Search - Nathan Abshire :: Best Of/Cajun Legend

Funky, Blue, and Dancehall Fantastic

Kevin Fontenot | New Orleans, LA United States | 05/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The very first Cajun album I bought growing up in Southwestern Louisiana was Nathan Abshire's "The Good Times Are Killing Me" on Swallow. My life was never the same. This disc collects the titles on that LP along with some other sides cut for Swallow. Nathan crossed musical boundaries and there are two standout examples of his ability to fuse styles on this disc--check out his rocking version of Joe South's "The Games People Play" and a weeping track of Hank Snow's "I Don't Hurt Anymore." The Balfa Brothers are backing Nathan up here and the whole album has an easy flow revealing musical relationships forged in Louisiana's dancehalls. Great renditions of Cajun classics are here, I have never been able to purge the burning version of "Choupique Two Step" from my mind. If you can only own one Abshire album, this would be it. But who can own only one Nathan Abshire recording."

If this doesn't make you dance, you're dead.

Jason B. Lebouef | 03/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As far as I can remember, I can vividly recall seeing those blue Swallow records spinning on the turntable and hearing the words, "Heyyyyyyyy Negreeeeeeeeessee!" being shouted out by the singer. This isn't meant to be a slight towards African-American women. This is the chorus to one of the coooolest cajun songs ever, Pine Grove Blues. Top that with first class accordion playing backed up with the Balfa Brothers and you have a milestone hit on your hands.



Nathan Abshire is known as "Mr. Accordion" and he earned that name through 50+ years of playing music.



This CD is THE one if you want to hear Nathan. It contains the Swallow sides and while not as raw as the Khoury's and not as smoothed out as the La Lousianna sides, this fits right in the middle. Just enough to be funky, happy, and sad all in one album. This is an essential CD if you want to hear Nathan at his best.



If you're looking for the Mardi Gras song that starts out with the stomping and the horses clopping, that's on the Fais Do Do cd, Nathan Abshire and his Pine Grove Boys. That's the raw stuff, unpolished cajun music at it's best."