The Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Programs
co-hosted with The Louisiana Office of State Parks

FULL-TIME STAFF

Upcoming Program:
April 21 - 27, 2006 at Chicot State Park, Ville Platte, Louisiana

Full-time Staff
Louisiana Folk Roots is pleased and proud to announce the full-time staff for the 2006 Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week at Chicot State Park. Click each instructor's name to see their bio and class descripton.

Dirk Powell - beginning accordion

Jeffery Broussard - Creole accordion

Steve Riley - intermediate/advanced Cajun accordion

Jonno Frishberg - fiddle from scratch

Joel Savoy - beginning fiddle

Cedric Watson - Creole fiddle

David Greely - intermediate/advanced Cajun fiddle

Jane Vidrine - beginning guitar

Al Berard - intermediate/advanced guitar

Lisa Reed - bass

Kenny Alleman - drums

Ann Savoy - cultural history, vocals, language through song

Chef Terryl Jackson - Louisiana cuisine

Peter Schwarz - Programming Director

...and others TBA!

Please note that in addition to Beginners through Advanced classes in accordion, fiddle, guitar, bass, and drums, our line-up of full-time classes will include cultural history, Louisiana cooking and cuisine, language through song, and Louisiana nature. As you can see, we will have something for everyone, musicians and non-musicians alike.

We are very pleased to have Peter Schwarz back with us as our Programming Director. He is a key person on our planning committee for camp and also serves on our advisory board throughout the year. In response to the feedback that we received from participants at the last camp, we will be tweaking the schedule as well as other things for the upcoming Heritage Week to ensure that our instructors and participants have the best experience possible. Peter will be working with all of our full-time instructors prior to camp to assist them with class preparation and this year instructors will compose letters about their classes which will be sent to all registered full-time students.

All of this is part of our continued vision to build a teaching process at the camp in character with the way these traditions have been passed down from generation to generation in South Louisiana.

Select here to read more about our guiding principals.

Full-time Staff Bios & Class Descriptions

Dirk Powell    beginning accordion
        Dirk Powell is one of the finest traditional musicians in America today, having recently worked as the music consultant on the Academy Award-nominated film Cold Mountain. His own roots are in Kentucky, where he learned fiddle and banjo from his grandfather, J.C. Hay; but his musical connection with Dewey Balfa and his eventual marriage to Dewey's daughter Christine led him to Louisiana, where he is now considered to be one of the best accordionists in the traditional Cajun style. Dirk has played professionally since his teenage years and has released several critically acclaimed recordings. He founded Balfa Toujours, along with Christine, in 1992. Together, they have performed Cajun music around the world and taught at many events in several countries. Dirk combines intuitive and analytical approaches to learning, and his set of Cajun accordion instruction videos has received rave reviews. He understands why traditional musicians learned sometimes have difficulty explaining things to those who are not familiar with the cultural context in which the music evolved. He also understands the needs of students who feel a passion for the music but often don't know how to translate that into personal expression. He bridges these gaps, creating the ideal situation in which both teacher and student are inspired by the sharing of the music and values vital to Louisiana culture.
Class Description:
        If you have a Cajun-style accordion and you’re starting to be able to pick out some simple melodies, this is a perfect opportunity. Emphasis is placed on developing techniques for learning basic melodies (watching, listening, imitating) while at the same time learning to control the instrument. Students will complete the week with an ability to perform the “camp” songs in basic form in rhythm and will leave with the tools necessary to continue learning on their own.

Jeffery Broussard    Creole accordion
        Jeffery Broussard’s accordion and vocals have defined the parameters of the nouveau Zydeco movement, incorporating the soulful sounds of R&B into Zydeco’s contemporary dance music. At the age of eight, Jeffery began playing drums with his father Delton Broussard in his band, the legendary Lawtell Playboys. He then went on to play drums and bass with Terrance Simien and Roy Carrier and was a leading member of the renowned band Zydeco Force. Jeffery now plays fiddle as well; his playing styles range from the old-time Creole that he grew up with to the more modern sounds of today’s Zydeco.
Class Description:
        This class does not specify level of skill, and is not necessarily off-limits to beginners, even though it is less structured. This class is recommended for students who can learn quickly by watching and imitation and have a strong level of interest in the Creole button-style tradition.

