Archive for the ‘Dance’ Category

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Mardi Gras party at Wheatland with Back Bayou, February 19

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Aiyeeee!!! The Wheatland Music Organization has their annual Mardi Gras party on Saturday, February 19, with local Cajun music band Back Bayou providing the tunes. Yes, we know Mardi Gras is really on March 8 in 2011, but since folks can celebrate other holidays more than once (witness “Christmas in July”) they can also celebrate Mardi Gras more than once a year. Any excuse to party is a good excuse, especially if it’s to good Cajun or zydeco music, n’est-pas?

Anyway, the dance party is in the Gladys Wernette building on the grounds of the WMO, located at 7251 50th Avenue, Remus, Michigan. It’s about 20 miles west of Mt. Pleasant. There’s a potluck dinner at 6:00 pm, followed by the dance at 7:30. Don’t forget to wear your Mardi Gras costume! Info: 989-967-8879.

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Buckwheat Zydeco, C.J. Chenier in Ann Arbor, February 16, 26

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Heeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy, Baby! The next week or so is a good time to listen to zydeco music in the Ann Arbor, Michigan, area, as Buckwheat Zydeco and C.J. Chenier (more about C.J. in just a bit) both visit tree-town.

Buckwheat Zydeco - Lay Your Burden Down

Buckwheat Zydeco - Lay Your Burden Down - Grammy winner!

Stanley “Buckwheat Zydeco” Dural, Jr., plays The Ark in A2 (that’s slang for Ann Arbor, for those who may not know) on Wednesday, February 16. Doors open at 7:30, showtime is 8:00 pm. Tickets are $20. As far as I can recall, this is the first time The Ark has hosted a zydeco act, although they have had Cajun music acts previously. BTW, The Ark is at 316 S. Main St. in A2. Info: 734-761-1800/734-761-1451.

Mr. Dural has been playing zydeco music for a long time. I have several of his zydeco LPs (i.e., old-fashioned vinyl records) from the late 1970s/early 1980s. He recently won a Grammy in the “Best Cajun/Zydeco Music Album” category for his latest recording, “Lay Your Burden Down.”

Mardi Gras beads divider line

On February 26, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band come to Ann Arbor to play at the Dream Nite Club, 314 S. Fourth Ave.

C.J. Chenier at Dream Nite Club flyer

C.J. Chenier at Dream Nite Club

Doors open at the Dream Nite Club at 8:30 pm on February 26, show starts at 9:30 pm with local band Maison Bleue playing a 30-minute set, followed by C.J. Chenier. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Info: 734-222-4522.

Mardi Gras beads divider line

Creole du Nord also plays The Ark on February 25, but that’s for another post.

Trivia question: Besides both playing piano-key zydeco accordion, both Buckwheat Zydeco and C.J. Chenier have something in common. They both played in the same zydeco band with a famous zydeco headliner, although in different years. Whose band was that? (Answer later.)

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C.J. Chenier (plus Monsieur Guillaume) at Callahan’s, January 30

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Aiyeeee!!!! If you don’t get enough zydeco dancing to C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band at CMU’s “A Night of Louisiana” on Saturday night, head on over to Auburn Hills, MI, on Sunday, January 30 when C.J. plays at Callahan’s Music Hall. Callahan’s is at 2105 South Boulevard, and their phone is 248-858-9508. Callahan’s is billing this as a “Mardi Gras Tune Up Party.”

Doors open at 6:30 pm, tix are $13 to $15 (not sure of what the difference is), and show time is 8:00 pm.

As a special bonus, the local Detroit-area band Monsieur Guillaume & His Zydeco Hepcats open for monsieur Chenier. The Hepcats take the stage at 8 pm, so don’t be late!

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A Night of Louisiana at Central Michigan University, January 29

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Hé toi! This Saturday, January 29 marks the 20th Anniversary of Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, MI’s “A Night of Louisiana.” CMU always has a Cajun and a zydeco band to celebrate the “night.” This year they’ve got C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band (zydeco) and the Lost Bayou Ramblers (Cajun) to play for your dancing pleasure.

It’s $20 admission, doors open at 6 pm, show starts at 7 pm, and tickets are available at the door. You can pre-order a Cajun dinner for $9.95. The event is in Finch Fieldhouse on the CMU campus. BTW, there is a large dance floor! (Obviously, it’s in the fieldhouse!)

In case you don’t know, C.J. Chenier (extra points for anyone who knows what the “C.J.” stands for without having to look it up) is one of the top zydeco performers of the modern time. He’s following in the footsteps of his father, Clifton, who was known as the “King of Zydeco.” C.J. started playing saxophone in his father’s band in the early 1980s, then took over on the accordion when Clifton’s health started to fail.

