En Francais VOL. 2: Cajun and Creole Rock & Roll
CD RELEASE PARTY

Wednesday, November 14th at the Maple Leaf Bar in New Orleans featuring The Brasseurs, Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band, and the Soul Express Brass Band

Show starts at 9pm, and portion of proceeds goes to WWOZ

Arnaudville’s Bayou Teche Brewing is releasing En Francais 2: Cajun and Creole Rock and Roll.  Produced by Louis Michot of Lost Bayou Ramblers, the new music album is a compilation of 13 classic rock songs performed entirely in Cajun French.

Says one of Bayou Teche’s founders Karlos Knott “We had so much fun working with the exceptionally talented local musicians on last year’s CD that Louis and I immediately resolved to commence work on another volume.”  The pair again decided to record several popular classic rock songs entirely in Cajun French.  The songs on the second CD are performed by eight of Acadiana’s best known Cajun and Creole recording artists.

Said Michot, “When it comes to preserving the Cajun French language, music has always played a huge part.  When people want to learn our language, and a lot of them happen to be musicians, where do they start, do they start with the music or with the language?  We took well-known classic rock tunes and performed them entirely in Cajun French.  Most listeners already know the English lyrics to these songs and can say to themselves, I know what that means in English, now I can say it in Cajun French.”

Last year’s En Francais CD featured some of Acadiana’s Generation X and Y Cajun bands creating a rollicking collection of classic rock songs.  This year’s CD has more of a generational depth and feel to the project – most of the groups had grandparents, parents, and sons and daughters working together on the tracks. Furthered Michot, “Again much of everyone’s time was donated and that lent a vibe to the CD’s sessions that we were doing something important – and I think that shows in the quality of the finished tracks.”

Reflects Michot, “We were very fortunate to once again have such talented local bands show such an interest in this project – this year’s En Francais also has several Grammy winners and nominees on the CD.  The Babineaux Sisters recorded "All Along the Watchtower" and "Three Little Birds", BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet chose the Rolling Stones' "The Last Time" and Jame’s Brown’s "I’ll Go Crazy". Al Berard et Les Filles did versions of "Time of the Season" and "All Day and All of the Night" and The Brasseurs recorded "Goin’ up the Country" and "In the Pines".  Geno Delafose recorded "Wild Horses" and Terrance and Marcella Simien performed an enchanting duet of "In My Life".   Isle Derniere revisited "When the Levee Breaks" and the Soul Express Brass Band invited zydeco accordion extraordinaire Corey Ledet to join them for brass-zydeco covers of "Superstition" and "Day-O".