Concert Review: BeauSoleil 10/1/09

It's getting harder to review these BeauSoleil shows.  Each show is great, and the band always does a wonderful job.  Here, they always play at The Shedd.  It would be interesting to see them in a different venue, but I'm OK with seeing them at the Shedd if that's the venue they prefer. 

Once again, the Greatest Cajun Band In The World gave me a night full of fun and joy.  They started with "Reel Cadiens," which I've rarely heard them play.  I'm not even sure which album has it.  It was a great way to start the show.  Next was the wonderful traditional waltz "Jolie Blonde."  It was flawlessly played.  Another highlight from early in the show was the sad "Pa Janvier."  That was my highlight of the night.  Sometimes the band can play so intensely that it takes you breath away, and that happened with "Pa Janvier."  It was amazing. 

They played quite a few numbers from their new album Alligator Purse - "Les Oignons," "Little Darlin'," "Theogene Creole" and a smokin' version of "Carriere Zydeco."  The fiddling on that last song was incredible, with Mitch and Michael both sawing away.  I didn't want it to end, and I wish I could hear and see it again. 

The band also pulled out some songs I've not heard them play live much, if at all.  "Macacque Sur Mon Dos," "Chanson De Cinquante Sous" and "L'Amour Ou La Folie" were just some of the gems we got to hear.  Fan favorites like "Bye Bye Boozoo" and "Varise" were also played.

I had a great time watching BeauSoleil again tonight.  I was very pleased with the song selection, and I thought they all played and sung very well.  Now I'm listening to my new live album they released earlier this year and enjoying them all over again.  It's a good night for Cajun music.

Allons Danser!

Tonight I go to see BeauSoleil in concert for the fourth time.  They're always a great band to see, and I hope they have some good times for us tonight.  It's always exciting to see what songs they'll play and how they'll arrange them.  I know they'll play songs from their latest studio album, Alligator Purse, but I don't know what else they might do.  "Zydeco Gris-Gris" is likely, but maybe they'll change it up this time.

After I get home from the concert, I'll get to listen to my brand new copy of BeauSoleil's new live album Make The Veiller.  There are some previously-not-live-recorded songs on there that I'm excited about.  Also, it comes with a DVD!  Many of the songs on the DVD are not repeats from the CD.  I can't wait to experience it all.  I bought the album/DVD yesterday, but I thought it would be fun to listen to it right after tonight's show when I'm still pumped up about seeing the band.

Let the good times roll!  Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Sunday Scribblings - 2/1/09

Regrets

I really only have one big regret in my life: my school and career path. If I could do it all over, I would work in high school and possibly college, at least in the summers. I would also choose a different major in college, or perhaps even skip university and do something more constructive in community college. I would make sure that I'm taught the things I need to know to get by, the things they don't teach you in high school. I could have saved so much time if someone told me what life is really like and helped me figure things out.

Of course, chances are I'd be unemployed now even if I'd had a consistent job and experience, but at least I would be in a better position to rebound.

Other than that, I have little use for regrets. I try not to worry about the past too much, because you can't change the past. You can't do anything about it. What you can do is make your present as good as it can be and plan for the future. You move ahead, push forward, and keep going. That's all anyone can do in this world.

What a name!

Rhode Island has a representative in the U.S. Senate named Sheldon Whitehouse.

I'm not kidding.

Sheldon Whitehouse.

You think this guy will ever run for president?

No Flickr Fun Today

I'm giving Flickr Fun Saturday a break this week. Come back next week for more excellent photos!

Friday 5 - 1/30/09

Five:

1. In American football, a fumble occurs when the player carrying the ball drops it, often resulting in a great advantage for the other team. What have you recently fumbled in your own life?

I tried cooking chicken tonight, but didn't quite get the thigh done right. It's quite different from a breast, I have learned.

2. In American football, you have thrown an interception when someone from the other team catches the ball you meant for your teammate. Who’s often an interceptor of something you intend for someone else?

Sometimes when using the laser pointer to play with my cat, our dog will think I want to play with her instead.

3. One of the severest penalties in American football is for unsportsmanlike conduct, when a player doesn’t play according to the spirit of fair play. In what situations are you most likely to be a perpetrator of unsportsmanlike conduct?

In situations involving social cues that I misinterpret or just completely miss.

4. In American football, the concept of running low-risk plays that consistently gain a few yards at a time is called “moving the chains,” while the concept of going after huge gains with higher-risk plays is called the “vertical game.” In your personal life, are you more of a moving-the-chains player or a vertical-game player?

