Down Home Cajun Music- Octa Clark and Hector Duhon

On this episode of the  Down Home Cajun Music podcast, we look at the music of Octa Clark and Hector Duhon.

Octa and Hector began playing music together first in 1928. Later they formed the Dixie Ramblers, but when Cajun went out of style and went toward country; Octa left the group. The duo would reunite in the 1950 and continue playing into the 1980's. This episode features some of the recordings they made in 1981 and 1982.

Bosco Stomp (Arhoolie 5026) 1981
Valse A Deux Temps (Arhoolie 5026) 1981
La Valse Du Jamboree (Rounder 6011) 1982)
High Ball (Rounder 6011) 1982)
J'Ai Ete Au Bal Hier Au Sour (Arhoolie 5026) 1981
La Valse Soleil Couche (Arhoolie 5026) 1981
Acadian Two Step (Rounder 6011) 1982)
Allons A Lafayette (Rounder 6011) 1982)
Jolie Blonde (Rounder 6011) 1982)
Creole Twist (Arhoolie 5026) 1981
La Valse Criminelle (Arhoolie 5026) 1981

*All selections from the original records.

One of the most powerful figures in Cajun music was Cleoma Breaux Falcon. From 1928-1937 she recorded with Joe Falcon for a variety of labels, leaving behind a vast musical legacy. This episode is devoted to the voice of this powerful musician.

Down Home Cajun Music- Cleoma Breaux Falcon

Marie Buller (Columbia 40502) 1928
Le Vieux Soulard Et Sa Femme (Columbia 15301) 1928
Prenez Courage (Columbia 40503) 1929
C'Este Si Triste Sans Lui (Columbia 40508) 1929
Mon Couer T' Appelle (Columbia 40508) 1929
Ils La Volet Mon Trancas (Bluebird 2191) 1934
Mes Yeux Bleus (Decca 17000) 1934
Blues Negres (Decca 17004) 1934
Raise Your Window (Bluebird 2183) 1936
Mon Favori (Bluebird 2180) 1936
I Can't Do It Without You (Decca 17019) 1936
Frisco One Step (Decca 17018) 1936
Lettres D'Amour Dans Le Sable (Decca 17044) 1937

*All selections from the original 78 rpm records

Down Home Cajun Music- Bonne Annee'

Nathan Abshire- Point De Lou (Khoury's 645)
Jimmy Choates- Petite Negres (Fais Do Do 1009)
Sidney Brown- Noir Chaussette's Two Step (Goldband 1061)
Floyd LeBlanc- You Musn't Cry (Opera 111)
Terry Clement- La Valse De Te Maurice (Feature 1090)
Lawrence Walker- Creole Waltz (Khoury's 617)
Harry Choates- Te Petite Et Te Meon (Cajun 1005)
Chuck Guillory- Teiyut Two Step (Feature 1015)
Adam Hebert- Jolie Petite Fille (Cajun 500)
Cleveland Crochet- Deedle-E-Deedle D-Da (Folk-Star 1191)
Hackbery Ramblers- Hippitiyo (DeLuxe 5035)
Pee Wee Broussard- La Valse De Bayou Blanc (Feature 1064)
Te Joe Manuel- Since The Age of 14 (Folk-Star 102)
Elise Deshotel- La Valse Tamper Tate (Khoury's 620)
Aldus Roger- Hix Wagon Wheel Wheel Special (Feature 1028)
Austin Pitre- Gueydan Two Step (4 Star 1341)
Amadee Breaux- Jole Blonde (Feature 1023)

*All selections from the original 78 rpm records.

Down Home Cajun Music- Angelas LeJeune

One of the most obscure Cajun artists of the late 20's and 30's was Angelas Lejeune. As a teenager, As a teenager,  Angelas was collaborating and interacting with both Amede Ardoin and Dennis McGee.  Angelas developed into a visible figure on southwest Louisiana's dance circuit, sometimes performing five nights a week at house dance in and around the rural Pointe Noire community. In 1929, Angelas recorded during a Brunswick  session that lasted from September 30th to October 2nd in New Orleans. Many of modern Cajun tunes can be traced back to some of the earliest recordings of his. His recordings feature fiddlers Dennis McGee and Ernest Fruge, providing some of the most intoxicating music of the era. For fans Iry Lejeune; this was his great uncle who he learned from.

September 30, 1929 New Orleans, La 
Angelas LeJeune- vocals and accordion, Dennis McGee- fiddle, Ernest Fruge- fiddle

1. La Valse De Church Point (Brunswick 368)
2. Petit Tes Canaigh (Brunswick 368)
3. Perrodin Two Step (Brunswick 369)
4. Valse De Louisianne (Brunswick 369)
5. Valse De Pointe Noire (Brunswick 370)
6. Bayou Pom Pom One Step (Brunswick 370)

November 19, 1930 New Orleans, La
Angelas LeJeune- vocal and accordion, Ernest Fruge- fiddle

7. Le Petit One Step (Brunswick (558)
8. La Valse De Veuve (Brunswick (558)
9. One Step Du Maraist Bouler (Brunswick 511)
10. La Valse A Tidom Hanks (Brunswick 511)
11. One Step A Cain (Brunswick 530)
12. La Valse Du Texas (Brunswick 530)
13. Madam Donnez Moi Les (Brunswick 577

*All selections from the Tompkins Square release: Let Me Play This For You: Rare Cajun Recordings

Down Home Cajun Music - Aldus Roger 1963-1967

Aldus Roger had been recording since the early 1950's. By 1960, he retired but his retirement was short lived for in 1962, he was chosen by the State of Louisiana in the National Folklore Festival in Washington, DC. As a result of the honor, Roger was persuaded to reorganize his band. In 1963 he started recording for the La Louisianne label out of Lafayette. This period would be one of the most productive times of Aldus and the Lafayette Playboys career,  recording for the label from 1963 to 1967.

