[Dixielandjazz] French Traditional Jazz

[David Richoux]

Jerry (and all)

I have met many Canadian researchers in languages who often visit  
Louisiana to study current and historical "Cajun" patois. To them it  
is like a time capsule of 16th and 17th Century spoken French (much  
like what we call "Hill-Billy" in the Appalachians is still closely  
related to historical forms of English.) Same is true for some of the  
traditional music (but not as much for Zydeco.)

Since there are quite a few museums and research centers on the  
subject in Canada, I don't think they have any negative feelings at  
this point, at least not officially ;-)
http://www.museeacadien.ca/
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Acadie/index_e.html
http://www.gov.pe.ca/peimhf/index.php3?number=1015697
etc.

There are probably more grumpy Cajuns  who express themselves on the  
subject than the other way around. However, my Grandmama was much more  
contemptuous of those crazy people up the bayou in New Orleans  
(especially around Mardi Gras time!)

Dave Richoux (who lives too much in California anymore.)

On Feb 15, 2009, at 2:16 PM, Jerry Brown wrote:

> Hi,
>
> As a matter of interest why should one include traditional jazz in a  
> festival celebrating all things French. Creole tradition from New  
> Orleans together with the dialect is basically French so use 'El Las  
> Bas' and other New Orleans material in cajun. There are plenty of  
> examples of cajun-french traditional jazz in the recordings of  
> Billie and DeDe Pierce plus some singing in dialect by Lizzie Miles  
> in the Club Hangover recordings.
>
> Maybe however the Canadian's would not be too pleased at being  
> reminded that the cajun settlement in the Louisiana area was the  
> result of their eviction from Canada during the Seven Years war in  
> the middle of the 18th Century.
>
> Apart from the creole and cajun influence I think the French have  
> had little or nothing to do with traditional jazz although there are  
> some excellent bands playing the music in France - and usually  
> singing in English!
>
> There is one session of French songs that can be recommended as they  
> include French lyrics and many of the tunes of French origin. On  
> 22nd December 1960 Kid Ory and his band together with an unknown  
> singer cut 14 tracks probably intended for the French market but  
> never released until they were included in the Mosaic set of the  
> complete Kid Ory Verve recordings (MD8-189) which is now out of  
> print I believe. The tracks include "Blanche Touquatoux" / "Au Clair  
> De La Lune" / "L'Aloutte" / "Le Roi Dagobert" / "Frere Jacques" and  
> some are a little strange to say the least with the lady vocalist  
> certainly being no Billie Holiday or Bessie Smith!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jerry
> Norwich,
> U.K.