Re: "Real Deal" and "Authentic" names of those who post on this forum
I'm with Jude on this one...if you hadn't noticed, Jude is a regular poster here and is also an accordion-maker who happens to currently reside and work in Southeast Texas. You seem to be taking a swing at him...I thought of responding earlier, but decided to ignore the condescending tone of your post and give you the benefit of the doubt--you did not mean to intentionally do this, right? If you did intend to disrepect Jude or any other out-of-state makers, then I think you are out of line in regard to the etiquette of this forum. Are you insinuating that unless a box is assembled within the borders of Louisiana, then it is not authentic? If so, what is your position on all the musicians on this forum who live outside Louisiana and play "Cajun music?" Are they "authentic?" To me, that is a real problem, when you put it in human terms.
I have asked questions like these before on this forum...years ago...and got a firestorm of responses. Maybe it is time to revisit this...but everyone please...let's keep it "Friendly" as I consider all of you here friends in the cyberspace sort of way, and some of you are actual "in the flesh" friends...
My opinion--If you play from your true life experience and from what you feel in your heart, it is real and authentic. I just heard a bluesman, John Hammond, (look him up if you don't know him) at a festival we played in Ohio. He is white and of a fairly privileged background...but he is a "real" as I have ever heard! I "felt" him. Can a white man sing the blues? Can a rich man sing the blues...evidently...yes. I can't argue with what I saw, heard and felt. I guess you could argue with me, but I can't argue with him...I felt the blues.
I wish we would get off the label bandwagon and judge every instrument and musician on his or her own terms. Enough of all this "I live here so I am more right baloney..."
I am not ashamed of my viewpoints and do not need to hide behind an alias or pseudonym. I anyone is worried about being real, then let him or her use his real name and contact information. That's as real as it gets in cyberspace.
Re: Re: LOUISIANA minded kings and queens of this'n that take note
Chris ... I am dang proud of you for bringing that up.
Further more, I am very proud that we have such a fine family of friends that are scattered throughout the planet dedicated to this instrument and genre and the culture. You know who ya are.
More than that, so many of us are adopted and brought into the fold of a culture with dignity knowing that it is not our own but are welcomed by the finer representation of a people. I feel no less important as a human being for this, because I know that I am doing what I do comes from (you got it) the heart and for the betterment of the culture itself (though in a small remote way in a state on the left side of matters).
While this instrument (accordion) has been labeled Cajun Accordion... it's origin stems back to an imported object that incorporated itself into this genre and was made a part of the cultural icon. So lets get off the mabey you is, mabey you isn't horse you know what.
Now then:
People are where they are as a reason for matters of existing. Some have never ventured beyond Louisiana, and, it is a big world. Who we are, where we are, why we are and as a reason for where we are at... has nothing to do with what we are in our heart, that is what matters most (unless I was taught wrong). I will go out on any limb and tell a person thay aint squat among their own culture if they think otherwise. Now you can cut off a limb an arm or leg, and matters will survive ... you dilly dally with the heart (ya know what I am talking about here) and you run a gawd awful risk of doing some serious damage... and at some point ya may have to be shipped off to some Texas medical heart specialist named Ima Guttenblocker to straighten ya out... at which point Texas aint so bad, providing Ima gonna fix you up. So watch your thoughts and your references to folks carefully.
Any person that thinks a builder such as Jude Moreau that lives in Texas is not connected to the real deal of matters dealing with his culture or his product ... well... for that person thinkng this, they are not worth the slighest bit of oxygen eminating from my posterior wind even if they are gasping... and trust me, and I been working up a growler over this one.
After reading your last paragraph, I'm glad you posted it was "from the heart." Nonc-san, cause I was gettin' mighty scared as to where you were going with that thread... -L- :- )
Played my accordion with some friends yesterday. It was the first time I picked it up in months. We had a lot of fun. Mostly played guitar with the other guys either on banjo, mandolin or guitar. Real old-timey sound... -L-
Hey Tom, glad to know that you picked up your accordion again . You play too well to just give it up. Maybe you just needed a break from it ?
Keep on squeezin' my man.
Jude
There have been some that will tell you I have no heart, I operate on some alien enzyme of sorts.... b ut then there is a gob of green bud in those counties and towns(Garberville specifically)where that statment was made. You can get higher than a hooty owl just walking down main street breathing normal and wonder what a heart truly is...Ha.
Glad you are squeezing some Tom... hurts like the dickens I know, but perhaps some rejuvenating value back to the muscular for that scoundrel running ya down on your peddle machine.. you know. Myself, I drug out the boxes here a week ago and played some for that youngest boy of ours (Robert). He visited with us for 3 days (in from the east coast Jersey a good visit) and flew out to San Diego where he will be till at lest christmas time building stores.. down Dave Sousa way.
So ya did up some Nitty Gritty Dirt band stuff eh... that works in a pinch.
Hey guys, I know my name wasn't used in the original post, and I really didn't take offence at the comment personally . I just wanted to give the opportunity to "Cajun Green Eyes" to clairify his comment.
I know that sometimes we may forget that this is a "world wide" forum and more peolpe are reading our comments that we realize. I would chalk this up to a simple matter of someone "plugging" his home state.
The lesson is, there is no harm in promoting your state, as long as you don't "slam" anyone in the process. That's basically what Chris said in his responce. ( thanks Chris ).
As for anyone out there who may have a narrow minded opinion of what qualifies someone as "Cajun", well, I'll save that for a seperate post of it's own at a later time.
Jude
I hear they make some mean boxes in the neighboring states of Chu, Qi and Zhao. But the sturdiest come from a special wood from the friendly neighboring state of Zhongshan. Yep them Zhongshan boxes sure do rock. Don't settle for those cheapies from Taiwan
When I first read cajun green eyes original post, I did not interpret it as a slam on Texas builders (or other US states near Louisiana) at all. I thought he was referring to countries in Asia which perhaps are making el-cheapo "Cajun" accordions. But I can see how it might be interpreted otherwise.
Maybe Mr. Green Eyes could enlighten us as to his intended meaning. I hope he is not putting down builders such as Jude, and others who make perfectly wonderful accordions, and just happen to reside somewhere in the Cajun Diaspora. If he is, he sure isn't going to have many supporters of his point of view, which is totally unjustified as far as I am concerned.
I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but his failure to respond causes me to question that.