Harp on
The Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica, via live broadcast on Youtube recently, let it be known that Jerry Devillier, of Eunice, was selected by a panel of his peers as the recipient of 2020’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
SPAH is the largest international harmonica organization which features many of the greatest harmonica players worldwide.
It was part of the organizations award ceremony, August 11-15, that culminates its four days of teaching and live performances to large gatherings of people that usually attend the organization’s conference, held annually at a major city.
Devillier continues to be an ambassador for Cajun music and its culture on a worldwide platform.
Due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic it was performed on live stream.
Trust-worthy
The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation recently honored 10 new award recipients for their impactful efforts to save historic places, build pride and foster engagement in their communities.
Main Street Award – Houma Downtown Development Corporation, Houma
Education Award – Cooley House Foundation, Monroe
Leadership Award – Betty Reed, Lake Providence
Organizational Excellence Award – Morganza Cultural District, Morganza
Stewardship Award – Cameron Preservation Alliance, Sabine Pass Lighthouse Phase 1
Diverse Heritage Award – Gaynell Brady “Our Mammy’s,” New Orleans
Living Trades Award – Dale Pierrottie – Bousillage Specialist, Lafayette
Louisiana Heritage Media Award – Amy & Kelby Ouchley, Rocky Branch
Sue Turner Preservationist of the Year Award – George Marks (NUNU Arts & Cultural Collective), Arnaudville
Winnie Byrd Preservationist Extraordinaire Award – Chee Chee & Lazar “L.J.” Gielen, Crowley
New award categories for this year include Stewardship; Diverse Heritage; Living Trades; and LA Heritage Media Award. If you would like to nominate a person or organization for the 2021 Louisiana Preservation Awards, please contact info@LTHP.org.
For more information about the awards and winners, go here.
French Culture Film Grant winner
The recipient of the 2020 French Culture Film Grant is the narrative short film, “17 Year Locust.”
“17 Year Locust” is written by Trevor Navarre, directed by Logan LeBlanc and produced by Allison Bohl DeHart.
Now in its forth year, the French Culture Film Grant is a unique opportunity designed in partnership with lead sponsor TV5MONDE USA, America’s only 24/7 French language entertainment channel.
“17 Year Locust” synopsis: When a struggling immigrant takes a job as a caregiver to a dying woman, she shares with him a secret that casts a haunting shadow on the American life that he has desperately been pursuing.
#CreateLouisiana announced the award in July.
LFR online classes
Louisiana Folk Roots offers lessons for every skill level, including scratch/beginner, intermediate, and advanced on accordion and fiddle, as well as singing and guitar.
Pre-recorded video lessons with some of Cajun music’s best, Brazos Huval, Chad Huval, Megan Brown Constantin, as well as Louisiana French lessons with Codofil-Agence des Affaires Francophones de Louisiane’s Maggie Perkins Justus.
All levels follow the same five songs:
“Le Moulin” by Adam Hebert https://youtu.be/CYpuHiZ-zTw
; “Amite Casse” by Horace Trahan https://youtu.be/JsWzzznjNb4
; “Mon Coeur Fait Mal” by Racine https://youtu.be/1QtXvR8XqX8;
“I Don’t Hurt Anymore” by Nathan Abshire https://youtu.be/3dK7JmFl3Hc;
“Jolie Fille” by The Touchet Family https://youtu.be/HNi8Ru96MHQ
There are also lyric sheets and vocabulary sheets, as well as resource guides in all of the appropriate lessons.
Look for more content in the coming months.
A suggested donation is $100 or less. For more info, go to www.lafolkroots.org.
‘American Longhair’ vinyl reissue
Dege Legg’s “Folk Songs of the American Longhair” is out on vinyl for its 10th anniversary.
From Brother Dege on Facebook: “Been a long, up & down, wild ass journey, my loves. Much thx to you for taking the ride with me. In many ways, it’s only just beginning. Keep fighting the good fight out there in whatever way it is you do it. Cheers.”
Go here for album.
