Search - Various Artists :: Cajun Capers: Cajun Music 1928-1954

Excellent!!!

Megan Romer | Ithaca, NY | 12/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before buying this 4-disc set, note that it is really for hard-core Cajun and Zydeco music lovers ONLY.... your average listener is not likely to enjoy these rough recordings of Louisiana French music. They're definitely rough-and-tumble.



For the avid Cajun or Zydeco fan (or collector of old blues and delta music), this collection is phenomenal, and an excellent price for the amount of music you're getting. Everyone who was anyone in Cajun music in the early part of the last century is included here, from Joe and Cleoma Breaux Falcon to the Hackberry Ramblers, from Les Freres Breaux to Nathan Abshire. Some of the songs are "hits" (Abshire's "Pine Grove Blues", for example), some are long-forgotten gems. Primarily Cajun artists are represented, but there are several cuts from Black Creoles such as Amede Ardoin as well. If you love Cajun music or Zydeco, you must get this collection, you'll be glad you did.



Now for a totally random story for your reading pleasure, track #5 on disc #2 might seem like it has a funny name. Why would a Cajun band write a waltz about Utah? Well, the Breaux brothers didn't speak much English, and when they went to Atlanta to record and the producer asked them the names of the songs, one of the songs was "La Valse d'Iota". Iota is a town in the prairie regions of Southwest Louisiana (it's also known as Tee Mamou, not to be confused with Mamou proper, aka Grand Mamou). In Cajun French, it's pronounced "ee-oh-TAH". The English speaking record producer thought they said Utah. Oops. It's a fantastic cut, though, as are all of the songs on this collection."

Americana

Zelie Nic | Pittsburgh | 11/16/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great colelction of real and raw American Folk Music. The songs vary from French language (well... Acadian) zydeco and blues songs, to old hillbilly 78s to traditional folk songs such as "Bury Me Beneath the Willow Tree." The insturmentation mostly consists of guitar, accordian/concertina, and fiddle. There's some real great, fiery fiddle lines on here.



These four discs are accompanied by rather in depth notes. This is a great collection for anyone interested in Louisiana, American music, musical history, etc. What impressed me the most was the quality of some of these recordings. They'll sound rough to some, but just keep in mind that some of these 78s were etched more than eighty years ago!



This is a priceless collection."

Cajun 101

Lauren White | Keosauqua, IA United States | 02/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Where else are you gonna start--to love Cajun music? Wherever else that might be, this collection works! Listen, and be utterly moved!"