hi Marc, do you know if Chez Seychelles is a composition by Michael Doucet, or if it's an older piece, i've seen a post of it on the session, melodeon site post, see link #3. The poster refers to Beausoleil, so it probably is. anyway, guess with the man himself playing at the coming Saulieu festival we can ask him. PS my browser crashed on my attempt to play tracks from your CD link. ... nout
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And Seychelles Islands also.
Listen this tune (n°19 : Mazok).
Do you remember "Chez Seychelles" by Michael Doucet ?
I think “Chez Seychelles” is an irish traditional music. I know a song played by Sharon Shannon, irish accordionist, the title is “Out of the gap”. The first part of this medley, a mazurka, is very similar.
I send you this tune by e-mail.
The music of Seychelles only underscores the African connection emanating from the roots of zydeco. Seychelles is very Caribbean in nature -- and culture -- even though it's considered Africa.
You don't have to dig too deep into Caribbean folk music to find very similar flavors. The music of Marcé et Tumpak from Martinique, known as "kadanse", a predecessor to zouk, and chouv bwal, is almost spot-on -- pegging the same groove and flavor of Seychelles (almost half a world away). Similarly, mento music from Jamaica, and kompas from Haiti all define the Creole sound with unbelievable sophistication and groove, many of these feature accordion.
Considering Louisiana Creole ancestry leads back and points directly to these islands, there's little wonder why such musical similarities exists. It's an element I hope survives the test of time because it is truly a beautiful groove. It's what hooked me on zydeco back in the 80's.
It was through Caribbean and African music that I discovered zydeco... something that was right across the state line -- not a customs and immigration line. Funny how things flow.
Nout,
Michael does lay claim to the song Chez Seychelles, but I don't know if it for composing, or arranging. I was told by David Doucet some time ago that it was an adaptation from a traditional song heard by Michael while visiting the Seychelles. The original is not a waltz.
Hi Ganey, Marc just sent me an Mp3 from a tune called Mazok from this CD on link #3 (the ecoute links didn't work for me). It's Chez Seychelles allover, but with longer lasting passages and more folksy and rootsie, maybe even nicer too. - Thus it's a traditional to me, or maybe belongs to some poor (black?) composer/musician, once again robbed of his rightful royalties by our Western mob-like music industry. - To me i feel if you change a folk melody, or lyrics slightly, that is the natural folk music process of evolution in music, and it will still be a traditional, maybe to be claimed as "arranged and adapted" by the artist who uses it. - I wonder how the Beausoleil boys describe the copyright ownership on their recording. But maybe we should call "Chez Seychells" "Mazok" from now on to credit the original composer?
- PS; Reminds me a little of the story of Blues banjo player and singer Gus Cannon, and his song "Walk Right In". Once discovered that he was still alive he got quite an amount of due royalties from that Seekers hit with the to me awful "baby let your hair hang down" lyrics adaptation. Probably thanks to Pete Seeger who's quite an integer musician they say. - Hopefully someone will give the composer of "Mazok" his rightful credits from now on. - nout.
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Nout,
Michael does lay claim to the song Chez Seychelles, but I don't know if it for composing, or arranging. I was told by David Doucet some time ago that it was an adaptation from a traditional song heard by Michael while visiting the Seychelles. The original is not a waltz.
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
