Track Listing

1. Amadie Two Step
2. Valse a Austin Ardoin
3. Blues de Basile
4. Valse À Thomas Ardoin
5. Two Step d'Elton
6. Valse de Gueydan
7. Valse a Alice Poulard
8. One Step d'Oberlin
9. Valse de Opelousas
10. One Step des Chameaux
11. Blues de Voyage
12. Valse de Amities
13. Blues de Crowley
14. Oberlin
15. Tostape de Jennings
16. Midland Two-Step
17. Valse des Chantiers Petroliperes
18. Valse Brunette
19. Tortope d'Osrun
20. Valse du Ballard
21. Turtape de Saroied
22. Valse de la Pointe d'Eglise
23. Blues de la Prison
24. Valse de Mon Vieux Village
25. Si Dur d'Etre Seul
26. Aimez-Moi Ce Soir

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #196307 in Music
• Released on: 1995-11-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .24 pounds

Customer Reviews

Absolutely seminal.
First off, don't get this CD expecting very high-fidelity audio. All material here is from the 1930's, and about half of it was recorded with field equipment. (The other half was recorded in an NYC studio, and sounds much better, is comprised of solo performances, without backing fiddle.)

This is an essential recording if you're interested in the history of Cajun and Zydeco music. These have developed as two distinct styles, but Ardoin is a figure that towers above both. Amede Ardoin was a black Creole musician who brought a strong blues influence to Cajun music, and defined the accordion playing style.

This collection has nearly everything he recorded that survives. His first four recordings are in another collection (the strangely-titled "Cajun Dance Party", which I'll recommend in addition to this one using the Amazon feature for doing this.)

Proto-cajun-zydeco
Monsieur Ardoin played a mean accordion, but his haunting vocals are just as astonishing. This music is for the ages. Even though I hardly understand a word of standard French - let alone the cajun version sung here - the music speaks to me. Anyone who wants to have a perspective on African-American music needs to hear this stuff.

Incredible material...careless production
I love early Cajun, and I particularly love the soulful singing of Ardoin. The CD contains most, but not all of his recordings but unfortunately, about 1/2 on this set are in extremely poor sound quality when I am sure that collectors out there have very clean copies. All of the Decca sides though sound great. This is a must have collection for the Cajun collector.