Cajun Honky Tonk: The Khoury Recordings Volume 2 – Various Artists CD 541

Description

CD 541

Classic Cajun honky tonk recordings made in Texas and Louisiana between 1947-1957 for the legendary Khoury label.

• Limited edition CD with a CD-size full color hardbound book
• 88 pages of detailed historical notes by David Sax and an introduction by Chris Strachwitz
• Beautiful never-before-seen photographs of the musicians the town and the original labels on the recordings

 

1. Elton Two Step – Blackie
2. La Robe Barre – Blackie
3. Midnight Blues – Cleveland Crochet
4. Sha Meon Waltz – Cleveland Crochet
5. Boora Rhumba – Nathan Abshire
6. Madame Sostan – Lawrence Walker
7. Brunette Two Step – Lawrence Walker
8. Scrambled Eggs – Sandy Austin
9. Tell Me If You Love Me – Virgel Bozman String Band
10. Belle Isle Waltz – Jimmy Choates
11. Lonesome For You – Jimmy Choates
12. Chere Petite Blun – Vincent & Cagley
13. Shoe Pick Waltz – Amar Devillier
14. Durald Two Step – Amar Devillier
15. Two Step de Kindergarden – Elise Deshotel
16. Chere Vere Naig – Shuk Richard
17. Chere Ami Waltz – Musical Four Plus One
18. La Prison – The Oklahoma Tornadoes
19. The Cameron Waltz – Virgel Bozman String Band
20. Jennings Two Step – Ernest Tipidoe French Band
21. Bayou Chico Waltz – Wilson Granger
22. Hathaway Two Step – Nathan Abshire & band
23. Iowa Two Step – Tan Benoit
24. Gueydon Waltz – Tan Benoit French Band
25. Lake Charles Two Step – Nathan Abshire
26. Grand Mamou – Nathan Abshire
27. Two Step de Avalon – Elise Deshotel

 

Also available: Cajun Honky Tonk Volume 1

 

REVIEW

“You can’t go wrong with these classic Arhoolie-archived Cajun recordings taken from 78s made in Texas and Louisiana between 1947-1957 for the Khoury label – part of the post-war phenomenon of local business folk (George Khoury ran a record shop in Lake charles) putting out recordings of local Cajun musicians.

It’s a mixture of rough honky-tonk and wonky two-steps from a varied cast (though often with shared line-ups) of players and singers from different recording sessions: often tingling with bacon-frying hiss and distortion.

Some really gorgeous sounds here: from Blackie & the Moonlight Serenaders with its wild-eyed steel guitar of Eula Mae Fruge the keening vocals of Cleveland Crochet the fiddle-led train-ride Scrambled Eggs from Sandy Austin the sugary-sweet smoothness of Jimmy Choates and intense accordion-driven sounds of Lawrence Walker.

Of course standout moments come from the joyfully ragged playing of Nathan Abshire & his Pinegrove Five with Dewey Balfa’s visceral fiddling and dulcet singing (check out Boora Rhumba aka La Cucaracha!) but the best find is Virgel Bozman String Band & His Oklahoma Tornadoes whose beautiful off-kilter glissando leads me synaptically straight to the edgy high lonesome sound of Buck Owens.

The CD comes within a hardbound book complete with detailed historical [notes] and photographs of the musicians and original labels of the recordings.”

-Sarah Coxson fRoots Magazine