The Lost Bayou Ramblers are a bunch of young guys from Louisiana who sound like an old-timey Cajun band from 50 or more years ago. They play straight, traditional Cajun music.

The bottom line is, if you can’t dance to either of these bands, you’re either really, really drunk, or really, really dead!

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Creole du Nord at Passport Restaurant, Ann Arbor, January 23

Sunday, January 23rd, 2011

I just received an email from Mark Palms of Creole du Nord. His band (Creole du Nord) is playing at the Passport Restaurant and Lounge at 3776 S. State St. in Arbor, MI, on Sunday, January 23. Go and check it out! This is what the email said:

COME DANCE TO THE HAPPIEST MUSIC ON EARTH with “Mark Palms & Creole du Nord”! CAJUN, ZYDECO, SWING, LINE DANCE w/instruction. SUNDAY, JANUARY 23 (6-8pm) at the Passport Restaurant & Lounge, 3776 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI, 48108.

Fun! Fun! Fun! Great exercise! Make new friends! Singles welcome! All ages welcome! “I’ve never danced before” welcome!

I must confess to never having been to the Passport Restaurant, but from their web page it looks like they specialize in international cuisine. It also appears they’re trying to have some regular dance events. So go and check it out and send me a report on the event! (I’m still under the weather and so won’t be able to attend.)

Also, just to mark your calendars, Creole du Nord is playing at The Ark in Ann Arbor on Friday, February 25.

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Morris Ardoin & Dennis Stroughmatt in Chicago, December 5

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

I mentioned previously that the Midway Ramblers were ending their regular “First Friday” Cajun dances in Chicago. Alas, their final “First Friday” dance is this Sunday, December 5, with special guests the Morris Ardoin Creole Quartet with special guest Dennis Stroughmatt. (There is no dance on Friday, December 3.)

The dance is at the usual location, at the Irish American Heritage Center at 4626 N. Knox in Chicago, IL. Dance instruction is offered from 5:15 to 6:00 pm, followed by the actual dance from 6:00 to 9:00 pm (Chicago time, of course). Admission is $12. For more info call 630-833-3515 or email info@midwayramblers.com.

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Louisiana Dance Party–Report

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

Well, 18 folks paid to get in to the Louisiana Dance Party on November 19 at the Pittsfield Grange, so I covered the hall rent, although it didn’t fully cover the cost of refreshments. Quel dommage! It seems most folks had fun dancing, though.

Dancers at the Louisiana Dance Party

Dancers at the Louisiana Dance Party, November 19

Cyndy Cleveland was kind enough to drop by and give some basic Cajun two-step and waltz dance lessons, and we even had special guests Chuck and Lorraine (formerly of Chuck’s on the Boulevard) drop by to say hi. Even better, and unexpectedly, Chuck and Lorraine brought a pot of jambalaya to share with everyone! Lagniappe!

Lorraine plays the frottoir

Lorraine plays the frottoir

Chuck, at home in the Grange's kitchen

Chuck, at home in the Grange's kitchen

I had promised cake in celebration of 10 years of Maison Bleue being together as a band, and it was a very nice marble cake from Heritage Bakery of Livonia, MI. We also had ice cream, and had a toast of 10 years down, and many more to come. Oh, yeah, did I mention Chuck and Lorraine’s delicious jambalaya? I should probably plug their excellent cookbook, n’est-pas!?

Maison Bleue's cake

Maison Bleue's 10th anniversary cake

After the intermission, we let Jeff Boerger’s “other” band, Cracklin’, take over on stage. Jeff plays guitar and fiddle in Maison Bleue, he also plays those and accordion in Cracklin’.

Crackln'

Cracklin' plays at the Pittsfield Grange

Of course. with Cracklin’ playing the music, some members of Maison Bleue (and Cyndy) were able to “get down” with playing Maison Bleue’s extra “noise-maker” instruments.

Noisemakers

Kip, Cyndy, Bill, and Nina make some noise

All in all, it was a fun time. Although it is a lot of work putting on a dance at the Grange, it was nice to see several faces of folks who used to come to the Louisiana Dance Parties when we held them monthly in the early 2000s. A few of those folks admitted they missed the regular dances, so I said I will try to have them annually, perhaps every November.

(All pictures by Patricia F. Anderson. See all her pix from the Louisiana Dance Party.)

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Return of the Louisiana Dance Party, November 19!

Monday, November 15th, 2010

Aiyeeeeeeee! A few folks may remember when Maison Bleue played for a monthly “Louisiana Dance Party” at the Pittsfield Union Grange Hall just south of Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the early 2000s. Well, in honor of the fact that Maison Bleue played their first Cajun/zydeco dance at the Grange in November of 2000, they deemed it necessary to celebrate that 10th anniversary with another Louisiana Dance Party!

