Cultural shock? A little slice of south Louisiana

R

Ray J

New member
The quality and volume of my recordings are still not where I would like them to be but I think the mix on this is a little better than some of the other stuff I've posted. The kick drum may sound abnormally loud but it was intentional as this is how a lot of Zydeco sounds. Feedback on the mix or the tune is welcome.

Warning: I didn't water down this tune for mass appeal, I kept it pretty representative of some of the ethnic music around here, you'll see what I mean.

Please give a listen
"Le Coeur de Mardi Gras"

http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/158/r_johnson.html

Thanks
 
Yeah, I like this one. It is nice to hear a player step out of the box
and say something you don't expect. Exploring different styles is really what it is all about, in my humble estimation.

Are you using the alesis drum machine on this RJ? Also, is the accordian one of those stopsign-shaped button jobs? Man, I love those things. Clean . . .great guitars

My only other comment would be in regard to the arrangement.
I think the intro is killer, maybe do it twice at the jump and then repeat the intro theme somewhere in the middle, this 'd break things up nicely.
 
Kool Cajun kick ass music, with a side order of hot ass gumbo! I dig the sound of that bass Ray, that sob got some meat to it. The accordian sounds very good. I've listened to some of your stuff (liked everything I heard) but this mix sounds pretty damn good, hell of a lot better than I've been able to muster for sure. very good job on this track man...David
 
I like it too, but it doesn't sound so much cajun to me as someone who's listened to cajun - something about piledriver rhythm section and a hard blues feel that doesn't sound like cajun I've heard. But what do I know - I've been listening to Prof Longhair and Dr John... It's still a good song. Ray, you are a master of disguises.
 
with cajun music, you have different genres within it...traditional, zydeco, swamp pop....i think this fits somewhere in between zydeco and swamp pop, and done very well....I could pick up on some of the lyrics, but for shame, I know very little of the language......this is definitely a crawfish boilin, two steppin, beer drinkin, skirt chasin tune....I love it.....good work Ray!!!
 
bball jones - Yeah, I'm using the Alesis Sr 16 for drums and the accordian does have buttons instead of piano keys. It's an old accordian and has two rows of keys(buttons) (some 'button' accordians have one row and some have three). You may be on to something about the arrangement. I played around with it when I was laying it down but it always sounded a little funny, after a while, I got use to the arrangement and it didn't bother me as much. Thanks for checking it out.


David - thanks for listening. This was a fun song to cut. I really just mess around with the accordian but I have played guitar in a few Zydeco bands.

dobro - Many people associate Cajun music with Zydeco music and visa versa, mainly because it comes from the same area. If you've heard Cajun music, while it's probably more pure of an art form, this is not it. I'm from the Zydeco fraternity out here and there are really about 3 different styles of Zydeco, and this is just one of them. What I'm doing here is closer to what a guy named Beau Jocques was doing until his recent death. Thanks for listening. I really had no idea how this stuff would be received but it's one of my influences and as I said, it was a fun song to cut, especially squeezing in all those French lyrics. Thanks for listening dobro, your input is always appreciated.

Gidge - To simplify matters, your probably right but lets just say swamp and leave the pop out of it, but swamp pop is a genre out here. Regarding the language, well, as you probably know, this is not the French they speak in Paris, but it is similar, just a different dialect. My wife strung the words together because although I understand and speak some, when I try to write sentences in French, I run into grammerical issues, ha. Thanks for putting your ear on it Gidge.
 
What's important for you: it's a really good tune. You're good at really good tunes.

What's important for me: I'm willing to back off on the noise I made in my first post because I haven't listened to loads of Louisiana music. By way of reparation, here's a tidbit - "Crawfish Fiesta" by Professor Longhair - one of my favorite albums. Combines New Orleans and early rock and roll. I have *no* idea where that guy was coming from, but he's one of my heroes.
 
Hey dobro,

I guess what I didn't mention and meant to was that you're exactly right. Cajun music usually involves a fiddle, accordian and some other percussions like triangles and spoons and stuff, and is generally less 'syncopated', is the word I hear used. What Zydeco has in common with this is the area that it is from and the use of the accordian and sometimes lyrics sung in French.

Anyway, regarding Professor Longhair, I love his stuff and that New Orleans sound
 
What Ray has done here is produce an authentic Zydeco song without sounding like a cover. In the past I've heard him do the same thing with Delta blues, electric blues and West Coast/latin rock. All with modest equipment, except those hands and head (the one on his shoulders). Ray J makes me think that we should all spend more time practicing and listening and less time with the tech.

Great song, Ray.
 
Thanks for the big compliment slim. The song's doing great on the Zydeco charts. It's been sitting at #1 most of this and last week on mp3.com. Zydeco is a small genre though so, it's sorta like being the #1 ice skater in Nicaragua. The proverbial big fish in a small pond.

Thanks

Ray J
 
It's more than trying to be the big fish in a small pond.

You have to come across credibly in *any* large pond:

And you have.

The thumpocracy wasn't as obnoxious as you described.

Appropriate would be the word I'd choose.

I'm no fan of the accordian but {holy shit} it didn't make me turn this off, so you must have access to some accordian resources. I haven't been able to make that patch work for me and I don't think my synth is to blame.

The rhythm guitar was Really nice.
 
drstawl

Thanks, the accordian is an old one that was given to me. This song was supposed to be ready for Mardi Gras 2001 but the accordian feel apart a few times while cutting the song. I'll re release it next year for Mardi Gras.

Ray J
 
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