Steve Riley    intermediate/advanced Cajun accordion
        Steve Riley grew up in the prairie town of Mamou, Louisiana. American popular culture was stealing Mamou’s children away when Steve took up the accordion and became his home town’s favorite son. He plays a single-row diatonic instrument made by his cousin, famed accordionist Marc Savoy. Steve concentrated on learning Savoy’s fiery, intricate style and the music of the Balfa Brothers. At age 15 this young prodigy was noticed by Dewey Balfa, who invited Steve to join his band. Under Dewey’s guidance he grew as a performer, learning hundreds of French songs and how to sing them in Balfa’s singular style, and learning to play the fiddle as well. His confidence, virtuosity and magnetic stage presence continued to grow after the Mamou Playboys were formed in 1988. Soon his horizons expanded to include the triple-row accordion, Zydeco music, and fearless songwriting. He and the Mamou Playboys have recently released their tenth CD, Dominos. Their 2004 release, Bon Rêve, was nominated for a Grammy award. Through the years, Steve has inspired countless young people to appreciate and learn the Cajun accordion.
Class Description:
        This class assumes basic knowledge of the instrument, ability to “hunt and find” simple melodies and play them in rhythm. Focus will be on learning unique fingering techniques that take the student from simple melodies to true Cajun-style playing.

Jonno Frishberg    fiddle from scratch
        Jonno Frishberg has been playing the music of southwest Louisiana for over 20 years. Classically trained, he has demonstrated his versatility by playing everywhere from traditional Cajun dancehalls to the Acadiana Symphony to the Kennedy Center, the White House, and Lincoln Center in New York. In the 1990's, Jonno toured and recorded (on fiddle and accordion) with the ground-breaking Cajun folk-rock band Mamou, and collaborated with composer Richard Peaslee on the critically acclaimed modern ballet, Feu Follet (Elisa Monte Dance, NY). His original compositions and recordings have been adapted into ballet works in New Orleans and featured in documentaries at the Los Angeles Museum of Art.
        Jonno has been a regular performer at Mulate’s and Cajun Cabin in New Orleans; he is also active as a teacher, workshop instructor, and school classroom/assembly presenter. He has performed as a member of Wayne Toups and Zydecajun, and with Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys in their early years. He currently plays with the Cajun band Charivari, whose latest CD is “A Trip to the Holiday Lounge.” He has recently formed two of his own bands as well: Bayou DeVille, which plays in the New Orleans area; and N.O. Refuge, featuring a fusion of New Orleans and Acadiana music styles.
Class Description:
        This is the class for those who want to play the fiddle but know nothing about it and have literally never even gotten it out of the case. You’ll learn the fundamentals, such as how to tune it, basic mechanics of bowing, simple systems to begin learning fingering…all with the goal of giving you enough basic training in one week to then be able to move forward on your own to learn Cajun or Creole fiddling.

Joel Savoy    beginning fiddle
        Joel Savoy, son of Cajun musicians Marc and Ann Savoy, has been raised among the greats in Cajun music, including Dewey Balfa, Dennis McGee and Wade Fruge. As a young boy he played fiddle in his own Cajun band, Jeunes Gens de la Prairie. For many years he has played fiddle and bass throughout the world with his parents and Michael Doucet in the Savoy Doucet Cajun Band and appears on their latest CD, “Sam’s Big Rooster”. He is seen as an upcoming star in the field of Cajun music, his fiddle style reflecting the great artists with whom he has been raised. Recently Joel appeared with Ann in the movie and on the soundtrack Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood. A graduate of LSU, Joel sidelines as a recording engineer in his own studio.
Class Description:
        You should have some familiarity with the fiddle, or be an intermediate in some other instrument in order to fit in to this class. Start with the basic bowing patterns that are fundamental to the music, second fiddling techniques and simple fingering of the three “camp” songs that all instrument classes will be learning so that we can play together.

Cedric Watson    Creole fiddle
        Cedric Watson, originally of Sealy, Texas, began playing music as a teenager when he was introduced to the Creole and Cajun music of his grandfather's family. He started out playing guitar and was soon playing the fiddle and accordion at jam sessions in the Houston area. With the fiddle as his main instrument, Cedric sang the old Creole music regularly at clubs and restaurants in Houston and the surrounding areas. He currently lives in Lafayette, Louisiana, and is a member of the popular Pine Leaf Boys, who have recently signed with Arhoolie Records. To witness one of Cedric's performances is to have the rare opportunity to hear one of the few young Creole fiddlers playing the old Creole style music, reminiscent of the great Canray Fontenot.
Class Description:
        This class does not specify level of skill, and is not necessarily off-limits to beginners, even though it is less structured. The unique perspective of Creole fiddling is vitally important to understanding this music and this class is recommended for students who can learn quickly by watching and imitation and have a strong level of interest in and appreciation for the styles of the Carrieres, Canray Fontenot and others.

