Welcome to

BREC's Baton Rouge Magnolia Mound Cajun Music Day Festival

Saturday September 24, 2011 from 9am-6pm, Clarence organizes this. Please come!

   
Featuring 3 Cajun Bands, Cajun Dancing, Cajun Music Jam Session, Cajun Dance Lessons, Kid's Activities, French Conversation Table, fiddle and accordion lessons, Historic Buildings Tour, and Traditional Plantation Crafts
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Event Name:
BREC's Magnolia Mound Cajun Music Day Festival

Admission:
Free admission with $5 per car parking fee. Kids and families welcome!

Location:
The Magnolia Mound Plantation is located at 2161 Nicholson Drive Baton Rouge La 70802 which is halfway between LSU and downtown and has a large area with multiple buildings including the main plantation home, the Hart building which will be used for some of the activites, and the covered pavillion called the LaGrange Barn that will host the dance and music events.

Date & Time:
Saturday September 24, 2011 from 9am-6pm



Cajun Dance Lesson:
9am-10am Learn the to dance cajun style with Kerry Jenkins and her brother Corey Jenkins at the covered pavilion called the LaGrange Barn.

Cajun Bands Schedule:
An old time Cajun dance at the covered pavilion called the LaGrange Barn.
10am - noon     "Coobie Joe" Cajun band
12:30pm-3pm     "Paul Daigle and the Magnolia Mound Aces" Cajun band
3:30pm-5:30pm "Lost Bayou Ramblers" Cajun band

9am-6pm Cajun Musicians Practice Jam Session
in the backyard of the main house. Musicians of all skill levels (beginning to advanced) are invited to bring their accordions, fiddles and guitars to have a musician cajun music jam session. Non-musicians are invited to watch and enjoy the music.

9am-6pm Table Francaise (French language conversation table)
Stop by the French conversation table and practice speaking in French. This is hosted by local high school French students. The table Francaise will be held at an outdoor table marked with a sign saying "Table Francaise" under the big oak tree right past the band pavillion. 9am-Noon will be hosted by University Lab School French students. Episcopal High School French students will host this from Noon-3pm. Baton Rouge Magnet High School French students will host this from 3pm-6pm.

9am-6pm Children's Event: Clarence's Cajun Music For Kids Event
Clarence the cajun DJ brings his cajun accordions, fiddles, froittoir (washboard) and triangles for the kids to try out and have fun making a lot of noise cajun style !! (no experience necessary). Parents can take pictures of their children playing cajun instruments. Grown-ups can join in also. Free event.

9am-10am Children's Event: "Katrinalaya for Kids"
Young folks can learn to play the ukulele "Cajun style" at a music workshop conducted by recording artist David Naccari. David is a music teacher for Park Forest Elementary School and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge. His ukulele-inspired song "Katrinalaya" has been added to the permanent archives of the Smithsonian Museum of American History and the Louisiana State Museum. David will teach "Katrinalaya" and basic chords and fingering. Participants are welcome to bring their own ukuleles but "loaners" will be provided for those who do not own ukuleles. David's workshop will occur from 9 am until 10 am in the kids section of the Cajun Festival.

10am-Noon Children's Event: Cajun Culture and Cajun storytelling with the Zachary Area French Preservation Club
Mamee Mier, the Cajun Lady will present a Children/Adult presentation about events before and after the Great Deportation of the Acadian people including a reading of "Evangeline for Children" and tintamarre/Mardi Gras parade. Madame Sally Jones, a retired French teacher, storyteller and culture hobbyist will read "Jacques et la Canne a Sucre", a Cajun Fairytale.

1:30pm-3:00pm Presentation on Nova Scotia, the Mic/Mac, and the Acadians:
Christine Guidry-LeJeune Law and daughter LeeAnn Raye Law, who are cajun musicians, will share their experiences (through music, photos and other props) of their recent trip to Nova Scotia. They were invited to visit Nova Scotia as decendents of the LeJeune/MicMac family. They were part of the first Acadian/MicMac meeting here in Louisiana last summer and will take part in a Mic/Mac festival in Nova Scotia. Many Cajuns in Louisiana have no clue about the relationship (bond) between the Mic/Mac and the Acadians.

