Talk:History of Cajun music/Archives/2015

History of Cajun music

OK, i'm having second thoughts about the Cajun music article. I keep reading it and have realized that there are 2 major discussions embedded in the article. 1) on Cajun music and it's musical form and 2) on the history of Cajun music. What has been done is place an effort on combining the two which isn't the most efficient or effective article. We could do a better job by separating this article into 2 pieces. Therefore, detailed attention could be attributed to both topics separately, making both articles better than they were before. I've created this history article, focused on a timeline structure, from the early years to today. The other article Cajun music is devoted to cajun styles of play and music composition. If you have ideas on this, please contribute them here. Falkonry 19:00, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I've moved over a number of historical elements from the Cajun music article to this one. Feel free to add any referenced material relevant to the history. Falkonry 19:40, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I suggest a First Cajun Renaissance period (40s-50s) to mark the return of the accordion to prominence and surge of regional pride in the post-War years for returning GIs; a Dancehall period (50s-present but peaking in the 60s-70s) to cover the bands previously designated for this sub-genre; and a Second Cajun Renaissance period (late 60s-80s) to mean the music associated with the social movement now called Cajun Renaissance, coinciding with the founding of CODOFIL, the first Tribute to Cajun Music concert that evolved into Festivals Acadien, and the like; then a Contemporary period (80s-present) if we included Toups and Riley, who began their careers then.

As is stands, where are the 50s and 60s?

Please add pertinent referenced information as you see fit. There may be sections needed that isn't completed here.

If you look at the Wikipedia entries for blues music, country music, and jazz music, they don't seem to be focused on Aural Analysis and do not even use that term. Their entries mix discussion of music theory with a lot of information about the primary proponents of the various styles. I am afraid that as it is now, a reader has to go to Cajun Music (main article), then jump to History of Cajun Music (subordinate article) to hear very much about who played the music and who changed the music. I propose that the older set up be restored but with more information under each sub-genre as to why the various musicians are listed, i.e. how their contributions changed the history of Cajun music.

The problem with the older format is where a history timeline is applied to diffent subgenres. Where the problem lies is in the fact that some subgenres overlap several other time periods. The type of music sometimes spans multiple music eras, causing confusion in one article. I believe the articles flow more smoothly keeping the history of the music separate than the styles of music available. Example, you cant say traditional Cajun music existed only in the 1920s and 1930s. It has been played ever since and you still have bands that revert to this style today. Yet, the former article could confuse the reader into thinking that traditional died out when Texas swing came in.

I've seen some Cajun books on Cajun music and even they have a hard time combining the two issues: music style and music history. Falkonry 19:05, 14 September 2007 (UTC)

If you look at a discography of Swallow records, you will see that the main production of 45s for jukeboxes, radio airplay, and support of the dancehall circuit, occurred beginning in the 50s and 60s, probably falling off by the 80s with the appearance of Riley, Toups and other Contemporary groups and the aging of the Cajun crowd of dance goers and fall off of so many old dancehalls. See http://npmusic.org/Swallow_45s_2007_January.zip. Npomea 21:45, 10 September 2007 (UTC)Npomea —Preceding unsigned comment added by Npomea (talk • contribs) 21:41, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

A question: does anyone from the area remember the cajun "videos" from KLFY during Passe Partout? They played them through the 1990's I believe. That was a huge influence to a lot of people. Super simple camera work, and lip-synched vocals, but it deserves to be part of the history. Just throwing that out there for anyone who wants to tackle it. I have no way of finding independent verification of this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.139.33.102 (talk) 04:32, 11 January 2009 (UTC)

Early Years: Introduction of the Accordion

I would like to edit the statement that German settlers in the Roberts Cove area introduced affordable accordions. See the following quotations from Comeaux, Malcolm. (1999). Introduction and use of accordions in Cajun music. Louisiana Folklore Miscellany, 27-40.

"It will probably never be known when the first accordion came to Louisiana, or when the first Cajun acquired or played one, nor does it really matter. What is important is that they did come to Louisiana and were accepted by musicians in southwest Louisiana."

"I believe that German-Jewish merchants were important in the sale of accordions. There were Jewish merchants with stores in all Cajun towns, and probably the best example was the Mervine Kahn store in Rayne, established in 1884, only four years after the railroad arrived. Many Cajuns bought their accordions from Mervine Kahn prior to World War II. How the first accordions arrived at these stores is unknown."

