THE BEAT GOES ON: Music is life in Louisiana 04 JAN 2014: If rich history and world-acclaimed cuisine are the head and heart of Louisiana, music is its collective soul. The music of Louisiana meanders through generations of history carrying melodies of dreams, hope, lament and the boundless spirit of one of the most diverse populations in America. Signature Louisiana sounds can be found throughout the state, in both urban centers and rural countrysides. From grand concert halls to obscure roadside honky-tonks, travelers find a rich, abundant musical legacy that is distinctly and unmistakably Louisiana. The offerings are varied, from the state’s indigenous jazz, Cajun and zydeco music to its musicians’ notable contributions to the history and evolution of American blues, country and rock ‘n’ roll. All carry a common denominator that could be summed up by what Louisiana residents call joie de vivre, or the joy of life. Jazz was born in New Orleans, specifically in the city’s Congo Square and the Tremé, one of the oldest neighborhoods, and first flourished in the Storyville district north of the French Quarter. It is a percussive and often improvisational fusion of European, African and Caribbean music using wind and rhythm instruments that came to prominence in the early 20th century. No city in America is home to more jazz talent—one-of-a-kind composers, musicians and singers who have blended and shaped this truly American music genre. The Crescent City gave us Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong and an endless string of talented artists who were the big names of their eras and who continue to forge new horizons on the contemporary world jazz scene. Historic names such as Buddy Bolden, King Oliver, Sidney Bechet, Kid Ory, Bunk Johnson and Jelly Roll Morton still resonate alongside more recent names like Kidd Jordan, Dr. Michael White, Nicholas Payton and Trombone Shorty. Just a mention of the Marsalis name conjures images of a jazz family dynasty. Before jazz came to prominence in New Orleans, another indigenous Louisiana music was playing. Cajun music was that of 18th-century French Acadian exiles who settled the swamps, prairies and bayous throughout south Louisiana from just outside of New Orleans to what is now east Texas. It is a blend of French folk music of the era with doses of influence from the area’s Native American, Anglo-American and European populations. Early Cajun music was always sung in French, with stringed instruments led by the violin. The fiddle was mostly replaced by the push-button accordion when it arrived in south Louisiana in the late 1800s. With the addition of the ‘tit-fer, an iron triangle tapped with a metal spike used for rhythm, Cajun music evolved into more of its present-day state—lively tunes ideal for a two-step or waltz that retain traditional messages ranging from loss and sorrow to humorous stories that approach comic relief. Tradition remains strong in Cajun music. Songs that were handed down through generations are among the early recordings made by pioneers such as Joe and Cléoma Falcon, Amédé Ardoin, Dennis McGee and later notables such as the Balfa Brothers and D.L. Menard. Even more progressive artists Zachary Richard, Michael Doucet and Beausoleil, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys and Amanda Shaw provide current twists while retaining the roots of the genre. Live Cajun music is found in nightclubs and Cajun dance halls, recurring Cajun music jam sessions, restaurants and at major music festivals. Outside Louisiana, Cajun and zydeco are often used interchangeably, but there are differences. Zydeco, the younger of the two genres, shares some of Cajun music’s traits. Zydeco was the music of Creole sharecroppers and farmers in south Louisiana. It grew from La La, a tradition that involved Creole families gathering at rural farmhouses on the Acadiana prairie and temporarily converting them into neighborhood dance halls. While Cajun music was influenced by European music tradition, zydeco was influenced by African, Caribbean and later the American blues music genres. In zydeco, the push-button accordion is replaced with either the triple-row diatonic accordion or a piano accordion, and the ‘tit-fer is replaced by a frottoir, or a metal washboard that is worn such as a vest and played with metal scrapers such as spoons or church keys. The result is a more rhythmic, percussive and usually faster-paced music than its Cajun cousin. Zydeco—which takes its name from an early 20th century song about poverty Les haricots sont pas salés, or “the snap beans aren’t salty”—was first recorded in the 1940s and rose to prominence through