David Greely    intermediate/advanced Cajun fiddle
        David Greely is a Breaux Bridge-based fiddler, vocalist and songwriter. A founding member of the hugely popular Cajun band, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, he also sometimes performs solo or in other small ensembles. Born in Baton Rouge, David grew up in Denham Springs, Louisiana, and performed gospel and country music from the age of 13. His grandfather, Eddie Theriot, was a farmer and amateur Cajun fiddler from Ascension Parish. A self-taught fiddler, David has played Cajun music since 1985, learning first from recordings and then later from friends and colleagues from the Mamou area. Motivated by a desire to "study and promote the growth of the traditional music of my ancestry," he applied for and received a Louisiana Folklife Apprenticeship grant in 1992 to study Cajun fiddle and traditional songs with master Cajun musician Dewey Balfa. In 2004 David received a Louisiana Artist Fellowship Award for folklife/performance. In addition to Dewey’s music, and developing his own distinctive approach to Cajun fiddle, David has studied extensively the styles and repertoires of master fiddlers Varise Conner, Dennis McGee, and music from Poitou, the French cradle of Acadian culture.
Class Description:
        This is for those who are comfortable with the fiddle (in Cajun or other styles), can play solid rhythm, improvise bowing patterns and can participate in a call-and-response method of teaching melodies and fingering techniques.

Jane Vidrine    beginning guitar
        Musician, folklorist, cultural activist, and teacher, Jane has been playing and singing since she was young and has always been drawn to the old masters to learn. She studied ballad singing with the late Almeda Riddle, and documented and performed with French fiddlers and singers from the endangered French-speaking area of Old Mines, Missouri. She studied fiddle with the late Lionel LeLeux and Dick Richard.
        In the 1970's, Jane worked as Folk Arts Coordinator for the National Park Service, planning programs, festivals, and museum exhibitions. She was Director of the Louisiana Folklife Pavilion at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans. During her years in Lafayette, Jane has worked as a museum curator, producing exhibits on the diversification of the cultures in this region, as an artist in the schools, and in numerous cultural tourism projects including FrancoFête '99. She currently performs with the popular Lafayette band, the Magnolia Sisters and also teaches guitar in the Lafayette public school system.
Class Description:
        Recommended for students who are just getting comfortable with 2-3 chords, playing an acoustic guitar with a flatpick, and now want to become rhythm players in Cajun or Creole music. Students will complete the week with an ability to play good rhythmic backup in slow jams, especially with the “camp songs.”

Al Berard    intermediate/advanced guitar
        Al Berard began playing music at the age of eleven. He learned many of tunes from recordings by legendary Cajun musicians Dennis McGee and Dewey Balfa. Al, fluent in French and a native of the Atchafalaya region, comes from a family with ties to the water -- his father trapped and crawfished. Al sings, plays the fiddle, guitar, mandolin, writes songs, and is the leader of the Grammy-nominated band the Basin Brothers. He is also the fiddle player and vocalist for the Cajun supergroup the Traiteurs, and operates his own recording studio in Cecilia, Louisiana.
Class Description:
        Recommended for students who can play acoustic guitar back-up through a song, change chords and play with a flat pick. Students will complete the week with the solid fundamentals to begin accompanying advanced lead instrumentalists effectively.

Lisa Reed    bass
        Lisa Reed, who was raised in Scott, Louisiana, is the daughter of Cajun accordionist Harry Trahan and grand niece of the 1920s recording artist Bixby Guidry. She is married to Mitch Reed, who plays in the bands Charivari and Racines. Lisa plays bass and sings in the Cajun band The Magnolia Sisters. When she is not on the road, she can be found leading jam sessions at her and Mitch's Louisiana specialty shop, Louisiana Heritage and Gifts in Lafayette.
Class Description:
        Cajun and Creole bass guitar is rarely taught but is an excellent class in the fundamentals of chord progressions, techniques for locking in rhythm with the drums, guitar and lead instruments. Students will be able to accompany on the “camp songs” by the end of the week.