I definitely prefer to move the chains!

5. Sometimes in American football, the quarterback will, at the last moment, change his or her mind about the intended play, either to prevent what is likely to be a failure or to take advantage of a vulnerability in the other team. The method used in this play-change is often “calling an audible.” In what way have you recently called an audible in your life?

Lately, when I'm crossing the street, I will go back to the curb if I don't trust what the vehicles are doing. Drivers, don't pull into the crosswalk! I have little space to move as it is.

Top Five On Friday - 1/30/09

The Top Five will rock you:

Top 5 songs to rock out to

1) "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
2) "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
3) "Baba O'Riley" by The Who
4) "Glory Reel/The Heathery Cruach" by Altan. Not rock, but still rockin'. This is one of the most intense set of reels I've ever heard.
5) "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry. I have to put something from the early days of rock and roll on this list. Old songs can rock too.

Technical Difficulties

Somehow I screwed up and added the 'Beausoleil' label to all my my posts. All 2,300-something of them. Disregard that label until I get it straightened out. This might take a while.

Album Review: BeauSoleil "Alligator Purse"

The members of BeauSoleil are at a point in their career where they can do whatever they please musically. Of course, they'll never give up their traditional Cajun roots, but each new album offers something different, something new, something exciting. That was true for their last studio album, Gitane Cajun, and it's true for their latest, Alligator Purse.

This album has roots in a Hurricane Katrina benefit that bandleader Michael Doucet participated in. He reconnected with producer Michael Pillot and decided to use Mr. Pillot as the producer on BeauSoleil's next adventure. A group of famous folks from the Katrina benefit tagged along - people such as Natalie Merchant, Garth Hudson and John Sebastian.

When I first read the press release for Alligator Purse, I was worried that this would be a "guest artist" album. They have certainly had guests on other albums, so this is nothing new. I need not have worried, because most of the guest spots work well with the BeauSoleil sound. However, I'm not a huge fan of Garth Hudson's organ playing on "I Spent All My Money Loving You." It's too jarring and out-of-place.

What kind of album is Alligator Purse? It's a very fun album! The first four songs are all fast-paced and filled with great playing and singing. The albums kicks off with a traditional reel, "Reel Cajun/451 North St. Joseph St." New member Mitch Reed joins Michael Doucet with a second fiddle, and the fiddles lead the way on this whirlwind of a tune. I don't recall ever hearing Michael play so fast. Michael keeps up the great fiddling on the next song, "Rouler Et Tourner," a Cajun cover of blues song "Rollin' and Tumblin.'" There isn't much accordion on this one, but the fiddle playing is good and bluesy. Michael also sings very well on "Rouler." He's always done the blues well, and I'm glad he put this song on the album.

"Carriere Zydeco" is an instrumental, and a splendid one at that. The Creole influence comes out, and once again the fiddling takes the prize. Accordionist Jimmy Breaux gets to finally be heard with the rest of the music, and drummer Tommy Alesi also shines. I really enjoy this cut, and I wish they had put more like it on the album.

"Little Darlin'" features a guest vocal from Natalie Merchant on a genuine bluegrass song. This may be a BeauSoleil first! If you think BeauSoleil would do bluegrass well, you'd be proven right by this song. Everyone gets a solo here, which keeps the song rooted in the BeauSoleil tradition. "Marie" slows things down before they spin out of control, and features lead accordion by the always-wonderful Jimmy Breaux and some good sax playing too.

After a couple slower numbers, "Bosco Stomp" brings back the dancing with a very famous Cajun number. David gets his only singing appearance here, and makes the most of it with a high-pitched wail. "Theogene Creole" is reminiscent of other BeauSoleil Caribbean-style songs. Michael took the lyrics and melody from a field recording and fancied them up.

After the halfway point, the album gets away from Cajun and puts BeauSoleil into unfamiliar territory. "Les Oignions" has a sound straight out of New Orleans with jazzy trumpet and call-and-response vocals. "The Problem" is a J.J. Cale song and is pretty straightforward except for the solos by fiddle, accordion and guitar. Finally, "Valse A Thomas Ardoin" closes the album with a very traditional accordion-and-fiddle waltz originally by the legendary Amede Ardoin. Michael has done these traditional-sounding Ardoin songs on his solo albums, but not on a BeauSoleil release - until now.

