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Cajun accordion anyone?

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Bella

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Total contrast to the thread below. I love this music, and wish I had known about it years ago - might have stood a chance of actually learning. Jesse Lége, Joel Savoy (son of Marc Savoy) and a female guitarist performed a few months ago in our very basic venue in our little Welsh market town. A fantastic evening.
Hope you enjoy the music as much as I do.

Jesse Lége
 
Great video, thanks! You could do it, you may be younger than when many in this forum even started, including myself. Cajun accordion is all about the rythem, not rocket science. You can do it!!!!!
 
Dingo40 said:
Thanks for the link, Bella! :)
Catchy, isn't it? :)

There are so many different music styles around the world, many of which feature types of "accordion" which have been specially constructed or adapted for a single genre of music. 

Not long after I started playing I came across a few Cajun CDs, mainly featuring the Balfa Brothers, Lawrence Walker, and one or two others. One or two of the big UK record stores (remember them?) had quite interesting "World Music" sections in them, and that's how I discovered Cajun. I had absolutely no clue as to where the music was from until I read some of the CD sleeves, but my kids loved it and urged me to play it on the accordion.

No problem, that stuff's easy, I thought. Well it might not be very adventurous melodically, but like a lot of such genres, there are a lot of techniques that are unique to it, and I couldn't really justify spending a few years trying to nail it when there was "real" accordion to be played. 

I have relatives in the US and thought I could always get them to send me a Cajun box over. Turns out in Louisiana they are made from about 30 different woods, according to what the buyer wants, and a decent one costs about $3000. I love the music but would rather just listen for that money. Pays not to judge an accordion by its size!
 
Dingo40 said:
Thanks for your interesting post, John! :)

Dingo,

My US relatives include my cousin June, who is the ex-wife of a session drummer who played with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. They are from New Jersey and reckon they are wise to the ways of the world. When I told them I fancied a trip to the swamps in Louisiana they suggested I went on my own!

They were reluctant to venture to enquire about Cajun accordions. If you get a chance to view The Swamp People on You Tube, you might get the picture.

I used to love watching that. Even got a 'gator baseball hat with "Choot Em!" on it. It has Troy Landry's name on the back. My wife hates it when I wear it. "No guts, no 'gator!"

Real Cajuns!
 
John,
We have a couple of US TV "reality " series broadcast here in which the protagonists do little else than catch/ eat alligators, get about in overalls and not much else (even when socialising), and catch catfish ( which they deep fry in vegetable oil) by " tickling " them.

Regarding their traditional outfit of overalls and little else, I remember some British celebrity on a travelogue, on being introduced to a "character " done up in such an outfit , asking of him (on screen) whether the character had left the rest of his clothing "in the wash " that day? :p  
( Needless to say, this sally "did not compute"! :))

Meanwhile, only this morning, we shared a coffeehouse with a local character dressed in thongs, shorts,  tattoos , muscles, tan, long hair and "dress" singlet, which appears to be de riguer for a certain class of individuals hereabouts. :)

I do like the Cajun music in limited  doses, as it can get somewhat monotonous .

Regarding the accordions, I guess there's no such thing as a cheap quality instrument of any kind!
We have a local maker of similar " boxes" and they ain't cheap! :-/
 
Dingo40 pid=68845 dateline=1577666384 said:
John,
We have a couple of US TV reality series broadcast  here in which the protagonists do little else than catch/ eat alligators, get about in overalls and not much else (even when socialising), and catch catfish ( which they deep fry in vegetable oil) by tickling them.

Regarding their traditional outfit of overalls and little else, I remember some British celebrity on a travelogue, on being introduced to a character done up in such an outfit , asking of him (on screen) whether the character had left the rest of his clothing in the wash that day? :p  
( Needless to say, this sally did not compute! :))

Meanwhile, only this morning, we shared a coffeehouse with a local character dressed in thongs, shorts,  tattoos , muscles, tan, long hair and dress singlet, which appears to be de riguer for a certain class of individuals hereabouts. :)

I do like the Cajun music in limited  doses, as it can get somewhat monotonous .

Regarding the accordions, I guess theres no such thing as a cheap quality instrument of any kind!
We have a local maker of similar boxes and they aint cheap! :-/

Hi Dingo,

Stereotypes! 

This character, Rab C Nesbitt, was somebodys idea of what an unemployed Glasgow alcoholic should look like. 

Did they get it right? Maybe a bit OTT, but they werent far off. The string vest is known as a semmit in Scotland, and a shift on the buses at whatever time of day in Glasgow was guaranteed to include one or two characters like these.



US Country and Western music was big in the Glasgow area for many years, and here is the title music to that show:-


 

No Cajuns in Glasgow, they wouldnt last an hour!
 
Exactly as Eddie says - it's dance music, so yes repetitious, and no you won't find great lyrics. Not every body's taste, but my man and I jive so appreciate good dance music. Brings a smile to my face every time.
 
Not to mention zydeco.....
 
John and Eddie,
Thanks for the links entertaining and interesting! :)
Bella, I do like the music. :)
And, Tom, there's always zydeco! :)
 
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