Kenny Alleman    Drums
        Kenny Alleman is one of the most sought-after and versatile drummers in south Louisiana, performing at festivals, cultural workshops and music clubs. Since the 70’s he has played every style of music from this area including Cajun, Zydeco, Swamp Pop, Swing, Blues, Country, and Rock ‘n Roll. He currently plays and records with Hadley J. Castille and the Sharecroppers, The Magnolia Sisters, Lucky Playboys, The Savoy Family Band, The Bayou Boys, and Savoy-Doucet Band. Through the years he has also played with Zachary Richard, Sonny Landreth, G G Shin, Atchafalaya, Chubby Carrier, Preston Frank, Dexter Ardoin, Mamou, and River Road.
Class Description:
        Students learn the fundamentals of percussion in the context of Cajun and Creole music, including how to work with the bass, guitar, and other lead instruments in order to develop a strong and consistent groove. A small drum kit will be the primary instrument; other percussion instruments, such as rubboard and triangle, will be discussed.

Ann Savoy    cultural history, vocals, language through song
        Ann Savoy is a musician, author, photographer, and Grammy-nominated record producer for her release, Evangeline Made. In addition to recording and traveling with The Magnolia Sisters, she has played guitar, fiddle, and accordion and traveled throughout the world with her husband accordionist Marc Savoy, and fiddler Michael Doucet in the Savoy Doucet Cajun Band. Recently, she and husband Marc have begun to perform with their talented children in the Savoy Family Band, and she and Marc have appeared in several films and documentaries. Throughout the years, Ann has also engaged in extensive music research, which lead to the publication of her superb collection of songs, interviews, and photographs, Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People, as well as numerous other written works. Ann and her son Joel appeared in the film Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, for which she wrote and performed three songs on the film’s soundtrack. In 2004, she produced the CD Creole Bred, a tribute to Creole and Zydeco music.
Class Description (Vocals / Language Through Song):
        This is recommended for students of all skill levels that wish to learn more about Cajun French lyrics, extend their repertoire or hear stories about the songs and those who wrote them. Students will learn the vocals for the “camp songs” plus many more with a focus on pronunciation, phrasing and meaning (translation).

Chef Terryl Jackson    Louisiana Cuisine
        Chef Terryl Jackson’s experience in the culinary field began humbly in his mother’s kitchen in Houma, Louisiana. He has spent the past 22 years in the food service industry, acquiring skill and knowledge in food preparation, restaurant management, catering, and other areas. His passion for the art of Cajun/Creole cooking landed him in the kitchen of Prejean’s Restaurant in Lafayette to handle its busy catering operations. At Prejean’s he competed against some of the area’s best chefs in the 2001 Red Cross Culinary Classic, winning a gold medal and “Best of Show” award. In 2002, Prejean’s named Chef Terryl as its Executive Chef. He was named “Best Chef in Acadiana” in the Times of Acadiana in 2003 and 2004, and has been featured on numerous television spots, in The Good Life magazine, and as a celebrity chef at the Louisiana Home and Garden Show in New Orleans and Lafayette. He has also received national recognition at Orlando’s Culinary Academy in Florida, and at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Successfully transitioning from Prejean’s, Chef Terryl expanded his creative culinary skills to become President and Executive Chef of Creator’s Café, Inc., and most recently, owner of Logan’s Family Restaurant in Ville Platte, Louisiana. (from information supplied by Terryl A. Jackson)
Class Description:
        The expanded Foodways portion of this year's DBCCHW features not only actual food preparation, but historical and cultural insight into our regional Louisiana cuisine as well. Chef Terryl will discuss and demonstrate how Creole and Cajun cuisine, much like Creole and Cajun music, has evolved, adapted, and incorporated other influences through the years. In teaching the preparation of local cuisine, Chef Terryl will include the basics -- how to make a roux, different types of gravies, pots and pans, utensils, and so forth -- as well as traditional favorites such as crawfish étouffée and gumbo, and even some of the "Creole/Cajun Nouvelle" cuisine served in many local restaurants today.

Peter Schwarz    Programming Director
        As a teenager in 1984, Peter Schwarz apprenticed with Dewey Balfa through a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship grant. He continued to record, perform and teach as Balfa’s seconder (second fiddler) until Dewey’s death in 1992. Through four albums and some 900 gigs in the 1990’s, he became a powerful presence in the band Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. He retired from the band in 1999 to pursue a degree in business administration, and now lives and works in Austin, Texas, as the general manager for the band Asleep at the Wheel.

©Louisiana Folk Roots, Inc. 2006    All rights reserved.