VA ~ Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés [Cinq Planètes]

01 - Bee Fontenot - Pain de maïs
02 - Sirley Bergeron - La valse de la belle
03 - Nathan Abshire - Ma négresse
04 - Les Frères Balfa [Balfa Bros] - Les haricots sont pas salés #1
05 - Bee Deshotels - Aux Natchitoches
06 - Les Frères Balfa [Balfa Bros] - Tu peux cogner
07 - Nathan Abshire- Two step des Cajuns
08 - Les Frères Balfa [Balfa Bros] - Une livre de tabac
09 - Shirley Bergeron - Madame Bosso
10 - Bee Fontenot - La porte de la prison
11 - Canray Fontenot - Les barres de la prison
12 - Dennis Mc Gee - Ma chérie bébé créole
13 - Dennis Mc Gee - Madame Young
14 - Les Frères Balfa - La danse de la limonade
15 - Bee & Ed Deshotels - La veuve du lac bleu
16 - Freeman Fontenot - Les 2 cousines
17 - Alphonse Ardoin - Quoi faire ?
18 - Alphonse Ardoin & Les Frères Balpa - Bosco stomp
19 - Bee Fontenot - Make it to me
20 - Sirley Bergeron - J'ai fait mon idée
21 - Les Frères Balfa [Balfa Bros] - J'ai été au bal
22 - Canray Fontenot - Bonsoir Moreau
23 - Les Frères Balfa [Balfa Bros] - 'tit galop au Mamou
24 - Bee Fontenot - Chère Toutoute
25 - Nathan Abshire - Les maringouins
26 - Ambroise Thibodeaux - Les haricots sont pas salés #2
27 - Freeman Fontenot - Le two step à Jules

'Les Haricots Sont Pas Sales offers a wonderful snapshot of real Cajun musique, 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



seemingly obscure cajun compilation originally released on lp in 1972 & expanded for polycarb coaster re-ish in 1999. features the recording of the performance above & 26 other pearls :) more balfa brothers & nathan abshire. nuff said. 320 thanks to tineg

VA - Au Bal Antillais ~ Franco Creole Biguines From Martinique: Early Recordings of Caribbean Dance Musique [Arhoolie, 1992]

01. Ah! Gade Chabine La - Orchestre Antillais De Alexandre Stellio
02. En Sens Unique S.V.P. - Orchestre Antillais De Alexandre Stellio
03. Rialto! Sens Unique - Orchestre Créole “Kaukira Boys" De C. Martial
04. Mettez I Dehro - Alphonso Et Son Orchestre Typique Antillais
05. Mussieu Dollar - Orchestre Antillais De Alexandre Stellio
06. Mussieu Satan Fache - Orchestre Antillais De Alexandre Stellio
07. Balcon Fleuri - Orchestre “Tagada-Biguine" De Alexandre Stellio
08. Ba Mouin En Ti Bo Dou Dou - Orchestre Créole Delvi
09. Belle Madame - Orchestre Créole Delvi
10. A Si Pare - Don Barreto Et Son Orchestre Cubain
11. Paris Biguine - Orchestre Du Biguine
12. Pani Ti Moun - Sam Castandet Et Son Orchestre Antillais
13. Maladie D'amour - Orchestre De La Boule Blanche
14. Cherie - Orchestre Typique Martiniquais Charlery-Delouche
15. Angeina - Sam Castandet Et Son Orchestre Antillais
16. C'est Beguine - Orchestre De La Boule Blanche
17. Retour Au Pays - Orchestre Del's Jazz Biguine
18. Tes Yeux! - Orchestre Del's Jazz Biguine
19. Belle - Belle - Orchestre Créole Delvi 2:56
20. Pour Mettre Un Peu D'entrain - Orchestre Créole “Kaukira Boys" De C. Martial
21. Quand Meme - Orchestre Du Bal Antillais 3:02
22. Olga - Stellio Et Son Orchestra Créole 2:58
23. Amantine! Amantine! - Orchestre Créole Delvi



'An excellent reissue of 78s first recorded from 1929 to 1951 in France of Franco-Creole Biguines from Martinique from the collection of Dick Spottswood. This compact disque issue contains a generous 23 selections [9 more than the 1988 LP issue]. There is a similarity to some of the calypso and New Orleans jazz of the same era, but Martinique has its own sound, rooted in the rhythms of its indigenous dance, the biguine. This music was recorded by Martiniquans living in Paris on major labels of the era. The premier musicians were Alexandre Stellio on clarinet, Ernest Leardée on violin, Orphelien on percussion & trombonist Archange St. Hillaire who performed together and fronted their own groups. This is a pleasing collection of exciting Caribbean music [my mother, who grew up dancing to beguines [Spanish spelling] in her native Virgin Islands, loves it too!] that never has failed to lift my spirits.' ~ kerry blech

such perfect, singular summer listening. nothing else in the world sounds quite like this. Lionel Belasco comes to mind but the proceedings here are far more unhinged & free. one of a kind. 320 thx to espilos.

Léona Gabriel ~ La Reine de la Biguine [Maladie d'amour] 78rpm recordings

Pharaon Records, 1996

01. Maladie d'amour
02. C'est biguine
03. Ti femme ta la
04. Mabillage décollage
05. Femme qui dou
06. Petite fleur fanée
07. Calalou
08. Moin belle !
09. Maman...la grève barré moin (oué, oué, oué)
10. Ti bourrique assou la l'vée
11. Ah ! gadé yo ché
12. Agalou
13. A si paré
14. L'échelle poule
15. Ninon
16. Zafé co ida
17. Mamée la créole
18. Paris Biguine
19. Celestin roi diable
20. L'homme à lunettes



'Leona Gabriel was a Martinican biguine singer [1891-1971] born in Rivière-Pilote, Martinique. Daughter of a white creole she grew up in Martinique, going to secretarial school in Cayenne, Guyana at age 14, going on to work as a secretary for the Lesseps company during the building of the Panama Canal. After returning for a period to Martinique she moved to Paris in 1920. In France she began singing and recording with the orchestra of pianist Alexandre Stellio under the stage name of Mademoiselle Estrella. Gabriel returned to Martinique in the 1940s, becoming a radio presenter, a career which lasted over 30 years. She continued recording until the 1960s.' plus

hardly any takers on 10cc but that's all good, hopefully we scared off any uptite nonbelievers. here goes the reigning queen of biguine & one of the better songbirds, in any tongue. once again, haven't the foggiest notion what the 'graphic design division' of pharaon records musta been smokin when they green-lighted that garish cover art, but twas a labour of love coalescing those two old-school photos into a more optically inviting alternative for the uninitiated.

first heard this chanteuse & her wildly talented orchestre on the equally essential 'Hot Womens Singers from the Torrid Regions' compilation curated/ illustarted by R. Crumb. this one originally dropped by the unstoppable constantin59000 somewheres out thar in the more obscure realms [to yanks, anyway] of syberspace. thanks to toro y loco for the hot tip