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Re: Les Flammes D'en France

Ha! So he is from La Fronce. There were three things that tipped me off and got me suspecting.
The way he was singing the words to the song sounded like Parisianne French.
Then there was the hat.
And he was hairy. LOL
Ah Viva la Fronce.
But he did a good job with the song. Started it the usual overplayed way, but good enough. Good enough tempo and rhythm.

Not long from now, it will be very hard to pick out if the musicians are Cajun or not. They are getting closer and closer to the real deal because they are making a conscious effort to do just that. All the while, the Cajuns are turning more and more into non Cajun Americans. But hey...
"You Can't Go Wrong If You Play it Right." Octave Clark.

Well Mr. Octa, how do you play it right? Well...Greasy.....you jus play it right! Oh ok Mr. Octa, that clears it up a whole lot more for me. LOL

Re: One more thing AJ?

Christophe, thanks for the correction. I have viewed this artist with interest, and your information is the most complete I've found.

OMG!

Oops! I have revealed my identity!

Anyone else?

Re: One more thing AJ?

Sarah, pretending to be male, used to troll here in defense of her brother's lack-luster playing.

Re: One more thing AJ?

Unnecessary that. They're all decent musicians them Savoys.

Re: One more thing AJ?

Hole up wait a minute! M Effeil. Can you elaborate on that just a bit more? You're point of view sort of caught my eye. Is it that you think I am Sarah Savoy? Or did she used to come to the bravenet under a male accordion player's identity? Under what name? I'd like to go back and have a look at what she said. Interesting. You know, not to stir up the pot of crap, but for my own purposes. LOL @ "my own purposes".
Nedro, I wonder why my real identity is so important? Does not the information I type about sound legitimate? Look man, I'm not anyone's hero over here except for maybe 1 or 2 people in this whole world, and maybe not even that. I am definitely NOT anyone's accordion hero, because nobody sees me play the accordion much. Not anymore. This was going to be explained in the story I began with, but I sort of got sidetracked. I don't know if I want to be an "Accordion Hero", "Accordion King", or even "Accordion Cool" like Steve Riley LOL. That's a big responsibility and one hell of a hard reputation to maintain. I wonder, by the time I'm dead and gone if people will still be making hero's out of other people that stand out? Will the people still be saying "He's the best" or "Man! He was the best!" or "No, this other guy was better."
"The Best and the Better" John Trahan, accordionist.<

Re: One more thing AJ?

Greezy, it's not so much that anyone gives a s***t who you are - we just want you to play us a tune.

Your concealed identity digs your hole a bit deeper, because a mere audio recording would not reveal the performer's identity. So, we need a video or some verifiable record of your artistry to credibly establish you as the folk icon you have described to us.

This festering situation was created by G. McGill, not by the forum or its members.

Re: One more thing AJ?

Wasn't my "point of view" ..I was simply relating an experience here on Bravenet 21..

A couple years back.. someone posted that young Savoy was in a group that had just performed (and or recorded) and that his playing was the weak link in the group.. There were many people who posted and agreed as well as commending another band member for his excellent performance and that he was so far superior in his skills he would do himself a favor to part with the group and go out on his own.

Sarah,in the guise of a male, came on and ripped everyone for their observations/opinions.. it was evident by the writing it was that of a female and it was also evident, given the details of the post, that she was related to Savoy . It was later pointed out this was sister Sarah.. ergo busted.

I shared the opinion that the one musician was way above and out of the league of the others and should go on his own path.. coincidentally.. he did just that within a very few months.

I had no opinion on Savoy Jr's expertise. He seems a very good player to me.

Greezy.. I don't think you have the right equipment to be Sarah : )

Re: One more thing AJ?

I remember the event.

Does this sound familiar?

Check this out on this forum: Wilson Savoy, Dec 2, 2007 - 9:19PM

If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

"Elle à pleurer pour revenir" a song by Percy Babineaux and Bixy Guidry recorded in the 1920's is the same melody as the "Les Flammes D'enfer" tune we are all familiar with today. In my opinion, the 1920's version (as well as many other 1920 era cajun songs) is played with more heart and soul than the "modern" version. Have a listen through this link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmgkAB60sBk

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

The basis of Bixy's song borrows from an old Afro-Creole melody entitled "Adieu Rosa", one that Douglas Bellard captures even more closely in my opinion during this 1929 Vocalion session. In his version his lyrics discuss the "flammes d'enfer" and the reasons why he's going to hell, even crying out "priez pour moi". A shame the instruments clash during this session.

http://earlycajunmusic.blogspot.com/2014/10/mon-camon-la-case-que-je-suis-cordane.html

WF

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Thanks for sharing! I love chasing back the origins of these tunes. Your website is a wealth of information.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Listening to Percy and Bixby that first part is reincarnated in the current Madame Entelle and possibly other tunes. And boys, thanks for bringing music into this conversation!!

