Calif. Cajuns' new album is out
Cleoma
here goes:
"Nonc Adam Two-Step", the second album by the California Cajun Orchestra
(featuring accordionist Danny Poullard) is finally out, on CD and
cassette, on Chris Strachwitz's Arhoolie label. The rest of the band
includes Suzy Thompson (yours truly) and Kevin Wimmer, fiddles; Eric
Thompson, guitar; Charllie St. Mary, rubboard; Sam Siggins, bass; and
Terry O'Dwyer, drums. The CCO's first album "Not Lonesome Any More" (also
on Arhoolie) won a "Cajun Grammy" from the CFMA in Louisiana. The new
album is over an hour long and has both well-known and obscure tunes on
it, including some beautiful old-fashioned Creole tunes from the
repertoire of Danny Poullard's father.
Here's what Ann Savoy, Cajun musician and author, has to say about "Nonc
Adam Two-Step":
"The California Cajun Orchestra, besides being the hottest veteran west
coast Cajun band, is a pure example of what the best of the honky tonk
southwest Louisiana Cajun bands have been in the past. Whereas nowadays
many local Louisiana bands are evolving into Nashville lookalikes, the
California Cajun Orchestra delves back through dancehall classics, drawing
out and preserving rare and popular gems from the dancehall tradition.
Songs of Shorty LeBlanc, Amede Ardoin, Aldus Roger, Lawrence Walker, Iry
LeJeune, and Boozoo Chavis lilt from their able fingers.
Accordionist Danny Poullard, from Eunice, Louisiana, bounces rhythmically
through the melodies, drawing accordion licks from his greatest Cajun
heros but also melding them into a sound all his own. His father, John
Poullard, was a great accordionist in the Eunice area and Danny is
carrying on the family tradition. On fiddles are California's finest
Cajun style fiddlers, Suzy Thompson and Kevin Wimmer. Both of their
fiddle styles are heavily influenced by Dewey Balfa and this kindred
spirit blends their perfect technique into a fine sound. The twin fiddles
played on the Aldus Roger numbers clearly relect careful listening to Tony
Thibodeaux and Doc Guidry as heard on Roger's early albums. This detail
adds to the band's sound's almost astounding similarity to the Lafayette
Playboys' original recordings. On guitar is renowned flatpicker Eric
Thompson. Eric throws in tasteful lead guitar parts in place of the
standard Cajun steel guitar, and in between breaks he plays the choke
chord guitar rhythm preferred by dancehall bands. Bass player Sam
Siggins, drummer Terry O'Dwyer, and rubboard player Charlie St. Mary lay
down a strong but never overpowering rhythm framework for the lead
musicians to play around."
If your local store doesn't carry Arhoolie CDs and cassettes, you can
order them directly from Arhoolie:
10341 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Phone: 510-525-7471
Arhoolie has many other fine Cajun and Zydeco albums, including those from
Clifton Chenier, Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, Beausoleil, Canray Fontenot and
Boisec Ardoin, Dewey Balfa, Michael Doucet's fine solo album, another
excellent new album by Ann Savoy & Jane Vidrine (Magnolia Sisters), plus
Cheese Read, Wade Fruge, soundtrack to J'ai Etais Au Bal, and much more.
Be sure to ask for a catalog.