Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys: Grand Isle

"I developed a taste for Louisiana's Cajun music pretty early on in life when I attended a concert by the Balfa Brothers. The band, fronted by Dewey Balfa totally charmed me with their personal warmth and humor. The music was equally endearing; a sincere mix of sweet melodies and great dance tunes. ... What I heard back then was the informal 'front porch' music of the Cajuns, and Steve Riley and his band play a hard driving modern hybrid by comparison. The lineup includes drums, electric bass and guitar, and the music is laced with zydeco, (itself an African-American hybrid) and swamp pop right alongside the more traditionally based Cajun repertoire. Front and center is Riley, a wonderfully soulful accordionist, writer and singer. So I wasn't going to miss out when they came to town to play at Connolly's, in New York City, [including] 'Lyons Point' from the band's new CD 'Grand Isle'" (Michal Shapiro, "Cajun Dancing in Midtown Manhattan," Huffington Post, 3/21/11).
View catalog record here!