3:30pm-4:30pm Presentation by Amanda LaFleur from the LSU Dept of French on the French language
LSU professor and author Amanda LaFleur will present "Dragonfly Buttocks and Redbug Placentas: The everyday poetry of Cajun French figures of speech". A presentation and discussion of the world of colorful Cajun French expressions, their origins, and how they relate to the French of the rest of the world.

4:30pm-6:00pm Movie on France experiences by LSU Dept of French Studies students
LSU students will present a movie of their experience while studing in France

Cajun Instrument Classes (Violin, Fiddle, Accordion, Guitar)
  • 10am-11am "Introduction to Violin"
    This will be presented by Grace Notes Music Studios www.gnmusicstudio.com No experience needed and violins will be provided for you to try out. Learn the basics of holding the violin and make a few sounds on the violin. This will be held indoors in the Hart Building.
  • 10am-11am "Introduction to Cajun Accordion"
    This will be presented by Carl Claudet. No experience needed and an accordion will be provided for you to try out. You will be shown the basic notes and chords and a simple song. This will be held on the porch of the Hart Building.
  • 11am-noon "Cajun Fiddle" and "Cajun Guitar" class
    This class is for persons who have some fiddle/violin experience and knows the basic chords or for persons who have some guitar experience and knows the basic chords. Taught by Jesse and Anglyn Brown of the Choupique Cajun band. (A fiddle and a violin are the exact same instrument - the name depends on the style that you play it) Bring your own fiddle/violin or guitar. Class will be held indoors in the Hart Building.
  • noon-1pm "Cajun Accordion" class.
    This class is for persons who have some experience with the accordion. This class will be taught by Jesse Brown of the Choupique Cajun band. Bring your own accordion in the key of "C" and learn a song or two. Class will be held indoors in the Hart Building.
Food and Drinks:
Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Tours of the Plantation (Tours in English and Tours in French):
Tour the plantation and grounds free of charge and learn what plantation life was like centuries ago. Take a guided tour of the historic house and garden areas, see period cooking demonstrations in the open hearth kitchen. Participants witness demonstrations of traditional skills such as soap making, carpentry, open hearth cooking and handhook rag rug making. Magnolia Mound Plantation has a rich French heritage tracing back to plantation owner Armand Duplantier (1802 to 1830). Tours of the main house will occur between 9:00am-5:30pm. Tours of 20 will be guided through the historic house every half hour. There will be special tours conducted in French at 11:00am & 2:00pm by Eunice Pavageau.

Photos From Last Year's Festival:
See photos of last year's event at Magnolia Mound Cajun Photos and Magnolia Mound Cajun Photos 2

Directions from LSU to
2161 Nicholson Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
1) From the LSU Campus, head North on Nicholson Dr
2) Go 0.6 miles and Magnolia Mound Plantation is on your right

Directions from the I-10 to
2161 Nicholson Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
1) Take I-10 towards downtown,
2) Take I-110 toward the airport, exit at Government street,
3) Go about 2-3 blocks and turn left at the light just before Government St curves.
4) That will be St.. Phillip St.
5) Within a couple of blocks, it merges into Nicholson Dr.
6) Go 1.2 miles on Nicholson and Magnolia Mound Plantation is on your left.
7) You will need to make a U-turn at W. Grant St. to turn around and get to it.
8) 2161 Nicholson Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

About The Cajun Bands:
  • "Coobie Joe" Cajun band
    The Coobie Joe band is a Baton Rouge based band featuring Jesse Deroche on the accordion, Christian LeJeune on the fiddle and vocals, Kevin Landry on the guitar, Mark Edmonson on the drums and Willi Sager on the standup bass. They are the house band on Thursday nights at Boutin's cajun restaurant and also the house band at Lebeau's Cajun Restaurant.

