Search - :: devil in the bayou

Cajun Hillbilly Great Gets Recognized

Kevin Fontenot | New Orleans, LA United States | 11/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Harry Choates was a Cajun fiddler who had a major country crossover hit with his version of "Jole Blon." Primarily thought of as a Cajun fiddler, Choates drank deeply from western swing and jazz traditions, just listen to his superb performance of "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town." (This title was finally reissued on CD with this set.) The excellent Bear Family compilation pulls together Choates' Gold Star recordings and includes an extensive, newly researched biography--worth the price of the set alone. This is a wonderful reissue, now let's finish the job by reissuing his recordings on the Macy's label. "Devil in the Bayou" belongs in every Cajun, Country, and fiddle collection."

A Wonder of Joy from a sad man

K. Mickleson | Fairfax, CA USA | 05/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't speak with any authority about this genre, like Kevin. I came to Harry Choates (wish I knew how to pronounce his name correctly!) via the wonderful novels of James Lee Burke, who's from New Iberia, LA, where Choates had a beloved presence during his tragically brief career.



I knew I loved cajun music, but had never heard the plaintive voice and magical fiddle of Harry, or anyone who so artfully mixed the cajun style with others current at the time. This set is truly a pleasure machine, and I agree that reading the included biography of Choates is worth the price alone. It contains all the songs of the other top rated Choates CD, and so much more. What's wonderful is that it covers not only his cajun music, but's also peppered with many tunes of varying styles--Tex-Mex, blues, jazz-influence. 'Missing You' on the 2nd CD brought tears to my eyes. And, a special section featuring his early work as a teen with Happy Fats and his Rayne-Bo Ramblers: the vocals (especially A Little High Chair) are heartrending.



I put it on in the car, open the windows and blast the volume up with a big grin on my face, tapping my toe on the accelerator and steering wheel, while any with open windows near me smile back. Buy it and smile! Buy it and dance while you do chores! Buy it and warm your heart and feel human.



The authenticity and soul of this music reminds me why I'm so dissatisfied with most modern music.







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