Search - Various Artists :: Rough Guide to Cajun Dance

Yee-ha

J. TIMMERMAN | Lawson, NSW Australia | 09/22/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Here's a vibrant album that grabs you from the beginning and never lets go. For devotees of Cajun music, this rough guide will please as it includes a lot of leading exponents. As an introductory album, it's just right too - all of the various dances are here, and with a generous seventeen tracks there's an hour of foot-tapping enjoyment.



Cajun music comes from Louisiana USA, having been brought in by French Acadians from Nova Scotia who, when expelled there by the British in the 18th century, went south to settle in bayou country. Influences have been many including French, Spanish, Creole and Texan Swing. The music has an off beat that requires a specialised style of dancing somewhat akin to 50s rock and roll, and not easy to learn. To a novice the dance floor will appear to be full of people coping beautifully with a limp. Whether slow or fast, it is highly rhythmic, with vocals, fiddle and accordion up front, generally accompanied by guitars, bass and percussion.



The quality of recordings here, given that some tracks are a few years old, varies but is generally very good, while the playing is mostly excellent too. There's Michael Doucet's band Beausoleil, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Balfa Toujours, Bruce Daigrepont, Dewey Balfa, Marc Savoy, D.L. Menard, Zachary Richard (a real hoot) and lots of others - a very impressive line-up. Many tracks are infused with an authentic backwoods feel. Informative notes, photos and album references are included.



I would have chosen other Bruce Daigrepont and Beausoleil tracks but you can't have everything when it comes to compilations. I did however make some great discoveries, and really there's never a dull moment. Enjoy.

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