1.One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer (La Lou 8039)
2.Not Lonesome Anymore (La Lou 8043)
3.Mean Woman (La Lou 8043)
4.Nobody Wants Me (La Lou 8053)
5.Lafayette Two Step (La Lou 8053)
6.Louisiana Waltz (La Lou 8076)
7.Triangle Special (La Lou 8076)
8.The Last Waltz (La Lou 8108)
9.Perrodin Two Step (La Lou 8108)
10.Shamrock Two Step (La Lou 8131)

*All selections from the original 45 rpm records

Down Home Cajun Music- Iry Lejeune Part Two

On this episode we continue exploring the recordings of the most influential Cajun musicians after WWII. Iry Lejeune grew up listening to the sounds of early accordion players such as Amede Ardoin, Joe Falcon, Angelas Lejeune and Amadee Breaux. Those early influences were woven into the songs he created during the late 40's until his early death in the mid 1950's. On this second episode, we will continue on with those recordings from the original 78 and 45 rpm records.

Jolie Catin (GF102)
La Valse De Cajin (GF102)
It Happened To Me (GF 1198)
Parting Waltz (GF 1198)
Grande Nuit Especial (G 1024) *Edited Version
Church Point Breakdown (G 1096)
La Valse De Bayou Chene (G 1096)
Duraldo Waltz (G 1041) *Version Two
Grande Bosco (G 1041)
Donnes moi mon chapeau (G 1103)
La Branche De Muriee (G 1103)
La Fille La Vove (G 1219)

*All selections from the original 78 and 45 rpm records.

Down Home Cajun Music- Les Blues De Voyage

Joe Falcon & Cleoma Breaux- Aimer Et Perdre
Leo Soileau & Moise Robin- Je Vieux Merrier
Blind Uncle Gaspard- Assi Dans Les Fentre De Ma Chambre
Guillory & LeFleur- Stop That
Soileau Couzens- Trois Jours Apres Ma Mort
Amede Ardoin & Dennis McGee- Les Blues De Voyage
Dennis McGee & Sady Courville- Madame Young
Douglas Bellard & Kirby Riley- La Valse De La Prison
Monet & Dupuis- La Abandonner
Blind Uncle Gaspard- Sur Le Borde De L'Eau
Guillory & LeFleur- Waltz of Long Wood
Blind Uncle Gaspard- Marksville Blues
Guillory & LaFleur- Quelqu un Est Jalous
Breaux Freres- One Step A Marie
Columbus Fruge- Saut Crapaud

Down Home Cajun Music - Rayne Bo Ramblers 1946 RCA Victor Session

At this point, Happy and the Rayne Bo Ramblers had stayed busy recording since 1935. In 1946, Happy and the band recorded their last recordings for a major label when they recorded this session for RCA Victor. 1946 seemed to be the end of an era and beginning of a new one. This session on Victor was one of the last Cajun string band recordings by a major record label.  Not long afterwards, RCA Victor would abandon all things related to Cajun music, probably due to lack of sales nation wide. Independent labels were taking off and Happy would have to look at other outlets, which he did, with J.D. Miller's new independent label called "Fais Do Do" records. But this session has many great moments to enjoy, from "La Valse de Bosco" to the early rockabilly of "Cajun Boogie".

Le Neuvo Te Maurice (Victor 2035)
Les Veuve A Kita La Coulee (Victor 2035)
Cajun Jitterbug (Victor 2321)
Sweet Southern Azelea ( Victor 2321)
Coosh Mal (Victor 2034)
Le Valse De Bosco (Victor 2034)
Cajun Boogie (Victor 2200)
The Widows Lament (Victor 2200)

*All selections from the original 78 rpm records.

Down Home Cajun Music- Bee Records

Elton Bee Cormier founded the Church Point Playboys in 1949. In the 1970's he wanted to record him and his band. But at that time , not many studios wanted to record Cajun music. He purchased a tape recorder and started to record musicians.  Bee Records was born from his early recordings.  This episode features many of the label's first recordings.

Reggie Matte- Ouvre La Porte (Bee 101)
Bee & Terry Cormier- Church Point Two Step (Bee 105)
Gurvais Matte- Jim Olivier Two Step (Bee 119)
Reggie Matte- Lawtell Two Step (Bee 116)
Roger LeJeune- Grand Nite Special (Bee 122)
Pee Wee Broussard- Yo Yo Two Step (Bee 151)
Joe Fontenot- Wilba Lee Two Step (Bee 148)
Paul Daigle- Ma Chere Aline (Bee 140)
Jason Frey- Bayou Teche Two Step (Bee 158)
Gurvais Matte- Alleman Waltz (Bee 119)

*All selections from the original 45 rpm records

Down Home Cajun Music- Dennis McGee and Ernest Fruge: November 1930

Dennis McGee recorded his last pre war session of his own in November of 1930. Recorded in New Orleans, McGee brought along fiddler Ernest Fruge to accompany him on these recordings. The recordings suffered from poor record sales, due to the Depression, and were mostly forgotten. It has been said that these recordings did not become available to the public intil a year later. As far as the music they recorded; it was some of the most powerful music in Cajun history.

La Valse De Lange Au Paille (Brunswick 496)
Two Step Du Grand Maraist (Brunswick 496)
La Rille Cajen (Brunswick 512)
La Danse Carre (Brunswick 512)
Lanse Des Belaire (Brunswick 557)
Les Bleus Du Texas (Brunswick 557)
La Valse De Rosalie (Brunswick 590)
One Step Des McGee (Brunswick 590)
Valse A Pap (Brunswick 532)
Two Step De La Ville Platte (Brunswick 532)

All selections from Yazoo 2012