Center for Louisiana Studies Archival Catalog
This searchable database provides information on images, documents, and audio and video recordings, made between 1934 and the present.
Instructional Cajun Fiddle with Dewey Balfa - Master Tapes for Smithsonian Folkways Instructional Cajun Fiddle Release
00:00 - J'ai étais au bal first part with "pull/push" method;
15:28 - Full Part 1 of J'ai étais au bal slowed down;
16:45 - 1st part of J'ai étais au bal normal speed;
17:40 - 2nd part of J'ai étais au bal slow then full speed
27:20 - 2nd part at full speed
28:00 - Both parts at full speed of J'ai étais au bal
Instructional Cajun Fiddle with Dewey Balfa - Master Tapes for Smithsonian Folkways Instructional Cajun Fiddle Release
00:10 - 1st part of Jolie Blonde using "pull/push" method slowed down;
08:30 - bridge of Jolie Blonde slowed down;
09:50 - Unknown title - Fast fiddle tune;
12:40 - Second half of the Jolie Blonde bridge;
15:00 - Both parts of Jolie Blonde normal speed;
16:10 - Standard A440 tuning;
17:30 - Unisons, Octaves, Chords
25:00 - Low fiddle tunings
26:10 - Perrodin two step slowed down
29:40 - Intro to shuffle bowing
30:25 - Perrodin two step full speed
31:25 - Doubling B flat chords
Instructional Cajun Fiddle with Dewey Balfa - Master Tapes for Smithsonian Folkways Instructional Cajun Fiddle Release
Redigitize - Cell phone interference at around 8 minutes
00:38 - Grandpa's waltz;
2:30 - Octave of A chord;
03:35 - La valse des grands bois slowed down;
06:35 - Indian on a Stump tuning (cross tuning);
09:30 - Octaves and unisons used in Indian on a Stump:
11:30 - Bridge of Indian on a Stump - shuffle bowing;
14:10 - Indian on a Stump - full song - slow speed;
15:15 - Chords for seconding in Cajun music;
20:00 - Straight Bassing (seconding) for Cajun fiddle;
20:45 - Bassing on the Perrodin two step;
22:22 - Shuffling the bow while seconding;
23:10 - Shuffle seconding on Perrodin two step;
23:40 - Several methods of seconding on Jolie Blonde
Instructional Cajun Fiddle with Dewey Balfa - Master Tapes for Smithsonian Folkways Instructional Cajun Fiddle Release
Tape degraded at the beginning, cleans up after first minute or so.
00:05 - Fiddle and guitar version of Jolie Blonde;
06:15 - Fiddle and guitar version of Perrodin two step;
08:30 - Fiddle and guitar version of Grandpa's Waltz;
11:45 - Fiddle and guitar version of La valse des grands bois;
13:00 - Fiddle and guitar version of Les barres de la prison;
15:12 - Fiddle and guitar version of the Mardi Gras Song;
18:00 - Demonstration of sliding and bending notes for Port Arthur Blues;
21:45 - Rolling notes;
22:20 - Chère bébé Créole;
26:18 - Demonstrating trills with Danse Carré
Instructional Cajun Fiddle with Dewey Balfa - Master Tapes for Smithsonian Folkways Instructional Cajun Fiddle Release
00:50 - "Old Lonesome Sound" La valse des bambocheurs played at a slow speed;
02:10 - La valse des bambocheurs - regular speed with guitar accompaniment;
03:15 - Indian on a Stump - regular speed;
05:50 - Discussion about Instruments used in Cajun music;
12:30 - "uptown" style fiddling in Cajun music - Doug Kershaw, Rufus Thibodeaux;
14:45 - Dewey's style when playing with a full, amplified band;
22:20 - High pitched singing style in Cajun music;
24:40 - Cajun yell;
