Happy Mardi Gras! I wish I could be in New Orleans where, party aside, it is a day of religious celebration with friends and family coming together to share food and make memories. It is ironic that the day is now more known for its excesses. In typical 'next best thing to being there' fashion, on Sunday my club Midtown Live presented CJ Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana band. With Creole food and Zydeco dancing, a fine time was had by all. We braved the cold, with the temperature dropping Sunday night in NY to 1 frigid degree, so these were hardy souls to come out! Midtown Live is the site of another Let's Zydeco concert on February 27th, when Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys come to town.
A few weeks back during our Music Fog Mini Marathon, we had the pleasure of filming The Lost Bayou Ramblers. They bring the strings and the soul, and the feel of a sultry day amid still water with Spanish Moss hanging in the trees. The band was formed in 1999, a family affair, by brothers Andre and Louis Michot. They learned roots Cajun music performing with their uncles and father as part of Les Frères Michot which was founded in the 80's. They were voted as Best Cajun Band in 2012, 2013, and 2014 by Offbeat Magazine's "The Best of the Beat" awards.
On this Mardi Gras Day, as we dream of warmth and sunshine, the Lost Bayou Ramblers provide the perfect accompaniment. This was our loudest session of the day, so it's best you play it loud, too, and dance!
- Jessie Scott