  • "Paul Daigle and the Magnolia Mound Aces" Cajun band
    Paul Daigle is considered one of the legends of cajun music. He is a native of Point Noir near Church Point. While he was a teenager, he won accordion contests in Church Point. He has performed as Paul Daigle and Cajun Gold, Savoir Fair avec Paul Daigle, and Paul Daigle and Family Gold. Paul Daigle has released numerous records including The Cajun Experience (1985), Cajun Gold (1986), La Lumi�re dans Ton Chassis (1987), Coeur Farouche (1988), Est-Ce Que Tu Pleur? (1990), The Essential Collection (1996), Savoir Faire avec Paul Daigle (1999), Savoir Faire avec Paul Daigle - Renaissance (2003), 3 Daigles and a Huval (2008) web.lsue.edu/acadgate/music/pdaigle3.htm and web.lsue.edu/acadgate/music/pdaigle.htm and Magnolia Mound Cajun Photos and and Magnolia Mound Cajun Photos 2

  • "Lost Bayou Ramblers" Cajun band
    www.lostbayouramblers.com The Lost Bayou Ramblers band is a favorite among the younger generation of Cajun with their high energy take on cajun music. Their performances are often sold out and once people hear them play live, they are hooked. Growing up in Pilette, Louisiana (between Broussard and Lafayette), Louis (fiddle and vocals) and Andre (accordion) Michot were immersed in roots Cajun music from birth, primarily since their father and uncles were already touring the world playing traditional songs as the band Les Freres Michot. After a decade of "initiation" on triangle, guitar, and bass, Andre and Louis felt they were prepared to take on the lead instruments - accordion and violin - and pick up the torch as the next generation in the evolution of their musical heritage. When the brothers matched up with Paul Etheredge's bass-stomp centered drumming, Alan LeFleur's heavy-thumping upright bass and Cavan Carruth's hard-chocking rhythm guitar, the band began to play their "deep swamp beat" around Acadiana and eventually all over the United States. Since starting out in 1999 they have added dozens of original songs to compliment their vast Cajun repertoire of hundreds of early accordion dancehall tunes, pre-century fiddle tunes, and Cajun swing. It all mixes together to form a definitive sound - capturing the "roots" spirit of their culture's unique music while initiating a renewed cultural identity and pride among their generation. The Lost Bayou Ramblers have toured through much of the United States, including performances at the International Country Music Conference in Nashville, the National Folk Festival, the Lowell Folk Festival, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens' Chile Pepper Fiesta, and the New Orleans Jazz Fest and historic Preservation Hall. The Ramblers have performed internationally in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and their most recent releases, the Grammy Nominated Live:a la Blue Moon (Swallow Records) and Vermilionaire (Bayou Perdu Records) are receiving critical acclaim across North America and Europe. Whether performing in their native Louisiana or abroad, the Lost Bayou Ramblers passionately embrace their cultural and musical heritage, playing music intimately linked to the agrarian, working class lifestyle. Their music stems from a time before electricity, when the Gulf Coast's incapacitating heat only amplified the backbreaking stresses associated with the toil necessary to sustain a successful farm. Indeed, south Louisiana's work ethic was the natural force that ground through the Cajun ego, liberating in song the fervor and spirit of a people. The Lost Bayou Ramblers are like a snapshot of a bygone era. Their music is emotionally raw, intense - in a word, authentically Cajun. The Lost Bayou Ramblers have released 5 records subtitled: Vermilionaire, Live: a la Blue Moon, Mellow Joy Boys: Une Tasse Cafe, Bayou Perdu, and Pilette Breakdown.
Contact / Additional Info:
For more info on this event, contact BREC's Magnolia Mound Plantation at 225-343-4955 or email: cajunclarence [type the at sign] gmail.com Additional info located at www.magnoliamound.org and www.friendsofmagnoliamound.org and www.cajunradio.org

Clarence is requesting volunteer help in the following areas:
1) If you speak french, please consider stopping by the French table to participate in French conversations
2) If you are a cajun musician of any level, beginning to advanced, please consider attending the cajun music jam session from 9am-6pm
3) If you are a dancer, please ask others to dance and show them how to if they could use a little help.
4) Clarence will be hosting the Cajun Music for Kids event. However, I tend to make the rounds overseeing a lot of the cajun events. So, if you see the kiddie music area unmanned, please jump in and talk those little kids into picking up any of the cajun instruments and making some noise. And, don't forget to harass the adults until they try the instruments also... (Adults are kids too!)
5) Please forward the info about this event to others.

