro-French) who were practicing Catholics.

Here's a 1966 audio-video recording of Canray Fontenot and Bois Sec Ardoin performing the Eunice Two Step and then Bonsoir Moreau.  Aiee, they can make you cry listening. If you go to youtube to watch it, read the comments, as well. Some family reunionizing going on in addition to what I see as a long-time cultural-identification-tension between Cajun-Creole and also the tension that exists in defining what it means to be Creole.

Look at Mr. Ardoin's foot go! Reminds me of another favorite foot-stomper, Wilson Savoy.

What comes shining through this documentary is the strong sense of family, community belonging, hard work, and that ol' joie de vivre that are intrinsic to the South Louisiana culture.

Louisiana: Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival!

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

It's always the first weekend of May, and in 2014, the town celebrated its 54th festival.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Bags checked at gate - not even a bottle of water alllowed in.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Fabulous music. Fabulous.  Six months ago, I didn't know these people existed, but today, I can tell you it is very satisfying to see venerable musicians such as Ray Abshire and D.L. Menard in person.

Ray Abshire and company, Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

I filmed Mr. Menard's performance (with the band Jambalaya) of his famous song, Back Door, here. How I love this song! I'm not wild about the quality of my video, though, so I invite you to watch the superior video below, which someone filmed at the 2009 Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival:

It was also fun to see people I "knew" from having watched videos before I went to the festival.

Like this good-lookin', good-dancin' couple below:

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

I first "met" them in the much-viewed video below from the 2009 festival:

Now look at that still photo again (above the video). See the slender guy on the right? In the flappy-eared hat? Well, that's Leon of Cafe des Amis renown, and you can watch him dance in the video here, taken by a visitor to that cafe:

Note: Leon's dance partner is doing a damn fine job herself.

It's pretty hot and sunny in BB, Louisiana, and as I have learned from watching southern Louisianans with parades, they know how to attend a festival. It's first come-first serve at the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, but you can bring your own shade tent and set it up in permissible areas. This is a life-saver when you're at the festival for the long haul. 

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Of course, everyone has a chair.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

If I were staying longer, I'd definitely invest in one of those folding chairs with its own awning.  Below, you can see one or two of these awning-chairs, but otherwise, you'll see a variety of umbrellas:

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

I never tire of watching people dance, especially zydeco. It's fun to see the same people at the different venues. You get to know their styles, their signature moves.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

(Between you and me, though, I've learned that a lot of people dance whatever the hell they want to zydeco music, especially the jitterbug, the two-step, some form of swing, or just whatever the spirit moves them to do.)  

As my dance teacher said, as long as you're moving to the beat, it really doesn't matter.

DL Menard with Jambalaya, Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival 2014, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Louisiana Movies: J'ai E`te` au Bal

Cleoma Breaux and Joe Falcon, Cajun performers. Source: Old Weird America

There aren't many documentaries as entertaining as this one. You want to smile for an hour and a half, this is the movie for you.

It's "J'ai Ete au Bal" - I Went to the Dance, filmed by Les Blank, with important contributions by Ann Savoy, Michael Doucet, and Barry Ancelet.

The movie in its entirety here: 

The documentary runs through the history of the cajun/creole and zydeco music in southern Louisiana.

Armédé Ardoin, creole/cajun musician, Credit: Wikipedia

Filmed in 1989, the movie's got the good stories straight from the mouths of cajun, creole, and zydeco royalty. The classic songs all seem to be here. Lots of dancing, humor.

Although this video isn't from the documentary, it tells the same story of the much-loved The Back Door, written and originally performed by DL Menard:

I liked how the film showed the evolution of particular songs, as their arrangements evolved with the change of instruments and musical styles.

For example, here's the 1928 version of Allons a Lafayette (Let's go to Lafayette [to change your name]), by husband and wife Joe Falcon and Cleoma Breaux (which was based on an older traditional song):

The lyrics in English:

Let's go to Lafayette to change your name.
We will call you Mrs. Mischievous Comeaux.
Honey, you're too pretty to act like a tramp.
How do you think I am going to manage without you?
Look at what you done, pretty heart.
We are so far apart and that is pitiful.
Honey, you're too pretty to act like a tramp.
How do you think I am going to manage without you?
Look at what you done, pretty heart.
We are so far apart and that is pitiful.


Here's a zydeco version of the same song decades later, by Boozoo Chavis:

:
And here's Wayne Toups (after a bit of a loopy intro) doing the same song in the late 1980s in "zydecajun" style:

Maybe I'll watch this documentary again tomorrow.

Jennings, Louisiana: Squeezebox Shootout

Squeezebox Shootout 2014, Jennings, Louisiana

The weekend preceding Mardi Gras is prime timeline real estate. So many things happening in Southern Louisiana, so difficult to choose.

For the Saturday before Mardi Gras, I had originally planned to go to Baton Rouge for the famous, satirical Spanish Town Parade.

But when I saw that the small town of Jennings was hosting a cajun accordion contest - the Squeezebox Shootout - along with a parade, and music, I changed my plans.

