Dewey Balfa, Rodney Balfa, Freeman Fontenot (77), Michael Doucet, Barry Ancelet:

Classroom Presentation:
-Dewey Balfa: NEA Folk Artists in the schools Presentation at Acadiana High school;
-Introduction. Inspiring Barry to teach this in the schools;
-Le Grand Dérangement. Acadians bringing fiddle music and playing twin fiddles;
-Chère Toutoute (solo);
-Explanation of Cajun Traditional fiddle styles--drones very traditional;
-Chère Toutoute (twin);
-Playing music after a hard day's work. Not everyone had a radio or 25 cents to buy a record if you had a record player;
-1964 Newport Folk Festival;
-Discussion of Root Music. Youth want the music of their origins;
-Discussion of program in the schools. Dewey contacted the schools. Music tapes of different regions around North America (Canada, Appalachian, etc.);
-Folk songs are not written;
-Different types of folk musics;
-Discussion of accordion. Accordion brought here by the Germans in the late 1890s via New York. Black people used the accordion before whites. Accoridon the dominant in Cajun bands. Arrival eliminated old-world dances like polkas, mazurkas, contredanses, etc.;
-Cajuns don't play polkas/reels on the accoridon like Germans and French/Québécois people do;
-Origins of the Louisiana Cajun music style & repertoire. Different regions with slightly differnt cultures express these differences in their music. Very few accordions "down the bayou.";
-Differences of J'ai vu le loup, le renard, et la belette around France;
-Parlez nous à boire (ballads traced back to France);
-Dans les misères (La Valse de Grand Bois/Les Pinières/Louisiana Breakdown/Crowley Waltz/La Valse de la Belle--vieille chanson traditionelle);
-Discussion of naming process for old tunes. There were no names in the old days, just tunes. La Danse à Freeman. Learning a song in a neighborhood and naming it after that community;
-Perrodin Two-Step;
-La Valse de Bambocheur (Evangeline Waltz);
-Les noirs/Créoles ont emmené leur musique en Louisiane aussi;
-Freeman Fontenot Blues;
-Learning this music from parents and playing this music because they love the culture/music, not because they did it for money. Playing from the heart;
-Interview in Canada. Not playing music for a living. Life it too short to do something you don't like unless you have to;
-The Kingfish (Huey P. Long) built all kinds of bridges and connected parts of the country. Less barriers, more homogenization;
-1977 Wolf Trap Folk Festival in Virginia--Cajuns playing all day long. Commitment to music, it's part of their life;
-Feel the hurt in Creole music, Hillbillly music;
-Baisse Bas (Bonsoir Moreau--all together). Canray Fontenot and Alphonse 'Bois-sec' Ardoin;
-Freeman never made a name for hinmself because he never sings. He still farms at home. Has 12 children;
-What is a 'Baisse Bas'?;
-'Tit Moreau (waltz-like);

Dewey Balfa, Rodney Balfa, Freeman Fontenot (77), Michael Doucet, Barry Ancelet