Sponsors:
This event is sponsored by BREC, the Baton Rouge Parks Commission, Magnolia Mound Plantation, with thanks to the Cajun French Music Association, Grace Notes Music Studios, Genny Denton, Baton Rouge High School French students, Episcopal High School French students, University Lab School French students, Zachary Area French Preservation Club, Mamee Mier, Sally Jones, Christine Guidry-LeJeune Law, LeeAnn Raye Law, Jesse and Anglyn Brown, David Naccari, Clarence the cajun DJ on WBRH 90.3 FM, DJs Jacques Boudreaux and Seth Bradley at KLSU 91.1 FM, DJ Roland Doucet at 100.7 FM, DJ Ann Vidrine at WHYR 96.9 FM, Carl Claudet, the staff and volunteers at Magnolia Mound Plantation, Amanda LaFleur from the LSU Dept of French, LSU Dept of French Studies students, cajun music jam session participants, various Cajun organizations and lots of grassroots community supporters.

About the Plantation:
Located in Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, BREC's Magnolia Mound Plantation is a rare survivor of the vernacular architecture influenced by early settlers from France and the West Indies. This venerable landmark is unique in southern Louisiana not simply because of its age, quality of restoration, or outstanding collections, but because it is still a vital part of the community. Through educational programs, workshops, lectures, festivals, and other special events, Magnolia Mound's mission is to illustrate and interpret the lifestyle of the French Creoles who formed the fascinating culture that still influences and pervades life in southern Louisiana. Magnolia Mound Plantation is located at 2161 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802, (between LSU and Downtown). (225) 343-4955 www.magnoliamound.org and www.friendsofmagnoliamound.org


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Pre-Festival Events:
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1) Sep 22, 2011 (Thu) Beausoleil cajun band at Manship Theatre downtown $25 www.manshiptheatre.com

2) Sep 22, 2011 (Thu) Coobie Joe cajun band at Boutin's Cajun Restaurant 7pm-10 www.boutins.com

3) Sep 23, 2011 (Fri) "Live After Five" Fall Free Downtown Outdoor Concert Series Featuring The Terrance Simien Zydeco Band on Friday Sept 23, 2011 from 5pm-8pm - Free in Downtown Baton Rouge. It will be at the A.Z. Young Park located at 755 Third St Baton Rouge La 70802. This is a new park that is located at the intersection of Third St and Spanish Town Road. Directions from Third St: Since Third Street is one way, just follow it past Florida and past North St and the Park will be on your left. Directions from River Road: Take Government St toward the River. Curve Right onto River Road. Follow River Road past Florida St. Past North St. The Park will be on your right, behind the new Visitors Welcome Center. Park Boundaries: The park is bordered by the River Road Visitor Center on the West, the old Pentagon Barracks on the North, the tall State Capital grounds on the east, and North Street on the South. la5.downtownbr.org

4) Sep 23, 2011 (Fri) Shannon LeJeune avec LeJeune Playboys cajun band at an old time Cajun Dance on Friday night at the UCT hall sponsored by the Cajun French Music Association. These dances are always open to the public. UCT Hall, 11175 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70815-2013 Hall, Large Dance Floor,$10 www.batonrougecajundance.com Cajun dance lesson 7:00pm - 7:45pm Cajun Band 8:00pm - 10:30pm Directions: The UCT Hall is located one block from the intersection of Florida Blvd. & Sherwood Forest Blvd. The address is 11175 Florida Blvd., BR, LA 70815, on the north service road of Florida Blvd (directly across the street from the Rabenhorst East Funeral Home). It is very near the northwest corner of the intersection of Sherwood Forest Blvd. There is a driveway between a car lot and State Farm. Take the driveway and the hall sits on the back of the property. There is a vertical 'UCT' sign near the road.

5) Sep 23, 2011 (Fri) Coobie Joe cajun band at LeBeau�s Cajun in Gonzales 6:30pm-8:30pm 225-644-2020

6) Sep 23, 2011 (Fri) Mojo & The Bayou Gypsies (LA Cajun,Zydeco,Other) at Boudreaux and Thibodeaux NightClub Downtown (downstairs) 7pm, 214 Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801-1304 Free (225) 636-2442

7) See Clarence's Schedule of Events at www.cajunradio.org/batonrougecajunzydeco.html.