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Amen to that too! It should be always about the music. But there are so many nuances and details that give Cajun music it's differences. I once read Marc Savoy refer to different styles of accordion play as "regional styles". Of course, there could also be "regional styles according to time period". I sure wish he would have gone into detail and actually named these "regional styles" and examples of each. Then, all of us could hear examples of each regional style, or pick a time period style and decide which we liked best or which suited us the most, and learn to play that style and be able to tell and teach everything about it. But would the different regional styles always compete and argue on which is the best and who plays the best of each style?

It is a fact that Savoy recognized that there were different regional styles and he wrote about them briefly...very briefly. Do these regional styles continue to set themselves apart today? Do they still exist?

I think they still exist in older recordings, but most of us modern Cajun accordion players have failed to recognize the regional style and started recognizing the style of a few modern individual players. In doing that, we've jumbled up all these unique styles that once existed into that of a few accordion players that would be the "KINGs", and we are losing the variety of choices that are actually available.
Thus the majority of accordion playing may seem to "all sound the same". This is not good for the players, or the listeners!

This can be fixed, by going back to the old recordings. If you can't pick out the best regional style, then pick out the time period you like best and study the players of those times. Maybe even study a modern day player for one of their songs that stands out as authentic. You will find that you will be more satisfied with your playing, because it will help you to be more of a unique player. You won't be just another one of the 1000's of players noodling around out there all playing the same songs the very same and boring way because everybody learned from the same Youtube instruction video. You might just be the breath of fresh air much needed. Ever heard the phrase, "It's so old it's new again"?

Believe you this! Once a beginner moves into the intermediate stages, he or she will begin to reflect on his or her own style that may be starting to develop. If it sounds the same as everyone else, and you are happy with that, then you probably won't be going on to be considered a unique and talented master. If you are not happy with sounding like everyone else, then you will either quit playing, or you shall begin to take steps toward better understanding and eventual mastery of Cajun accordion music. Good luck with this Gents, for it is seldom talked about, and much less even realized or understood.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Greezy, you can't leave us just like that, after teasing us about the Austin Pete way of playing les Flum d'en Faire ;)

Myself, I've been trying to play it just like on the record and slowed it down to various speeds without any success. It seems like Austin just plays a long slur of notes, like a gigantic phrase that is too long to break down into memorizable patterns. Therefore, I just play the "standard" version of the tune, which lacks the wild bouncy coolness of Austin's version.

Greezy, if you have any hint about this tune, I'd gladly take it.

OB


PS. Great job Wade about analyzing the origins of the song. That schematic you drawn of the various versions is precious. Geekiness at its best LOL!

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Hey Orville, remember that band that was featured under the topic "The Lost Style Makes a Comeback"? They were called Plaquemine Brulee? The accordion player plays Les Flammes D'enfer right at the beginning. Well, you can see his fingers in that video. That's the first step to learning it like Austin Pitre. Listen to it and watch it over and over and attempt with your "C" accordion. Combine that video with listening to the Austin Pitre version posted by THE BLUE MAX on the very first post of this very thread. The sound of both videos matches up to a "C" accordion very well. I like to set the Austin Pitre video to "Loop" and play along over and over again while I sit back in my chair with my feet up, then fall asleep listening to it as it loops all night long in my ear. LOL, I started learning Pitre's version when BLUE MAX posted Plaquemine Brulee playing it and Bryan pointed out their version of Les Flammes as being good. All together, it feels like I've put about 5 hours into it. I try to play it at least twice every time I pick up my accordions and I'll keep doing this until the song haunts me in my sleep! That is the secret to learning every song in the Cajun genre. You have to want to learn it. And you have to know the tune by heart. Oh yeah,....you also have to know your key board and the multiple button combinations hiding therein to copy songs and also pin your own style to it. Remember, playing a song at different speeds from the original is NOT A CRIME! It is the road to find your very own rhythm. And that keyboard....play the whole keyboard every chance you get even though it may sound wrong. Do it until you can make it sound right.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Dam Orville, I had to come back for a repost because the "edit" option timed out on me.