26:22 - J'ai étais au bal - slow speed seconding;
30:00 - Regular and double time waltz examples;
32:55 - Types of dances - fais do-do, dancehalls, "the pen,"
39:40 - Explaining the lyrics of the Mardi Gras Song;
47:00 - Mardi Gras runs - rules, customs
Danny Brasseaux and Cajun Express - Commercial Recording
KAJUN -5039
Side A
La special des jours de minuit
Mémoirs de Mama
La valse sans espoir
Marche vite
La valse du Bayou Teche
Side B
Le special du Bayou Noir;
Les larmes cadjines
Arret de trainailles dans mes souliers
Quand j'etais pauvre
Petits yeux noirs
Cliff Newman with Phil Menard - The Louisiana Travlers (sp) - Cajun Smash Hits
Side 1;
1. Introduction
2. The Reno Waltz
3. Tee Mon
4. My Father-in-law's Sorrows
5. The Grand Prairie Waltz
6. The Chatagnier Waltz
7. Jolie Blonde
Side 2
1. D&M Special
2. Alleman Waltz
3. I Went To The Dance
4. The Louisiana Waltz
5. Lacassine Special
6. The Lawtell Waltz
Dewey Balfa and Peter Schwarz Apprenticeship Lessons - 1984
0:00:30 – "Toutes les Soirs”
0:02:30 – Finding corner posts & choosing strings to play on
0:04:35 – Variations of G chord on second fiddle
0:06:16 – Supporting the lead with second fiddle
0:08:16 – Le Bourdon (droning)
0:10:04 – “Les Flammes D’enfer” seconding
0:11:24 – Carrying the beat
0:14:16 – “Perrodin Two Step”
0:21:29 – “Lovebridge Waltz”
0:24:03 – “Quoi Faire”
0:25:04 – Loosening up
0:27:51 – G in an A position & a little grace note
0:30:09 – A chord positions
0:31:02 – E chord positions
0:34:40 – “Madame Sosthene” in A
0:43:27 – Little run
0:44:17 – Don't forget the grace notes
0:48:18 – Moving positions; a double stop
0:55:28 – “Canadian waltz”
1:02:32 – Working on contrasting/complementing leader before rhythm
1:04:27 – Learning to place runs and double stops
1:04:57 – “Love Bridge Waltz”
1:07:55 – Developing individual style
1:08:35 – Carol England playing Dewey’s exact style
1:10:46 – Making sure runs end in the right place (DL’s singing)
1:11:48 – “Love Bridge Waltz”
1:14:20 – Options in A
1:16:02 – “Lake Arthur Stomp"
1:20:16 – “Louisiana Waltz”
1:21:31 – Walk down
1:25:31 – Hearing a harmony
1:28:31 – More grace notes
1:28:43 – Learning a run
1:34:40 – Playing without backup
1:39:32 – “Love Bridge Waltz”
1:44:44 – 1:46:00 – No sound
1:48:07 – “Les Flammes D’enfer”
1:49:20 – Second fiddle changing chords to keep harmony
1:55:19 – Cajun fiddles contradict but harmonize with each other
1:55:39 – “J'étais au Bal”
2:02:13 – Complementing the lead fiddle
2:04:16 – “Louisiana Waltz”
2:06:56 – 2:08:06 – No sound
2:10:44 – Bow work
2:22:07 – “Port Arthur Blues”
2:26:08 – “Fifteen-Year-Old Waltz”
2:33:28 – Cajun bridges
2:33:54 – Second fiddle accent on pulling bow down
2:34:42 – “Perrodin Two Step”
2:40:07 – “Fifteen-Year-Old Waltz”
2:42:48 – 2:43:09 – No sound
2:43:20 – “Fifteen-Year-Old Waltz”
2:44:18 – Watching Dewey’s bow arm
2:45:40 – Adding shuffling part
2:48:31-2:48:50 – No sound
2:52:43 – Seconding practice
2:53:14 – Melody comes in
2:55:32 – Feedback
2:57:34 – “Lovebridge Waltz” w/ Peter on lead fiddle
3:01:51 – Seconding technique w/ more Cajun rhythm
3:04:04 – 3:04:13 – No sound
3:04:13 – Single string seconding
3:12:45 – Contrasting the lead fiddle
3:15:14 – 3:16:00 – No sound
3:16:04 – “Beautiful rosy cheeks”
3:19:10 – Freedom in Cajun music