My preference when listening to Cajun music are those groups that use a minimal number of instruments. Accordion and guitar; a fiddle and maybe triangle. Nothing else. No drums, bass guitar, steel guitar, etc.. Stating that, I guess I like the "back porch" sound. My favorite albums are Tracy Schwarz's two recording, the Magnolia Sisters - Prend Courage, The Amade Ardoin recordings, the Falcons, etc.. Any one familiar with some old(or modern)groups who only employ a couple (or 3) instruments in their recordings to get that homey, non-amplified sound? I have listened to the Savoy-Doucet recordings, but their skill level makes it seem like there are more than three (guitar, fiddle, accordion) instruments. Oh, did Nonc Allie Young record anything that is still available?

Ray Abshire, Eddie Lejeune, Dewey Balfa, DL Menard... There are plenty bands that aren't electrified. Are you looking for cajun acoustic bands without guitars/'tit-fers?

Nathan Abshire!

Oooh, I like minimalism in accordion playing--straight ahead playing without tons of triplets and without every second or third note part of a chord. Bois Sec plays in a minimalist grouping, as does Octa Clark, and both have straight ahead, somewhat minimalist styles (as does Nathan Abshire). Oh, and Ambrose Thibodeaux might be considered a double minimalist...minimalist band/minimalist player.

Unless there are some great players involved i always listen to no-drums-no electrickery bands almost only. It's mostly a "cheap" trick to add drums and basses if you can't handle proper grooving with out that circus, alas the dance crowds seem to like clowning and elfelunts in music. Most listeners can't follow and hence don't like fast melodies thanks to a limited musical ability and usually say: "it all sounds the same".

We play without drums and bass , but I have seen gigs with bass and drums that were also minimal. This year I saw Ray Abshire at Breaux Bridge with two fiddles(Kevin Wimmer, Courtney Granger), his sons on bass and guitar and Jimmy Breaux on brush-drums. They proove that's possible to play minimal with drums and bass. It was one of the highlights I have ever seen.
A few years ago I saw the Magnolia Sisters here in Europe and Lisa Trahan did a great job on the bass, without trying to play 5-string-banjo on it.
They played minimal, with maximal result.

Glad to see there's others that see it like this. My perfect Cajun band is accordion, guitar, twin fiddles, and singer. Heard this exact combination by the Cajun Troubadours at Festival Acadiens last year. Cory McCauley also often plays like this.

Bryan:
Next time you see Cory, could you ask him if I could buy a copy of his cd, Play That Thing, Yeah Jack? I like the tune Two Step De Pointe Aux Tigres.

Don, here is Cory's email, you can buy it directly from him. Tell him that I told you to hurry and get it while you can before he turns completely Polish and starts playing oompah.

evangelineaces@hotmail.com

Ganey's latest album has that same feel to it. Give it a listen if you haven't already.

For me I like the drums and steel in the band. The drums make the dancer aware of each move.

I haven't followed the entire thread but if you haven't already done so get a cd of Octa Clark and Hector Duhon (with Michel Doucet) on Arhoolie. Minimal, old time, authentic.

Some of these were already mentioned but for the sound you are looking for by some modern artist I highly recommend Horace Trahan "Ossun Blues" (a "must have" album), Eddie LeJeune (any), Jason Frey with Courtney Granger and Ray Abshire (also with Courtney).

Minimalism is OK as long as it is not excessive!

I actually read a review in which the reviewer was complaining about Boozoo's excessive minimalism - really.

But, all seriousness aside, I do believe that less is more, especially in a genre like Cajun music. I do like a simple stripped down sound. This is particularly true when just listening.

But on the other hand, I can't for the life of me imagine that I would want to do a lot of dancing to a band that did not have bass and drums. It needs that to give some oomph to the sound.

-David

When there's an intro in a song with only fiddle or accordion , most dancers are waiting for the bass and drums with starting to dance. In the past there was a lot of dancing without drums or bass.

You have minimalism (minimum amount of musicians) and minimalism (minimum amount of notes) .
I have 2 CDs where Boozoo has some ten musicians around him, while playing as few notes as possible on his accordion.
So I guess this reviewer must have meant the second meaning.

I'm with you on that Don. Personally, I just loathe steel. But that's just me. My ideal of a band is Octa Clark and Hector Duhon, but they're gone.

It seems like the music is so busy these days. So fast and so many trimmings. I'm sure it has to do with the much higher quality accordions we have now, but silence is a note also.

John in Oregon
temporarily back in the Mojave Desert

Enjoying the remarks on this thread!

To some degree these accordion players below might be considered minimal. I enjoy them all a lot:

Lawrence Walker
Badeaux
Terry Clement
Milton Molitor
Maurice Barzas
Roy Fuselier
Allie Young
Sidney Brown
(I am probably leaving out a few. Maybe Joe Bonsall could be considered minimal? Austin Pitre would appear to be very complex. Aldus Roger, fast and complex.)