When I think about it, this album really follows the footsteps of the previous Gitane Cajun. It features many authentic Cajun tunes, but mixes in some newer, non-Cajun tracks. There's a little of this for the traditionalists, and a little of that for everyone else. I've noticed that Jimmy's accordion isn't used quite as much as it used to be. Perhaps that's due to Michael's status as the leader of the group. As much as I like Michael's fiddling, I wish the accordion could be featured more prominently as in the band's earlier days. I have definitely noticed the presence of new member Mitch Reed. He has a style of bass playing different from Al Tharp - thicker and stronger. This is especially evident on "Carriere Zydeco." He's also a wonderful fiddle player (and a true Cajun), and brings the two-fiddle style to more of the songs than in the past.

On Alligator Purse, I definitely prefer the more traditional songs. The more mainstream songs are fairly good, but not as good as a two-step done by the masters. I did like the bluegrass number, but "I Spent All My Money Lovin' You" and "The Problem" aren't, to coin a term, BeauSoleil-ey enough for me. My favorite tracks here are "Reel Cajun," "Rouler Et Tourner," "Carriere Zydeco" (the first part of the album is stellar), "Bosco Stomp," "Theogene Creole" and "Les Oignons."

BeauSoleil keeps rocking after more than 30 years and continues to put out strong albums. If I could send the band a message, I'd tell them to keep up the good work and to put more songs like "Carriere Zydeco" on the next album!

Website Highlights - Deviant Art

http://www.deviantart.com

Deviant Art is the site for you if your creativity leans outside the normal. Don't take the 'Deviant' part of the name too seriously - it merely refers to the site's deviation from the typical and average. The pieces of art here are always imaginative, expressive and indicative of the diversity of the users on the site.

What can you find here? Nearly anything. Photography, painting, digital art, poetry, literature, skins, designs, and much more. Navigate the site from a cool bar on the left side of the page. Click each category and subcategory until you find what you need, or do a search.

Deviant Art also gives you a very large community of like-minded artists. If you have an account on the site, you can comment on anything you see. Encourage others, and be encouraged in your own works.

I have to admit I don't spend as much time here as I do on Flickr, but I certainly appreciate the attitude behind this wonderful resource. Click the link above and explore!

Tuesday Tunes - 1/27/09

Tunes:

What music can cure whatever ails you and why?

I think it's a tie between Celtic music and Cajun/Zydeco music. Both styles are meant for dancing and partying. Both feature the fiddle, and both will make you so happy that you'll forget your troubles.

Listening to groups like Altan and Gaelic Storm and BeauSoleil always makes me happy.

Random Ten - 1/26/09

Random Ten on a Monday:

10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)

1) Dervish - The Cat She Went A'Hunting
2) Lunasa - Taylor Bar, 4 AM/Ceol Na Mara
3) Nickel Creek - Smoothie Song
4) Nickel Creek - House Of Tom Bombadil
5) The Bothy Band - Music In The Glen
6) Altan - Fermanagh Highland Set
7) OMC - How Bizarre
8) Beausoleil - Les Oignons
9) Beausoleil - Bosco Stomp

SONG OF THE WEEK: "Rouler Et Tourner" by Beausoleil. They've put out another great album!

Beatlemania

If you're a Beatles fan, you must read Playing The Beatles Backwards, a ranking of all original Beatles songs from worst to best. Each song has commentary!

I thank Hippie Chick for alerting me to this wonderful discovery.

Flickr Fun Saturday - 1/24/09

There can be only one theme for this week's post - Obama.

Sox-fan-in-chief.
Formal.
Cowboy.
Wall.
Conversation.
Affection.
A sign.
Gratitude.
Speech.
Smile.

Friday 5 - 1/23/09

Five:

1. What types of blogs do you usually read?

I find that the concept of a blog has completely outgrown its origins. When I first started blogging, blogs were more like personal journals. Today, a blog is any page where content is updated on a consistent basis and usually not intended for further publication.

In light of the above, I read all kinds of blogs - entertainment blogs, music blogs, news blogs, and personal blogs. I also read some that don't really fit into any category.

2. What kinds of products do you usually buy when you shop online?

Most of the time I buy CDs or books. I don't buy online too much, but once in a while if it's something I can't get elsewhere.

3. What kinds of online videos do you usually spend time watching?

I don't watch online video too much, but music performances are always enjoyable.

4. Besides Friday 5, what weekly memes do you particularly enjoy?

I'm a frequent player of the Music Memoirs games. I'm a recent Sunday Scribbler. I also write a couple memes, but I've lost the habit of filling them out myself.