Strand Theater, Jennings, Louisiana

When I arrived at the Strand Theater for the accordion competition, the event had already started, and it was a packed house. But I saw empty space down by the stage where I could stand and hopefully take some good pics, so I walked on down there..... and damned if a woman in the second row didn't offer me an empty seat (a rarity!) right next to her! And damned if it didn't turn out that she had been the very individual who got the first Squeezebox Shooutout off the ground! Or as she put it - gave birth.

Junior division contestant. I loved how she moved her leg. Squeezebox Shootout, Jennings, Louisiana.

Sometimes I just wonder at the good luck I so often enjoy. I couldn't have had a better seat in the entire theater.

This is Bubba. He has a lot of natural presence. Junior division. Squeezebox Shootout, Jennings, Louisiana. If I'm not mistaken, he's the great-grandson of Iry LeJeune, Cajun songwriter and musician of great renown.

He didn't win, but I think for overall entertainment utils, my fave was professional musician, Wilson Savoy, of the Pine Leaf Boys. He put his whole body and expression into his playing. Below are his accordion and foot:

I tried to capture a still of him and his tapping foot, but I was only moderately successful:

There was a lot of talent at the competition. A slideshow below:

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Louisiana: Courir de Mardi Gras: Introduction

Vermilionville courir de Mardi Gras, Lafayette, February 2014

The Mardi Gras come from all around, all around the center of town.
They come by once per year, asking for charity.
Sometimes it's a sweet potato, a sweet potato or pork rinds.
The Mardi Gras are on a great journey, all around the center of town.
They come by once per year, asking for charity.
Sometimes it's a skinny chicken, or three or four corn cobs.
Captain, captain, wave your flag, let's go to another neighbor's.
Asking for charity for everyone who'll come join us later,
Everyone who'll come join us later at the gumbo tonight!

Danse de Mardi Gras, English lyrics

Vermilionville courir de Mardi Gras, Lafayette, February 2014

To tell about the courir de Mardi Gras. ... Where to begin?

Vermilionville courir de Mardi Gras, Lafayette, February 2014

Here's where you can begin - by watching this one-hour documentary by Pat Mire, Dance for a Chicken:

Mardi Gras is essentially a game, and spectators are fair game for the players.

Source: Dance for a Chicken, Pat Mire

The song, Danse de Mardi Gras, is one of the songs traditionally sung during the courir.

Courir means run.

Mardi Gras is about more than what happens on that day

Source: Dance for a Chicken, Pat Mire

Vermilionville courir de Mardi Gras, Lafayette, February 2014

The complexity of the courir de Mardi Gras story reminds me of the matachine dance tradition in New Mexico. Both have origins that go back many centuries and both are an admixture of culture and time and place.

The courir de Mardi Gras is about: 

• The lean times toward the end of the long winter
• Communal assistance - the gathering of ingredients for one good meal
• Begging, humility
• Altered state via alcohol
• Becoming the "other" - black becomes white; white becomes black; men become women; women, men
• Parodying of those who have by those who haven't
• Tricksters
• Shedding the societal rules for a day  

Vermilionville courir de Mardi Gras, Lafayette, February 2014

When we participate in - and to watch is also to participate - the courir de Mardi Gras, we are participating in rituals that pre-date Roman times.   

Another version of the Danse de Mardi Gras for you, this one by Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys:

A slide show of the courir de Mardi Gras at Vermilionville earlier this month:

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Louisiana: Traditional Music: Louisiana Folk Roots

Cajun jam, hosted by Louisiana Folk Roots, Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana.

There are a number of organizations that support traditional music of southern Louisiana. I say southern Louisiana for now, and I say traditional music for now, but both terms are fluid for me til I learn more.

Cajun jam, hosted by Louisiana Folk Roots, Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana.

One group is Louisiana Folk Roots, which exists to "nurture, share and perpetuate Louisiana's rich cultural heritage," more specifically, its cajun and creole roots. 

Cajun jam, hosted by Louisiana Folk Roots, Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana.

This past weekend, Louisiana Folk Roots hosted a cajun "super jam" at its headquarters in the historic Begnaud House in Vermilionville. 

Back of Begnaud House. Cajun jam, hosted by Louisiana Folk Roots, Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana.

It was rainy and a little chilly, and my tentative take is that this keeps southern Louisianans at home. So there were perhaps fewer in attendance than would otherwise have been if the weather had been better. Even so, there was plenty of good energy here among both the musicians and the appreciative listeners. 

There was a giant kettle of pork jambalaya, too.

Pork jambalaya. Cajun jam, hosted by Louisiana Folk Roots, Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana.

It was especially fine when I went out to the back porch, rocked on the wooden bench, and looked out at the pond while listening to the music within:

Pond behind Begnaud House. Cajun jam, hosted by Louisiana Folk Roots, Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana.

  

A great blue heron swooped through while I rocked and listened. 

There's a wide age range at these jams, and that's essential if traditional music is to thrive. More girls and women needed, though.

Is it the coolest thing that I can go listen to cajun or zydeco every single Saturday and Sunday, practically on my doorstep?

Yes, yes it is.