Lost Bayou Ramblers move traditional music to the 21st century

I have seen the future of Cajun music and its name is Lost Bayou Ramblers.
The band was formed in 1999 by brothers Louis (fiddle) and André (accordion) Michot.
They have already released several albums of music. Their last studio effort was Mammoth Waltz, which was released five years ago. Since then they have also released a live album, Gaza Gaza, an album which very well represents the sounds of today's Lost Bayou Ramblers.
Recently they got the opportunity of having nation wide attention since the band was one of the acts chosen to perform on public television series, American Epic, a series, which told the history of the American recording industry. On the show they performed Allons A Lafayette, recorded on the same type of vintage recording equipment as when the song was first recorded, in the late 1920's. Louis Michot expressed in a radio interview recently the amazing feeling it was to have an opportunity to record the song on the same type of recording gear as was used when Joe Falcon and Cleoma Breaux first recorded it back in the days.

Lost Bayou Ramblers will release their eighth album on September 29. It is titled Kalenda after a song which founds its way to south Louisiana from the Caribbean, via the slave market on Congo Square in New Orleans.  I got a first taste of the new album some weeks ago when the band performed
during a release gig at Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville. The brewery also launched a special brew, a porter seasoned with smoked Louisiana figs for the occasion.
The  Ramblers on the album are Louis Michot on fiddle and vocals, Andre Michot on accordion and lap steel guitar; Eric Heigle on drums; Korey Richey on bass, synth bass, and production; Jonny Campos on guitar, pedal steel and “tape manipulation” and Kirkland Middleton on drums and percussion. The album is recorded at studios in Maurice, Louisiana, New York City and New Orleans. Both Heigle and Richey engineered the recording. They have earlier worked with rock acts like LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire. Guest on the album include Spider Stacey of The Pogues, cellist Leila McCalla, Dickie Landry on saxophone, and Jimmy Horn on percussion.

The album starts with an old-timey sounding accordion. However, this  doesn't last long, The opening track, Sabine Turnaround, soon evolves into a modern soundscape with electric guitars, synthesized percussion, and  tape effects. The track has borrowed some from Allons A Lafayette, but becomes a new track by way of mixing traditional sounds with modern music production ideas. The track closes out as it begins, with accordion and fiddle.
The next track, Cote Clair Waltz, is adding André's lap steel to a great affect. This track is likely the most traditional sounding track of the album's ten tracks.

The third track, Granny Smith, is another great track guaranteed to fill up any dance floor in South Louisiana. Through the album Lost Bayou Ramblers continue to explore new sonic territories. It is very obvious on the fourth track, Freetown Crawl/ Fightin'ville Brawl, which almost goes psychedelic. Every time I hear this track Pink Floyd's On The Run from the Dark Side of The Moon album comes to mind. Don't ask me why, but that's how it is.

On an old traditional tune, Si J'aurais Des Ailes, the band invites The Pogues' Spider Stacey to play tin whistle. Lost Bayou Ramblers and Spider Stacey have performed together on several occasions playing the songs of the Pogues. They turn the ancient melody to a contemporary adventure, with Spider's tin flute giving it an Irish flair.
The title tracks,  Kalenda, is very experimental in nature, adding cello and saxophone and assorted percussion instruments to the mix. The song is also known as Colinda, but the popularized version of the song is far from Lost Bayou Ramblers take on it.

The album closes out with Aloha Golden Meadow, which almost takes us to the islands of Hawaii, although Forked Island, Cow Island, Pine Island and other Louisiana islands down the bayou are more likely destinations. The song was released last year accompanied by an official video.

A favorite on the album is the joyous Rice Pump, which begins with synthesized percussion sounding like a diesel pump used by farmers to flood their rice fields.
Kalenda is released on the band's own label, Rice Pump Records.

