VA - Louisiana Cajun Music Special Vol. 1 & 2 [1987-1992] (2 x CDs)

CAJUN

VA - Louisiana Cajun Music Special Vol. 1 & 2 [1987-1992] (2 x CDs)

Louisiana Cajun Music Special Vol. 1 & 2 offers a definitive two-disc snapshot of Cajun music’s postwar evolution, curated by Ace Records in partnership with Swallow Records. Volume 1 was released in 1987 followed by Volume 2 in 1992, both issued in the UK and sourced from Swallow’s deep Louisiana catalog of 45s and LPs spanning the 1960s and ’70s.

Volume 1 spans 22 tracks, opening with Nolan Cormier & The L.A. Aces’ Hee Haw Breakdown and rolling through foundational cuts by Nathan Abshire (Pine Grove Blues, Choupique Two-Step), Belton Richard (The Cajun Stripper), and the Balfa Brothers (Lacassine Special). These selections were sourced from Swallow and La Louisianne 45s and LPs, many of which were pressed in limited regional runs and are now prized by collectors. The mastering preserves the analog warmth of the original tapes, with stereo and mono transfers that retain their dancehall vitality.

Volume 2 expands the scope to 25 tracks, diving deeper into Swallow’s vault with rarities from Shirley Bergeron, Austin Pitre, Doris Matte, and Aldus Roger. Highlights include La Valse De Grand Bois, Hold My False Teeth (And I'll Show You How To Dance), and La Chanson D'Amitie by Phil Menard and Don Guillory with the Louisiana Travellers. The compilation balances marquee names with lesser-known but culturally vital artists, many of whom never saw national distribution. 

Together, these volumes form a definitive sonic archive of Cajun music’s golden era. They preserve rare recordings that rarely surface outside Louisiana and present them with editorial clarity and historical care. (B)

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Track lists

Vol. 1

01 Nolan Cormier & The LA Aces - Hee Haw Breakdown 2:48

02 Wallace Derouen and The Cajun Ramblers with Joe Bonsall - Cajun Ramblers Special 2:20

03 Nathan Abshire - Pine Grove Blues 2:55

04 Maurice Barzas & The Mamou Playboys - Eunice Two-Step 2:39

05 Austin Pitre - Mamou Blues 3:15

06 Leeman Prejean - Triangle Club Special 2:10

07 Joe Bonsall - Hippy Ti Yo 1:46

08 Badeaux & The Louisiana Aces - Lousiana Aces Special 1:58

09 Adam Hebert & The Country Playboys - I Am So Lonely 2:41

10 Balfa Brothers - Lacassine Special 2:45

11 Belton Richard - The Cajun Stripper 2:20

12 Nathan Abshire - Choupique Two-Step 2:37

13 Lionel Cormier & The Sundown Playboys - Cypress Inn Special 2:23

14 Barro with The Teardrops - Cameron Two-Step 2:22

15 Doris Matte - Waltz of Regret 2:38

16 Bobby Leger and The Lake Charles Playboys - Little Cajun Boy 3:07

17 Aldus Mouton - Zydeco Cha Cha 1:57

18 Mamou Playboys - Mamou Hot Step 2:11

19 D.L. Menard - She Didn't Know I Was Married 2:41

20 Phil Menard, Don Guillory and The L. A. Travellers - Family Waltz 2:33

21 Rambling Aces - Two Steps De Vieux Temps 2:20

22 Leeman Prejean and The Happy Playboys of Scott - Cankton Two-Step 2:13

Vol. 2

01 Joe Bonsall & The Orange Playboys - I Went to The Dance Last Night 2:13

02 Lawtell Playboys - Oh Bye Bye 2:25

03 Nathan Abshire - A Musician's Life 2:44

04 Paul Daigle, Mike Doucet & Robert Elkin - Hackberry Hop 3:01

05 The Balfa Brothers - Two Step A Hadley 1:46

06 Belton Richard - I'll Have to Forget You 2:46

07 Sidney Brown - Font Kee-Lot Two Step 2:18

08 Lesa Cormier & The Sundown Playboys - Saturday Night Special 2:12

09 Aldus Mouton & The Wandering Aces - J'ai Un Coeur Casser 2:38

10 Joe Bonsall & The Orange Playboys - Tecar Special 1:46

11 Adam Hebert - Madeline 2:38

12 Allen Fontenot & The Country Cajuns - Mama Lou 2:23

13 Bobby Leger & The Lake Charles Playboys - The Waltz That Will Carry Me to The Ground 2:14

14 Badeaux & The Louisiana Aces - The Water Pump 2:19

15 Joe Bonsall & The Orange Playboys - Paper in My Shoe 2:36

16 La Tour Playboys - Te Jolie 2:16

17 Lawtell Playboys - Baby Please Don't Go 3:11

18 Nathan Abshire - Fee-Fee Poncho 1:34

19 Joe Bonsall & The Orange Playboys - Petite Ou Grosse 2:31

20 Phil Menard & Don Guillory With The Louisiana Travellers - La Chanson D'amitié 3:04

21 Claude Knott & The Arnaudville Playboys - La Ta Tye 3:19

22 Camay Doucet - Hold My False Teeth 2:22

23 August Broussard & The Calcasieu Ramblers - Broussard Two Step 2:23

24 Rodney Lejune & The Rambling Aces - Dans Les Misere 2:35

25 Jake Mier - Cajun Playboy Special 2:26

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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.

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