Sometimes an odd combination of instruments works. On some of Lawrence Walker's old Khoury records, all you hear is the accordion, the fiddle and the drum. Like on Johnny Can't Dance. On Amedie Breaux's 1951 Fais Do-Do recordings of Jolie Blonde, Acadian Two Step, Poor Hobo, and Criminal Waltz, all you hear are the accordion, the triangle, the steel guitar, and a stand up bass. Works like mad! Usually I thik a fiddle is essential, but these recordings are fantastic. On a few of the Revon Reed social club recordings all you can hear are Roy Fuselier on accordion, Aubrey Deville on fiddle, and a beautiful steel guitar line! No rhythm guitar or drums. Then there's Adam and Cyprien Landreneau with a triangle accompaniment, sometimes a harmonica. You never know what's going to work. And don't forget that Octa Clark performed in the 50s with a steel guitar in the Dixie Ramblers, and of course Nathan Abshire had some great steel guitar players over the years. Personally some of the most exciting music I ever saw performed was by the Hackberry Ramblers at one of the early Festivals Acadiens, with just the fiddle, two acoustic guitars, and drums!

Maybe the single most cluttering sound is a busy bass, walking like in Texas two step and shuffle music. I guess it's not fun to play bass straight all night at a dance, but it's a very effective sound.

Neal, nice comments. If you notice, all the "minimalist" players you listed are old. What was neat about many of those old players is they made it sound simple and easy, but a lot of what they were doing is actually pretty intricate. Takes a special talent, to me, to make fancy stuff sound simple. Amede Breaux, Octa Clark, and Hadley Fontenot were masters at it.

And you mention the Texas swing style bass, and though I don't like the steel in Cajun music at all, I really hate when they were doing it Texas swing style, like some of the old Pee Wee Broussard recordings. I can't even fast forward through the steel run because it's doing that twang thing all through the song, twang it.

Bryan, I know what you mean about Pee Wee Broussard's steel guitarist on those old recordings. I don't enjoy that sound at all. Maybe the steel was still trying to find its voice. I like a medium tempo player like Touchet with the Louisiana Aces then the Touchet Brothers. For bass, if it's any more complicated than what Eva Touchet does for the Touchet Brothers, it's probably too much for my ears!

Since I don't play, it's harder for me to know who plays simply and who does not. Amedie Breaux certainly sounded complex on the Breaux Brothers recordings, and I always thought Hadley Fontenot and Octa Clark were fast and complex. Maybe I should cross Roy Fuselier and Allie Young off my list of minimalist players too. Roy used some pretty ornamentation. But the Mamou Hour Cajun Band was pretty minimalist in that period. Allie Young sounds like he has some powerful rhythms going on.

Alphee Bergeron was a bit too march-like for me, but I appreciate what he did for the music. I kind of like a more chanky chank rhythm, like Milton Molitor believe it or not. Ragged but right!

"Modern groups who only employ a couple (or 3) instruments in their recordings":

You can add these two to the great list of those already mentioned:

http://www.accordeonsericmartin.com/
(Click on Eric Martin & Cajun Ramblers)

The Cajun Company:
http://www.cajuncompany.net/ccsite/home.html

They are great European musicians who meet your requirements. You can buy any of their CD's with complete confidence.

And this one (not really modern, rather... timeless ):

http://www.amazon.fr/Acordeon-Cajun%60bal-Belisaire%60-Allie-J-Young/dp/B00004UVK6
Allie Young (accordéon et chant) and Bessyl Duhon (guitar).

Don,

Minimalist approach is my favorite. Thats how they did it in the old days. I have tons of minimalist albums, e mail me for a more detailed list. Here is a few of my favorites

1.) Jesse Legé Green Album. (with joel on fid and linzay young on guitar) if you don't have this album you should purchase it immediately. Jesse also has a southern ramblers album with Bobby michot and Joel. 3 instruments and vocals bangin it out old school. I love these two albums. Here is the link to a website run by joel and jesse where you can get both these albums, and sign up for skype lessons.

http://www.jesseandjoel.com/JesseandJoel/Music.html

2.) Dennis McGee the complete early recordings. Doesn get any better than this.

3.) anything off of cajun mp3 (neal's site).

4.) Both Ray Abshire albums are phenomenal.

5.) Iry LeJeune !!!! its just accordion with a fiddle and guitar, with no fiddle rides.

6.) Savoy Smith Cajun band Now and Then. Personally this is my favorite of the Savoy-insert fiddle player here band cds.

7.) Wade Frugé old time cajun music. Marc on Accordion Wade on fid, Ann on guitar.

8.) Cheese Read Cajun House Party. Marc on Accordion

9.) Balfa Brothers J'ai Vu le Loup, Le Renard, et la belette. or any of their albums really. There are some really good tracks of them off of Les Haricots sont Pas Salé soundtrack cd. You should get that whole cd in fact. There is an awesome version of Bee Fontenot playing a melody similar to flammes d'enfer as a different song called pain mais. I wish I could sing like that is all I'm gonna say. P.S. watch the documentary as well

10.) Cedric Watson, Ed Poullard, and James Adams Les Amis Créole. This album is a must have.

Anything the other guys said are really good as well. I have all the albums they mentioned above. If you don't have Octa Clark and Hector Duhon Old Time Cajun Music from Arhoolie. Shame on you.


e-mail me or call if you can't find these albums.

(225) 810-2977

Thanks everyone for your opinions, the suggestions for artists and recordings I should check into. Some recordings mentioned, I already have; those that I do not I will check into getting them.

Good recommendations, Christian. And, my favorite Cajun music will always be, in living rooms, or porches, or around the fire, with the sound of beer cans opening, laughing, and kids playing.

Wow, we've really beat this one to death.

Not yet, Bryan, the best is yet to come:
The PINNACLE of minimalism in Cajun Music... HERE COMES!

1. grab your accordion
2. set yourself down on your front- or backporch
3. make sure there's nobody around
4. start playing.
5. enjoy.

That's a very good list.
Les Freres Michot ?