Search - Various Artists :: Legendary Masters Cajun Creole: Haricots Sont

Les Haricots Sont Pas Sales offers a wonderful snapshot of real Cajun music, performed live in the homes of musician Dewey Balfa outside of Basile, LA, and painter Eraste Fontenot of Mamou in 1972, as part of a movie project by French filmmaker and music aficionado Jean-Pierre Bruneau. What a collection of artists they gathered together for these very informal sessions: Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin, the Balfa Brothers, Nathan Abshire, Conray Fontenot, and Dennis McGee are the most familiar names, joined by lesser-known or unheard Cajun players. Priceless pearls in the set include Bee and Ed Deshotels' "The Blue Lake's Widow," heartbreaking in its raw beauty and its metallic fiddle sound; and a spirited rendition of "One Pound of Tobacco" by Dewey, Will, and Rodney Balfa in their prime. Abshire and the Balfas join together for the classic "Ma Négresse," and a little-heard pair of cousines (dance tunes for solo accordion) are offered by Freeman Fontenot. Whether it's an old favorite or a little-known gem, the whole set is a pleasure to hear--a reminder of the roots and the power of the living room jam session. --Louis Gibson