5. Where do you like to go for streaming online music?

Youtube or Myspace. Myspace really hit it out of the park with their new service. It's easy to use, and it has just about everything you'd want to hear.

Top Five On Friday - 1/23/09

Here's the Top Five:

Top 5 unique band/artist names

1) . . . And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead
2) !!!
3) Squirrel Nut Zippers
4) Gjallarhorn
5) Elvis Costello

My Obama Playlist

At this very moment, Barack Obama is about to take the oath of the President of the United States of America. This is a great moment in history, and to honor that moment I'm going to post the Obama-themed playlist I've been working on. Some of the songs are here because of their title, and others because of their message. I hope they will, as a group, inspire you:

1) The Finn Brothers - Anything Can Happen
2) Robert Randolph and the Family Band - Going In The Right Direction
3) Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
4) Sheryl Crow - A Change Would Do You good
5) Nas - I Can
6) Robert Johnson - Crossroads
7) Joss Stone - Change (Vinnie Jones Intro)
8) Robert Johnson - Sweet Home Chicago
9) Coldplay - Fix You
10) The Who - Sensation
11) Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
12) U2 - Beautiful Day
13) James Brown - Say It Loud -- I'm Black and Proud
14) Buckwheat Zydeco - Make A Change
15) The Beatles - Blackbird

Random Ten - 1/18/09

Random Ten:

10 songs that sum up your weekend...or were on your weekend playlist...and one picture that relates back. (oh, and if you feel like it, tell us why you picked the songs you did)

1) BeauSoleil - Ti' Monde
2) BeauSoleil - Newz Reel
3) The Pretenders - Lovers Of Today
4) The Pretenders - Precious
5) David Gilmour - Time
6) Pearl Jam - Gone
7) Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight
8) The Finn Brothers - Anything Can Happen
9) The Jayhawks - Come To The River

SONG OF THE WEEK: "W." by Annbjorg Lien. I think this is especially appropriate at a time when our "W." is about to leave office. No, the song has nothing to do with him. Its title is merely the same as George's middle initial.

Review: Masterpiece Theatre "Wuthering Heights" Part One

Watch Wuthering Heights online at www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/wutheringheights

To my great joy, I discovered that PBS is airing Wuthering Heights on Masterpiece Theatre this weekend and next. The timing could not be better, because I have recently re-read that very novel.

The first 15 minutes of the movie left me confused - I thought I had stumbled onto the second part instead of the advertised first part! As it turns out, I was indeed watching the first part of the movie. The filmmakers deviated a great deal in the narrative, beginning the story at Linton Heathcliff's arrival. Young Cathy discovers Wuthering Heights and Uncle Heathcliff, and also discovers that her mother used to live there. Nelly tells her the story, and this is where the real story begins. No, we do not get to see Mr. Lockwood. Perhaps this shortens the story, but I prefer the story told by the novel.

This version of the tale was filmed in Yorkshire, making everything truly authentic. The moors look just as I've imagined them. Wuthering Heights itself looks fine, almost a house that looks like Heathcliff. Of course, it's not the version I have in my mind, but what version could be?

The actors are, for the most part, wonderful. They've picked a very good actress for Cathy Earnshaw named Charlotte Riley. She's appropriately gorgeous and has what sounds like an accurate accent. I think she could be a bit more tempestuous as she's written in the novel, but Ms. Riley will charm you just as Cathy charms Heathcliff. Nelly is portrayed well, too. This verion's Edgar Linton (Andrew Lincoln) is gentlemanly, although perhaps not as weak as portrayed in the novel.

And what of Heathcliff? Tom Hardy is a very good choice. He has the dark hair and handsome good looks, and portrays Heathcliff as rugged, spiteful, manipulative and cruel, just as he should be. If your Heathcliff does not work, your Wuthering Heights does not work, and this Heathcliff works very well.

One more thing to mention - the characters in the film are not as isolated as those in the novel. We see them at church, we see them at market, and we see them in the company of others. In the novel, the Lintons and Earnshaws have very little interaction with the outside world, at least in the scenes that are written. In the novel, most all outside interactions take place "off-page" and out of sight.

I'm anxious to see the second part, and to find out how the filmmakers wrap up the narrative.

Flickr Fun Saturday - 1/17/09

I've picked a random place on the map for today's feature. Come with me to al-Khums, Libya:

Ruins.
Leptis Magna.
Theatre.
Woman.
Passageway.
Columns.
Face.
Street.
Arch.
Beach.