Maison Bleue from 2001

Maison Bleue plays at the Pittsfield Grange on January 19, 2001

The dance is Friday, November 19 (2010), with dance lessons starting at 7:00 pm (we’ll teach you how to do a basic Cajun two-step and waltz, and a basic zydeco step–it’s easy and fun!), then Maison Bleue will play live music starting at 8:00 pm. The event runs until 11:00 pm or so. Watch for other guest musicians (and maybe local bands) to also play during the evening. There will be an intermission around 9:30 pm with (non-alcoholic) refreshments served, and yes, there will be cake! (Hopefully, with 10 candles on it.)

Fake alligators

Pet Maison Bleue's pet 'gators!

The Pittsfield Union Grange Hall is at 3337 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, about 1/2 mile south of I-94. Heading south from I-94, when you cross Oak Valley Drive, the road you’re on will narrow down to two lanes. The Grange is immediately on your left. It looks sort of like an old-fashioned school house. Once you pass Oak Valley Drive, if you seem to be in open country, you’ve probably gone past it. Try to find a driveway to turn around, then head back to the Grange. (Note: The Pittsfield Grange Hall is NOT to be confused with the Pittsfield Township Hall, in case you’re looking it up online!)

Garry lying down on the job

Garry at the last Louisiana Dance Party on April 16, 2004

To celebrate the 10 years of being together as a band, Maison Bleue is charging admission based on the prices from 2000. They are $6 for adults (20 years and older), $3 for teens (ages 13 to 19), and kids 12 and younger are free when accompanied by an adult. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes to change into for dancing to help protect the nice wooden dance floor from grit that gets tracked in with street shoes. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, and prepare to have fun!

Get the flyer.

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Myrick “Freeze” Guillory at The Ark, November 13

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Does anyone remember the Frog Island Music Festivals that used to happen in Frog Island park in Ypsilanti, Michigan? Does anyone remember Queen Ida? Well, if you do, there’s an event this Friday, November 13, that’s right up your bayou! The Ark in Ann Arbor, MI, is having a “Frog Island Festival Revival” featuring Myrick “Freeze” Guillory, and Myrick just happens to be the son of famous zydeco accordionist Queen Ida, so he learned his craft from a master of the zydeco craft. Also appearing is former local Ann Arbor bluesman Al Hill, who has now relocated to Nashville.

This event is a fundraiser for The Ark, and tickets are priced accordingly: $500, $250, $125, and $45. The Ark also suggests you wear your vintage Frog Island T-shirt (if you have one). For more info, call The Ark at 734-761-1800 (days) or 734-761-1818 (evenings). The Ark is located in downtown Ann Arbor at 316 S. Main St.

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Midway Ramblers last “First Friday” dance on November 5

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

Y’all have heard of “the announcer’s jinx”? You know, when a sports announcer on radio or TV says something along the lines of “this kicker has been perfect on extra points this season” then immediately afterwards the kicker will shank an extra point so he’s not perfect any more? I feel like I recently made a “blogger’s jinx” when I blogged about the First Friday dances in Chicago with the Midway Ramblers. The Ramblers have a dance this Friday, November 5, then a dance on Sunday, December 5 (with Morris Ardoin), and then will not have any more regular dances (at least for a while).

I received this email from Denise Thompson of the Midway Ramblers:

Hello everyone

I’ve been thinking for awhile about ending the dances and have decided that the December dance (with the Morris Ardoin Creole Quartet and Dennis Stroughmatt) will be the last regular dance for us, at least for awhile. We might schedule one dance in the spring and we’ll certainly manage any guest bands that come our way. There is no one reason for wanting a break, just a feeling that this is the right time to move on. We’ve been at it for ten years and will have left the dance scene in much better shape than when we started when there was no cohesive dance scene at all

I know that many of you started your “careers” in Cajun with our dances and that some of you go at least as far back in decades as we do with our love of Cajun dance music. I thank you all for attending our dances over the last ten years.  We certainly grew as a band and many of you made new friends.

The early part of the year will be taken up with a long Mardi Gras season and perhaps we’ll play a dance in April.  After that, the summer season begins so there will be plenty of Cajun goings on in Chicago

We hope to see you on November 5th for the regular dance and on December 5th for the wonderful Morris Ardoin Creole Quartet.

A bientot….

Denise

Quel dommage! But I understand how hard it is to manage a regular monthly dance, and I can also understand why the Ramblers might feel they need to take a break from those dances for a while.

So, if you can possibly make it to the November 5 or December 5 dances, do so!

As a reminder, the November 5th dance is at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox (at Wilson), Chicago, IL. The dance is in the Shanachie Room and starts at 8:00 pm, some dance instruction is given around 8:45 pm. Admission is $8. Info: 630-833-3515.

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