"We will never know the name of the first person to bring an accordion into south Louisiana. Since the accordion evolved in German-speaking lands, it is usually assumed that it was a person from this region who first brought an accordion to south Louisiana. Germans were constantly filtering into New Orleans and from there into southwest Louisiana. The only organized settlement of Germans in southwest Louisian, in Roberts Cove, did not occur until 1881, well after the accordion was in Louisiana. Also, German Americans from this community were never noted for playing accordion, so they played no role in acceptance of the accordion."

End quote. By the time the Breaux Brothers of Roberts Cove were playing accordion in the 1910s, 20s and later, the accordion had already become very popular.

For musical influences I believe we need to emphasize the African American contribution much more strongly.

"It will probably never be known when the first Cajun began to play the accordion or who this person was, but it seems that the first individual to bring the accordion to south Louisiana did not teach the Cajuns or black Creoles to play it. People on the prairie of southwest Louisiana developed a style of playing that was not smooth and easy, as was done in Europe, but rather they began playing with fast choppy rhythms in a syncopated style that had many fast runs. It evolved into a style not found anywhere else in the world, and based on the style, probably first developed by black Creoles and then taught to Cajuns. (emphasis mine). The first Creoles to develop accordion skills were probably descendants of small independent black farmers who lived on the prairie west of Opelousas. This is the only large settlement of small independent black farmers on the prairie, and it is the area where many of the early black accordionists originated, and where many, especially those using the old diatonic accordion, are now found." ~~NPomea —Preceding unsigned comment added by Npomea (talk • contribs) 13:24, 5 October 2007 (UTC)

References

I would like to change reference 5 (the Arhoolie cd notes for their Amédé Ardoin release) to something non-commercial if possible. I suggest the following:

Ancelet, Barry. (1994). Cajun music. Journal of American Folklore, 107, 285-303.

You can find this article in the Brasseaux and Fontenot book, Accordions, Fiddles, Two Steps and Swing, 2006. See quote on p. 199: "Almost every song that Amédé Ardoin recorded, in the beginning of his career with Dennis McGee and later alone, has become part of what could be described as the core repertoire of Cajun music...."

References 3 and 4 on this date, Oct. 5, 2007, both link to the same page. I would like to delete one of these references.

For reference 11 which links to the Handbook of Texas Online, I propose referencing the exhaustive liner notes by Andrew Brown, 2002, in the Bear Family cd Harry Choates: Devil in the Bayou: The Gold Star Recordings. (BCD 16355 BH). 90 page long article that is the most thoroughly researched material on Choates that I have ever seen.

I propose deleting the link to the history of Jolie Blonde. Other than two or three Cajun renditions mentioned in the article, the rest are Americanized novelty songs by mostly country-western artists following the popularity of Choates' single. I don't think that it illuminates anything about Cajun music and perhaps even contributes to stereotypes.

I would like to change the reference to the Newport performance in 1964 which included Dewey Balfa to a more academic source in order to add some authority and objectivity: The Cajun Music Festival: Genesis and Legacy, in Cajun Music and Zydeco, photographs by Philip Gould with introduction by Barry Jean Ancelet, 1992, Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press. I think that it describes the cultural climate of the time and the unexpected impact that appreciation of Cajun music by listeners in other regions played in the further development of the music.

For number 15, i.e. the link to the Jackie Caillier biography at the Louisiana State University at Eunice, I don't see why this particular musician is singled out when referring to the dance hall scene. I am not sure what to replace it with, but I suggest the Web page of the Cajun French Music Association or a reference to Ron Yule's book on the Lake Charles Cajun French Music Association Hall of Fame.

Number 20 is currently a press release by Beausoleil's agent, Rosebud Music. Is there anything on All Music Guide or some other source that could replace it?Npomea 15:35, 5 October 2007 (UTC)NPomea

I agree. By all means, if you find better reference replacements, go right ahead. Falkonry (talk) 18:07, 20 November 2007 (UTC)

Picture of Creole musicians playing Creole music

I wonder if we could replace that with a picture of someone else. I would suggest moving that wonderful picture of Canray and Bois Sec to the WP entry for Creole music.-- Npomea (talk) 18:35, 16 November 2007 (UTC)NPomea

Good point. Will save that for Creole music article. I'll try to find a replacement for that picture. Falkonry (talk) 18:06, 20 November 2007 (UTC)

External link on Zydeco music

Why is there an external link to Zydeco dance and Zydeco artists? Won't that confuse readers who do not know the differences between Cajun and Zydeco music? I would like to see it moved to the Zydeco entry, where it would help the reader. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Npomea (talk • contribs) 13:59, 5 April 2008 (UTC) No objections? I will delete and request that the link to Zydeco music videos be moved to the entry on Zydeco. Npomea (talk) 01:18, 13 April 2008 (UTC)Npomea

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