Balfa Toujours Albums

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Balfa Toujours hit us with their powerful Cajun dancehall sound on this disc, recorded live at Angelle's Whiskey River Landing on the levy of Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin. The unrestrained energy of one of Cajun music's hottest young bands combined with the wild spirit of a legendary club make for music that's thick with heat and soul. You will feel you are at Whiskey River yourself, where they let the good times roll all over them and still come up for more.

Balfa Toujours revel in the vitality and richness of the acoustic Cajun tradition on this project, recorded at the Balfa home in La Pointe, Louisiana with vintage analog equipment. Both the original offerings and ancient classics shoot straight from the heart, leaving us with a sense that the music has been taken off the pedestal and put back into everyday life where it belongs. Balfa Toujours are looking to the center of the culture for emotional power and depth. In doing so they arrive at La Pointe (The Point) in more ways than one.

This recording features the accordion playing of 82 year old Creole legend, Bois Sec Ardoin. His syncopated accordion style is world famous and this is his first new studio recording in twenty years. The Balfa and Ardoin families have a long history together, and this record represents the latest chapter; the music is infectious and inspiring. One can hear the comradery between the musicians. This is simple, soulful Louisiana music without a hint of pretense.

This album is both a journey through the different sounds of Cajun Louisiana and a family reunion. The group is joined by Burkeman Balfa, the last of the Balfa Brothers, and cousin Tony Balfa. The songs range from big dance hall rockers to smaller "front porch" pieces. There is a large range of material, from the haunting sounds of the title cut, to the old-fashioned humor of "Le canard a Bois Sec," to the wild abandon of "The Chicot Two-Step." Producer Tim O'Brien lends a great vision to the project; the result is an eminently listenable recording that covers both musical and emotional range of Cajun culture.

This highly danceable record begins with an invitation to join the party out at "the old high land," where much of Balfa Toujours reside . It is quite a party; the group has been joined by drummer Chop Chapman, whose classic style gives the whole album a driving Cajun dance hall feel. There are once again both original and older pieces, all played with great intensity and punch. Listening is like being on a freight train chugging along the side of the bayou, a little faster here, a little slower there, but all with a consistent pulse that keeps things moving.

This is the first Balfa Toujours record, made not long after Dewey Balfa passed away. It is a very tender and expressive acoustic recording with a great deal of emotional intensity. There are many original songs, including the title cut, which describes the feeling that Dewey is still with us through his music. This recording represents an era that saw both the loss of a great man and the birth of a new band dedicated to keeping his message and spirit alive.

This site created and maintained by Kevin Wimmer (kwimmer@aol.com).
Copyright 1998, 1999 Kevin Wimmer and Balfa Toujours. All rights reserved.
Last updated 10/08/03.