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After-Festival Events:
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1) The 13the Gate Haunted House www.midnightproduction.com

2) Sep 24, 2011 (Sat) Lee Benoit cajun band at Boutin's Cajun Restaurant 7pm-10 www.boutins.com

3) Sep 24, 2011 (Sat) Downtown nightclubs on Saturday evening Sep 24, 2011

4) See Clarence's Schedule of Events at www.cajunradio.org/batonrougecajunzydeco.html.

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Baton Rouge's Cajun and Zydeco Radio Shows:
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* Sat 6am-8am WTGE 100.7 FM Roland Doucet's Cajun Radio show www.newcountry1007.com
* Sat 7pm-9pm WBRH 90.3 FM Clarence's Cajun Saturday Night www.cajunradio.org
* Sun 5pm-7pm WHYR 96.9 FM Ann Vidrine's Cajun Experience Radio Show www.whyr.org
* Sun 7pm-9pm KLSU 91.1FM The Front Porch Fais Do-Do Cajun/Zydeco show with LSU students DJ Roux and DJ File' Gumbo. It broadcasts on the web at www.klsuradio.fm Request line: (225) 578-5578


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Recommended Baton Rouge hotels for the festival:
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Looking for a hotel in Baton Rouge? Clarence recommends the Hilton Capital Center in Downtown Baton Rouge and Hotel Indigo in Downtown Baton Rouge and Belle of Baton Rouge Hotel in Downtown Baton Rouge.


This is located at www.cajunradio.org/batonrougecajunmusicfestivalMagnoliaMound.html

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What to expect at this event:
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As you enter the plantation area, you will initially come to the childrens' area. Everyone including college students, adults, and kids get to try out and have a lot of fun making noise on accordions, fiddles, triangles, washboards and spoons. Groups love to have each member of their group pick up and instrument and start making a lot of noise cajun style. Have a friend take your picture playing an instrument so that they can show it to friends and family. Your parents will get a kick out of seeing you play the accordion, fiddle and washboard!

Next, pass by the cajun musician jam session. This is open to everyone and everyone is encourage to bring a fiddle, accordion or guitar and join the group playing cajun songs. There will be about about 30 people sitting in chairs placed in a big circle and everyone will be playing cajun music. A lot of people gather round to watch them play. For those interested in learning how to play cajun music, head over to the Hart building for accordion, fiddle and guitar lessons.

Next, make your way over to the band pavillion. If you get there early there will be a cajun dance lesson from 9am-10am. After that, there will be 3 bands playing cajun music and a lot of people dancing. Cajun dance areas are very friendly and welcoming. It is customary for a person who does not know how to dance to go up to others and ask others to show them how to dance cajun style. There will be a lot of dancers there who just love when others see them on the dance floor and ask them how to dance. It is one of those cajun things... So, if you miss the dance lesson that morning, there will be lots of opportunities to learn how to dance cajun style. Also, at cajun dances, everyone tends to dance with muliple partners and not just with the person that they came with. If you are one of the people who are not into dancing, you can hang out at the picnic tables under the live oak tree and watch the band and the others dance while you socialize.

Then, take the Magnolia Mound Plantation tour where you stroll by each of the buildings on the grounds. At some of the buildings, including the main plantation house, there will be a a staff person who will give you information about that building and what life was like during plantation times.

That afternoon, you can pass by the Hart building and catch some lectures/presentations on Acadie/Nova Scotia, the cajun language and cajun phrases, and a movie on France.

Btw, Clarence the cajun DJ will be hosting "Clarence's Cajun Music for Kids" event (cajun instrument petting zoo where adults are kids too!). Since I coordinate the festival, I am often away from my post. So, if you see no one handling that activity, jump in to stop the kids and adults and talk them into picking up an instrument and making a lot of noise cajun style!.

If possible, please carpool since we are expecting a large crowd.

Have a bon temp cher!
:) Clarence the cajun DJ and non-paid cajun event organizer

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To receive a schedule of cajun and zydeco events in the Baton Rouge area every 2 weeks by email
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send an email to me at cajunclarence [type the at sign] gmail.com with the subject saying "Clarence's Baton Rouge Cajun email list".