As you know, “Too Old to Die Young” was featured in the Quentin Tarantino film, “Django Unchained.” But there’s more: “Frankly, every track on Brother Dege’s Folk Songs of the American Longhair CD could have been in the movie [Django Unchained]. It has a badass score sound to it. Almost every song could be a theme song. It’s like a greatest hits album. But this song ‘Too Old to Die Young’… it’s pretty damn badass. And it’s used in the movie in a pretty damn badass way, I’ve got to say.” – Quentin Tarantino
Renée Reed’s new deed
Renée Reed follows up her captivating debut single “Out Loud” with “Until Tomorrow,” an effortless, inspired union of the haunting folk music that she was raised on and a lilting, lost ’60s French-pop gem on the Keeled Scales label.
Renée is the daughter of musicians Lisa Kaye Trahan and Mitch Reed.
Language & cultural preservation
Although French is spoken less with each passing generation in south Louisiana, some are fighting to preserve the language and keep their traditions alive.
Check out the report from France 24’s Fanny Allard here.
Upcoming and recently released music that may well interest you:
July 1, 2020
Sean Ardoin: Came Thru Pullin’ (Zydekool)
Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours: Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours (Independent)
Beth Patterson & Hugh Morrision: Iron Roux (EP) (Dun Eistein)
Supercharmer: Magically Bodacious! (Independent)
Warren Storm with Herb Landry & the Serenaders: Live 1957 (Swamp Pop Records)
July 3, 2020
Bobby Mitchell: Try Rock And Roll (Jasmine)
subdudes: Lickskillet (Independent)
July 10, 2020
Johnette Downing and Dickie Knickerbocker: New Moon, Tunes for Little Folks (Independent)
July 13, 2020
Maceo Parker: Soul Food: Cooking With Maceo (featuring a large cast of New Orleans Musicians) (Funk Garage)
July 15, 2020
Monique Bornstein & James Andrews: Born in the Treme (BOOK) (Independent)
Kidd Jordan: Last Trane to New Orleans (Independent)
July 17, 2020
Gregg Martinez: Mac Daddy Mojeaux (NOLA Blue Records)
Michot’s Melody Makers: Cosmic Cajuns from Saturn (Nouveau Electric Records)
July 24, 2020
Billie Davies: Whadeva (Independent)
August 1, 2020
New Orleans Johnnys: Outta Ya Mind Masters (Independent)
September, 2020
Chris Joseph: Life is a Ride: Overcoming Cancer in Unconventional Ways (BOOK) (Threadhead)
Ingrid Lucia: t.b.a. (Independent)
Fall 2020
Maggie Koerner: Images (Concord Records)
Release dates not yet announced
Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr.: The Eclectic Jazz Revolution of Unity (Independent)
Keith Burnstein’s Kettle Black: Things That Are Heavy Make Me Feel Light (Independent)
Little Maker: The Salty Seas We Used to Know (Independent)
Jeremy Davenport: t.b.a. (Basin Street)
Nicholas Payton with the Simphonieorchester, Basel: Black American Symphony (BMF)
Released in June 2020
Johnny Adams & Lee Dorsey: Johnny Adams Meets Lee Dorsey (Jasmine)
Jeff Albert: Unanimous Sources (Breakfast for Dinner Records)
Bad Moon Lander: Chinese Lanterns (Bubble Bath Records)
Jimmy Buffett: Life on the Flip Side (Mailboat Records)
Grayson Capps: South Front Street: A Retrospective 1997-2019 (Royal Potato Family)
Bobby Charles: Alligators, Sprockets & Bended Knees (Jasmine)
Dr. John: Ske Dat De Dat (Limited reissue on vinyl) (Last Music Company)
John Lisi & Delta Funk: Retox (Rabadash Records)
Little Death: Little Death (Strange Daisy Records)
Wynton Marsalis: Black Codes (From the Underground) (Reissued from Sony Records) (Music on CD)
Mighty Brother: The Rabbit, The Owl (Independent)
New Orleans Jazz Vipers: Is There a Chance for Me (Independent)
Professor Longhair: The Bach of Rock (Sunset Blvd)
Some Antics: Some Antics (Independent)
The Write Brothers: Into the Sky (Threadhead Records)
Various Artist: Boppin’ by the Bayou: Feel So Good, Volume 22 (Ace)
Various Artist: Cry You One (Soundtrack) (ArtSpot)
Various Artists: Prison Music Project Sessions (featuring Ani DiFranco, Terence Higgins, Zoe Boekbinder, and more)(Righteous Babe Records)
Johnny Vidacovich: ’bout Time (Independent)