notable names such as Clifton Chenier, Boozoo Chavis and Beau Jocque. The tradition lives today through contemporary artists such as Terrance Simien, Rockin’ Dopsie, Chubby Carrier, Rosie Ledet and Geno Delafose. Zydeco is often performed at venues and major festivals from south Louisiana to Europe. American blues and Rhythm and Blues originated from field hollers sung by workers in the sugar cane and cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta region. Louisiana songwriters, producers and recording engineers played a great role in the genre’s evolution. In rural areas along the Mississippi and Red rivers in Louisiana, blues music legends were born or learned their trade. Field hollers evolved to include instrumentation and ultimately amplification, and Louisiana artists such as Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter were among the earliest to record blues and spread its popularity. Other noteworthy Louisiana names in the history and evolution of the blues include Guitar Slim, Slim Harpo, Lightnin’ Slim, Lazy Lester, Henry Gray, Tabby Thomas, Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Tab Benoit. During the mid-20th century, artists shifted the music from Louisiana’s countryside to urban areas. Musicians in New Orleans began merging traditional blues into more commercial-sounding music, hoping to get airplay and sell recordings. New Orleans soon became a southern hub for the R&B industry, a haven not only for successful artists but also for vital, national-level music industry activity contributions. After Fats Domino emerged from New Orleans as a major star, for example, record companies from New York and Los Angeles began sending artists to New Orleans due to the city’s session musicians’ and producers’ reputation for creating hits. Prevalent Louisiana R&B names from that era to the present include artists Professor Longhair, Ernie K-Doe, Irma Thomas, The Meters and The Neville Brothers; artists/songwriters Dr. John and Allen Toussaint; and production/engineering standouts Dave Bartholomew, Wardell Quezergue and Cosimo Matassa. The often spiritual message and style of traditional blues also crossed into the gospel genre and Louisiana was a significant contributor. Mahalia Jackson, the “Queen of Gospel Music,” hailed from New Orleans. Noted gospel quartets The Ever Ready Gospel Singers of Shreveport and The Zion Travelers of Baton Rouge influenced their R&B peers with signature a cappella harmonies. Both traditional blues and R&B strongly influenced the evolution of all popular American music genres, most notably by mixing with traditional country music to spawn rockabilly, honky tonk and ultimately rock ‘n’ roll music. Country music found its way to Louisiana when Anglo settlers moved into Louisiana in the early 1800s and brought their traditions of stringed instrument ballads. Country music was passed down generations until the age of live radio shows in the 1900s and the debut of Barn Dance or Jamboree radio shows. One of the most important shows was Louisiana Hayride, which debuted in 1948 and was broadcast throughout the South from Shreveport’s Municipal Auditorium via local station KWKH. The Hayride left an indelible mark on today’s American country, rock and pop music by serving as the launching pad for the careers of country, honky tonk and rock artists Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Slim Whitman, Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells and Faron Young. Other Louisiana music notables surfacing in the 1950s included Jerry Lee Lewis, Dale Hawkins and Jimmy Clanton. Louisiana retains its country roots, past to present. Much of the old time traditional country is reflected in bluegrass music, which is prevalent in Louisiana’s Florida Parishes east from Baton Rouge and north of New Orleans via festivals and recurring concert series. Modern country is showcased every Memorial Day weekend at Baton Rouge’s Bayou Country Superfest and in large north Louisiana festivals such as the Red River Revel and Mudbug Madness, both in Shreveport. The contributions of Louisiana artists to popular American music genres extend today beyond the evolution of country and its offshoots. Modern country stars Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins, Kix Brooks and Hunter Hayes, all from Louisiana, share national success with pop stars Harry Connick Jr. and Britney Spears, hip hop stars Master P and Lil’ Wayne, and modern rock artists Better Than Ezra and Cowboy Mouth. 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Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 12:51:38 +0000
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