Well since we're into polls...

In your opinion, list your top 5.

Current bands? Or also the bands from, let's say, 1000 years ago?

Gus

...er, lets make it current bands still playing today.

Shoot, I thought Jesus and the Apostles had a chance to make the list.

I shouldn't even try to make a list. I'm still pretty ignorant about such things, but here goes:
I would put the "Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band" in there somewhere.

"The Balfa Brothers" should be in the running.

Of the young guys and the "new" bands, I'd nominate the "Lost Bayou Ramblers", now that I have actually listened to two of their albums and a watched a few videos.

Cajun Artists:

1. Bon Tee Jesus avec Marc Savoy
2. Jimmy Breaux
3. Ray Abshire
4. Danny Collet
5. Walter Mouton

Cajun Bands:

1. & The Mamou Playboys
2. & Zydecajun
3. & The Ossun Playboys
4. & The Scott Playboys
5. & Bayou Roots

R!CK

In no particular order....
Cory McCauley & His Evangeline Aces.
Jason Frey, Ken Smith & the Usual Suspects
Robert Jardell
Savoy - Doucet Band
Savoy - Michot Band (Wooo that one came from feft field!)

I forgot....Walter Mouton & the Scott Playboys

I'm not too knowledgeable about old time bands, so I won't venture there.

My top other than that (not by order):

1) Pine Leaf Boys
2) Lost Bayou Ramblers
3) Mamou Playboys
4) Savoy Family Band
5) Horace Trahan & his friends/Ossun Blues (whatever they're called?)

Been listening to a lot of older stuff lately, but I've been enjoying the following:
-Bonsoir, Catin!
-Lost Bayou Ramblers
-Ray Abshire and Friends
-Chris Miller and Bayou Roots

and what I can't listen to on a CD is all the great lunch tent combinations from Balfa Camp, like Mitch Reed and Michael Doucet jammin' it out, or Joel and Wilson making their daddy smile...

Everyone has picked some dandy bands... but there remains one band that stands out for me (as a personal favorite). It was a one time shot of over the top music from select musicians together as one band.


Though they came together just once (for 4 days)comprised of a select gathering, they were called the Cajun Dream Team. This band was comprised of (in no particular order of the members) among the best, as they were all pros:

Ed Poullard
Faren Serrette
Chris Miller
Al Berard
Andre Michot
Jude Moreau
Jesse Lege
Jason Frey

There are about 5 or 6 dat tapes out there (given to Ed Poullard) covering the sets this bunch played as a band. I have heard some dandy music, but this bunch as a full large band on one stage, took the cake. What an episode!

Missing from the intended line up of band members (beyond those above) was Roland Ledet, he was unable to make it (he's among my favorite aquaintences as a human and musician).

It's a great problem for me to write down 25 best Cajun bands. So the best 5 is nearly impossible.
The best band isn't always the band with the best musicians, if somebody can tell me who's the best accordionist, fiddler,guitarplayer,........
Most bands from LA I hear live were great and for me always the traditional playing bands impress me the most, but that is a matter of taste.
I gve it a try and the range is not 1 to 5, but a bit random.

Cory McCauly and the Evangeline Aces,
Ray Abshire and Friends,
Lost Bayou Ramblers,
Pine Leaf Boys,
Californian Cajun Orchestra,

Now I have a real problem, because I did not mention

Steve Riley and the mamou Playboys,
Charivari,
Beausoleil,
Balfa Toujours,
Jimmy Thibodeaux
Jesse Lege
etc,etc,etc,etc,

I didn't see them all live, but the bands I have seen live and were great and concerning Zydeco I have seen were

Geno Delafose,
Keith Frank,
Sean Ardoin

And also fantastic

V-Ron ~ Zydeco is a whole different game!

1. Travis Matte
2. Chris Ardoin, J. Paul Jr., Keith Frank, Andre Thierry, Same Ol' 2-Step, Brian Jack, Sean Ardoin, Step Rideau, Rosie Ledet, Big Red, Jeffrey Broussard, Lil' Brian, Nooney, Marcus Ardoin, Corey Ledet, Lil' Nathan, Curley Taylor, Jeremy Fruge, ahh... just forget it. This is too difficult! And this only includes those amongst the living...

R!CK

Sorry Rick, but I thought that was a question too when I was writing my reaction, but it's also nearly impossible.

1. Bruce Daigrepont (I'm crazy about his stuff)
2. Jimmy Breaux
3. Sheryl Cormier
4. Johnny Sonnier
5. Savoy Family Band

Many, many more. I've really been enjoying a Feufollet CD I got at Cajun Fest.

The criteria was to pick 5 currently playing bands as the best top 5. I reviewed the answers submitted and did my best to figure out what top 5 bands you placed. For example, if you put more than 5, I took the first 5 on the list. If less, i only took what was there. If bands aren't now defunct as a group, then i didn't take them.

Alot of great choices I saw. So far as of now, Lost Bayou Ramblers is in the lead, however, there isn't enough votes to determine a clear top 5 just yet, so I'll wait for more responses before I post the list.

WF

I have to drop a vote for my friend Charles Thibodeaux and the Bayou Cajun Band, based here in Austin, they play pure acoustic old-style Cajun music. Charles on Accordion, Steve Riley on Fiddle (Mamou Playboys), Steve Doerr on rhythm guitar (Leroi Brothers), Richard White on drums and Robert Vignaud on bass (from Beausoleil). See the link above. I try to catch them every Monday night (usually just Charles and the two Steves on Monday...small stage).

Wow. Did Steve Riley move to the Austin area or does he make the drive every Monday?????

Ooops, bad typing....I meant Peter Swartz on fiddle...used to play With Steve Riley...

Sorry...

No sweat.

(I have a relative in Austin and will have to make a visit on a Monday night one of these days, and check out the Evangaline Cafe)

Monday nights at Evangeline to hear Charles, early evening 6:30 to 9pm You'll have plenty of time to eat a great bowl of Gumbo (the Oysters Evangeline are also great), listen to Charles and company, then go out to another club (I recommend you stay south and go to the Saxon Pub or the Continental Club)

5 bands in no particular order


Racines
Les Amis Creole
Cory McCauley and his Evangeline Aces
Chris Miller and Bayou Roots
Horace Trahan and band


Wilfred

Are you sure ??

No, These are the only 5 bands I know.

steve riley & co

al berard's band [though sometimes they have no accordion :0 ]

i can;t believe people forgot the great LEE BENOIT!!!

mitch reed and band

wle.