The release gig at Bayou Teche Brewing became a very informal affair. The band played under the roof of the brewery's front porch, while the Louisiana rain was pouring down for most of the time. They performed a few new numbers, mixed with old favorites.
All through their two sets the band experimented with new sounds. Sometimes the accordion was distorted, at other times more traditional. Louis' fiddle was enhanced by echo and other sound effects. The electric guitar was not given any solos, instead it added ambience with the help of the guitar player's assortment of pedals, bells and whistles. It just took one glance at guitarist Jonny Campos gear to realize Lost Bayou Ramblers is not your ordinary Cajun band. A hint of how it sounded is available on youtube. 

The release party at Bayou Teche Brewing was  followed by a stream of gigs across the country to promote their new album. I noticed that one of the clubs Lost Bayou Ramblers played at advertised the concert as Cajun psychedelic rock, which is probably not too far from the truth.
Kalenda is available on-line and at record stores from September 29 and will most likely also be available on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.
(All photos by Bengt Lindell ©)

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey came and left. The storm brought record breaking amounts of rain over Texas, especially the Houston area, but Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange and Vidor near the Louisiana border weren't spared either.
The coastal areas in Texas (The Corpus Christie, Rockport area) where Harvey made landfall saw total devastation from the Category 4 hurricane force.
Parts of southwest Louisiana experienced  flooding also, especially after Sabine River flooded and caused Interstate 10 between Texas and Louisiana to close down.Parts of I- were totally submerged by water.
After the storm several communities assisted evacuees from Texas and SW Louisiana.
Several hundred evacuees arrived at Jennings alone aand I decided to go there to make my self useful for a few hours.
I went over to Days Inn, by the Jennings airport since I knew many were housed there. From there I was sent to a storage building on Cuttting Avenue, were donations were dropped, sorted and distributed to evacuees in need of clothing, shoes, diapers, toys, paper towels, toilet paper and more.
I spent a few hours there. I didn't really do much, but what I did no one else had to do.
During a break I talked to one of the volunteers and asked if he had worked a lot during the extended Labor Day weekend.
He looked at me and replied quietly: Not really. I am actually one of the evacuees, my home in Winnie was flooded and I was eventually rescued and airlifted by US Navy.
He said he really didn't want to leave his home.
"I wanted them to rescue families and children first. I'm 62 years old, don't have a family and really don't have them many years left anyway."
He explained he lives near a marsh and two times before had he lost most of his belongings in flooding. This time he got time enough to save a valuable items, including his hunting weapons before as he said, he was "tricked to evacuate, by the  helicopter crew. He stayed with his sister in Lake Arthur, but was anxious to return home to to see what kind of damage his home had received. Meanwhile he volunteered to assist other victims of the rising waters. Indeed, a true hero.
A family of five walked in the distribution center, a mom, dad and three little girls. This Texas family had lost everything, except for what they had to load up in their vehicle, before the rising waters took over their home. It was very moving, very emotional to watch this family and they gratitude they showed for what they received. There were also room for a few smile as we watched the two girls checking out the donated toys.
It was just impressive to witness how a community can come together and assist others in need.
Less heroic efforts were made my the Budget Inn Motel in Jennings. Allegedly the motel took in refugees, but charged them $50 per room a night. They wanted cash  and pay for a week in advance. Other volunteers in Jennings dropped off food and water at the motel's lobby, reserved for the evacuees. The motel allegedly charged the evacuees $8 per meal, plus $1 per bottle of water for the donated items.
This issue is now reported to the Jennings police and the Attorney General of Louisiana. If the above is true one can only hope that the owner of the motel will loose his license to operate this stinky business.
When I drove back to Welsh I could not help to think about the many stories I heard from Hurricane Katrina evacuees 12 years ago. The couple of hours in Jennings brought back so many memories. So many evacuees came to seek shelter in Jeff Davis Parish, before chased away by Hurricane Rita, which made landfall at the mouth of Sabine River about three weeks after Hurricane K.
Meanwhile another hurricane (Irma) is aiming as the coastlines of Florida. More devastation could be in the forecast. The storm is estimated to make landfall in Florida around Sunday, August 10. Mandatory evacuation of all tourists in the Florida Keys is already in effect. More evacuation orders can be expected during the coming days.