I've been to Louisiana plenty of times and to MANY gigs/events.
The thing that always stays in my mind about the LA style is the STRENGTH and PRESENCE of playing....none of this softly, softly folky stuff. When the LA players hit a button or strike a bow, it's hit....that's skill and confidence, and also knowing what the audience/dancers want.

My Grandfather always played as if he assumed someone was going to dance to the tune. So there was always a strong two step or waltz rhythm not only with the left hand but with the bellows as well. Sounded kind of like Moise Robin. He never played without tapping his foot.

Hey Nick,I've heard about the polka thing also,but don't really understand the difference.In fact I don't know if I can really pick out a Louisiana player are not.The only thing I may hear sometimes is the rhythm, are syncopated rhythm played more often by the LA boys.That being said,there are a lot of guys outside of LA that tear it up rhythm wise.One thing for sure,most musicians in Louisiana can't tell the difference,because most LA musicians think I'm from LA.I think It's just advanced accordion players.

Patrick,

I firmly believe there are two types of Louisiana Cajun Accordion Music:

Dance Hall Music. As the name suggest, people hear this music and cannot resist the urge to dance. Simple,Rythmic, Driving music that is Fun to dance to and listen to as well.

Front (or Back)Porch Music. Can also be called craw-fish boiling music, hog-butcherin' music, jam-session music,beer-drinkin music, or showin'-off music. Fun to listen to, but can be a little too convoluted to dance to.

Don't want to mention any names of who I think does what, but if you listen to enough Louisiana players, or Arkansas players, Mississippi players, Texas players,Yankee players,Dutch players, or even English players, and use the above criteria, you can pretty well divide them up.

Some players can pull off both styles, but it ain't easy.

JB

doubt it

i;d guess there is more variation between LA players, as between "all LA players" and "all non-LA players"

i think what mr riley means is, if you TELL him where someone is from, then he will start to find all sorts of 'differences'

the thing is too, anyone good from LA, he will have heard them anyway

so it;s really not fair

wle

A lot of the older players I talk to have told me that in the old days they could almost always tell what town/parish an accordion player was from just by the way he played certain songs.

John

Now that I believe, John. Now, with everyone mobile, and with readily available cd's, I doubt there is that regional association anymore. But I could sure believe it for the old days, just like the language and food.

Don't ask me why but when I first heard Jim Petijean thought he must be from Eunice and Patrick O from Carencro LOL.

It's the way they play the songs, I think.
When you grow up in LA you hear and feel the sound/rhythm before you were born, when you grow up .....and for an "outlander" it's difficult to learn to play that way.
We "outlanders" try to play the music as Cajuns/Zydecos as possible and we all hope that Steve Riley should say, "that's a LA-musician"