Austin Pitre is doing a little trick right after the intro and base melody line of Les Flammes D'enfer. You can hear it if you listen close. Its a quick little shuffle and he keeps doing it through out the whole song. That will be the hardest part to learn for most accordion players.

I became more aware of that little shuffle and others similar to it when I started listening very closely to Nathan Abshire two steps and those got dam nearly impossible turns or (B parts) he'd throw on them. To name two "Fee Fee Poncho" and "Domino Two Step". Nathan Abshire and Austin Pitre are tied to one another with these secret quick shuffles. "These Shuffles" first entered my conscious a long time ago when I'd watched two old men play "regional" versions of "The Crowley Two Step", "T'en As Eu T'en Auras Plus", and "Johnny Can't Dance". Now, these unique versions cannot be found anywhere because they've died with the men who played them and unfortunately, they were not recorded. The only place they exist are in the memories of a few people. I'm one of those people thank god!. Good news though, those little "shuffles" can be found here and there on youtube and old recordings of Nathan Abshire, Austin Pitre, Aldus Roger, and others. And in some cases, they can be slowed down on the video to be heard and learned. Hell, even Iry Lejeune uses some of these same "shuffles" in that very ornate and mystic playing style of his. They're there, if you listen for them. Even better if you can watch them being done by an accordion player, but that wont happen anymore unless you can find a master that can still do it.>>greezy mcgill<<. LOL, I hope I don't have to live up to that claim and show you guys. I'd rather see others do it on their own, just like I did just by learning that IT IS POSSIBLE!

Here is something for you Boudreaux. I was able to learn Nathan Abshire's Domino Two Step (hicks wagon wheel) because I learned the turn of "The Rabbit Stole the Pumpkin" by Blind Uncle Gaspard back in my novice years. Try and make sense of that tid bit of information. I'm still trying to make sense of it. But for some reason, it worked for me! Through my own mishaps and cultivation of my own style of playing, those two songs and their "turns" came together for me by the way they sounded to my ear and felt to my hands on the accordion, and probably no one else on Earth had the same experience. Often times, one song will help you find another. Listen to many and try them all! Like I've said many times before, "You have your whole life to learn." And hopefully, my friends, that will be enough time.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Great stuff Greezy McSkill!

You're inspiring me to get back trying to learn this cool ol stuff.

Playing the accordion behind your head is fun too!

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Ha! AJ I played the accordion behind my head once. I found I couldn't play too well. I knew two people, they were brothers. They grew up as young boys with one accordion in the household. Very competitive they were. Before you knew it they were double teaming that one accordion. One man would stand in front and either play the base or treble side with one hand. The other would stand behind him and hold on to the back of his belt with one hand and reach through and play whatever side of the accordion his brother in the front wasn't playing. Yes, this is a well known parlor trick now a days. But these guys were doing it in the 1930's. It has since evolved into the two accordion players sitting side by side and playing on one accordion. Either way, it takes great knowledge of the accordion and the music being played and a good sense of feel for the instrument and it's rhythms, but I never really wanted to try doing it. It just seemed like an attention getting stunt to me. These two men lived right down the road from Jesse Lege, or he lived right down the road from them. I know for a fact that Jesse would visit with at least one of these old men in the old days. Jesse Leger is a fine example of the "regional style" these two old men played. We'll call it the Highway 14 regional style. These two brothers were steeped in the HWY 14 style. They influenced a few musicians in their community. If I'm not mistaken, Jesse Leger can be seen playing two man accordion with Walter Mouton on YouTube. Jesse became aware of two man accordion because of these two brothers.
It is most certainly a very small world. And it all happened just off of HWY 14.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

It's a really interesting thread.
This is the way I learned les Flammes.







Still some homework to do before I can play it like Austin Pete.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Looks like Gainey Arsement. Sounds like Gainey Arsement. Is it Gainey, or is it Orville, or both?

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Nedro it's 100% Ganey.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....

Sounds a bit like fe fe poncho that version.

Re: If only the Les Flammes D'enfer melody was still played this way....


(And lots of great suggestions in the right column, particularly Blind Uncle Gaspard's beautiful songs, some I had never heard).



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