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Lonnie Donegan

Born on this date, the father of British skiffle. See Bruce Eder’s bio-sketch and Mark Kermode’s “My 20-year love affair with the joy of skiffle“ Jimmy Page, aged 14, appeared on television playing guitar in a well-groomed schoolboy skiffle combo. ‘And are you going to continue to play skiffle when you leave school?’ asked the interviewer…

Cajun culture

Unsurprisingly, much like all the individually rich cultural streams that feed emergent Louisiana culture, music and food plays a profound role in Cajun culture. Look out for this documentary “On Va Continuer!” and explore this excellent guide to the Cajun Bayou country and especially the Food Trail. Cajungastronomylocalismlost bayou ramblersLouis MichotLouisianaroots music

Zydeco Breakfast

Looking forward to seeing this, indeed actually visiting Café Des Amis in Breaux Bridge  someday (H/T OffBeat). Louisianamusicroots musicTom Uhlzydecozydeco breakfast

Music from Big Pink

To commemorate Canada Day and exactly 50 years since the release of this all-time classic album on July 1, 1968: i.e. Canada Day. To my mind, The Band stand as the greatest “beat combo” of them all with roots extending from Acadia down to Acadiana and back again with so much more in-between — thereby hitting…

Nick Lowe at Daryl’s House Club

Would I love to be at this gig! Now that would be a night to remember. I saw them a few years back in a conventional theatre setting and that was superb. Nick is a musician’s musician — it was unusual to see so many musicians in the audience paying their respects. If you are…

East St. Louis Toodle-Oo

I’ve been listening to this Steely Dan cover of the Ellington-Miley gem for the first time in over 40 years. It’s amazing how much Pokey sounds like them on this track, even with the domineering psychedelic wah-wah talkbox effect played by Jeff Baxter. duke ellingtonguitarJazzJeff Baxtermusicpokey lafargepretzel logicroots musicsteely danwah-wah