Hi ACME dancer,
Our ACME dance this Friday at the Kelly Ingram
VFW marks the return of Jeffery Broussard's zydeco band the Creole Cowboys. Jeffery was
formerly the accordionist with the legendary Zydeco Force. Read below what an
absolutely incredible year Jeffery and the Creole Cowboys have had. Admission Friday is $13 and the dance runs from 8-11
p.m. See VFW directions and details below.
Our final class of 2010 begins tonight (Zydeco II at 7:00). We'll have a new schedule of 2011 classes posted on the ACME web site later this week. Also check the ACME web site for a link to photos of the Halloween costumes at our last dance (and thanks to Richard Simmons and John Krupsky for the great photos).
Don't forget that this Friday's zydeco dance is not at our usual hall but it's at the Kelly Ingram VFW.
-David Doggett for ACME
Association of Cajun Music Enthusiasts
Birmingham, Ala.
www.acmedance.org
===== This Friday: Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys =====
The Kelly Ingram VFW is the place to be this Friday night from 8-11 p.m. for
outstanding zydeco! Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys return for their 3rd ACME dance in as many years.
Last year (2009) the band spent almost a month
touring overseas (8 performances in Austria
and one each in Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland). The second portion of
the trip was a week in the Ivory Coast,
West Africa. The invitation for the trip was
extended to the band by the United States Department of State Public Affairs
office in Paris
through their Africa Regional Services Office. They performed at the home of
the U.S. ambassador to the Ivory Coast and at schools, an International University,
the National School of Music, and for a cultural dance exchange. Upon returning
to Paris, the band performed two hour-long
concerts for the U. S. Embassy in Paris.
Each performance was followed by a conference on Creole culture with French
panelists, with opening remarks by Jeffery Broussard.
This past month, the band made a similar State Department-sponsored trip. Jeffery's agent wrote, "The band has been given a Fulbright-Hayes grant through the U.S. Department of State to fund a tour to Venezuela and Columbia." The band just got back home yesterday from this South American trip and should have some great stories to tell.
The band's recent CD, Keeping the Tradition Alive, was named
Best Zydeco Album of the Year at the OffBEAT Magazine “Best of the Beat” Awards.
Jeffery Broussard also was presented the prestigious Artist Fellowship Award from
the Louisiana Division of the Arts at the Governor's Arts Awards in Baton Rouge.
Previous honors include being named the 2007 Accordionist of the Year at the
Zydeco Music & Creole Heritage Awards. Jeffery is also a recipient of an
honorary Key to the City of Opelousas, Louisiana “Zydeco Capital of the
World”. Not bad for a guy who dropped out of school after 7th grade to
help his family around the farm.
Come dance and see for yourself this amazingly talented band this Friday
night at 8 p.m. at the Kelly Ingram VFW.
[Note: Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys will be playing in Atlanta this Saturday night from 8-11 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus hall on Buford Hwy. Check www.aczadance.org for more information.]
===== ACME Dance Schedule =====
Friday, Nov. 12 - Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys (Kelly Ingram VFW)
Friday, Dec. 3 - Jambalaya Cajun Band (Concordia Club)
Friday, Jan. 7 - Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble (Concordia Club)
Friday, Feb. 4 - Dennis Stroughmatt & Creole Stomp (Concordia Club)
Friday, Mar. 11 - T-Broussard & the Zydeco Steppers (Concordia Club)
Friday, Apr. 8 - Ryan Brunet et Les Malfecteurs (Concordia Club)
Friday, May 13 - TBA - zydeco
Friday, June 10 - Jambalaya Cajun Band (Concordia Club)
Dances are at the Concordia Club (3400 1st Ave. N.) or
Kelly Ingram VFW (1801 11th Ave. N.). BYOB is
permitted at Concordia but not at the VFW.
Dances run from 8-11 p.m., $13/person.
===== Dance Classes at Vestavia Hills Civic
Center =====
Zydeco II - Nov. 8, 10
(Prerequisite: Intro to Zydeco; $10/$7 to repeat) This is the final class for 2010.
Class location: Vestavia Hills Civic Center, 1973 Merryvale Rd., Dogwood
Room from 7:00-8:30 p.m. each night. Instructors: Dolores Hydock and
David Doggett. Simply arrive 10-15 minutes early to register before the
initial class of each session. Please try to attend all sessions of a two
or three night class. You may attend classes with or without a dance
partner. Check web site www.acmedance.org for full class descriptions. Call if you have
questions (David Doggett, 951-3463).
===== Randy Jones of Huntsville =====
Randy Jones was a member of the group of Huntsville Cajun/zydeco dancers who sometimes make the trip to dance with us. Kathy Bowman let me know that Randy passed away earlier this month not long after he was diagnosed with leukemia. Randy's funeral is in Tucker, Ga. this Wednesday. We are all very saddened to learn of yet another loss in our dance community.
===== New Year's Eve Events =====
There are several options for spending your New Year's Eve dancing. Here are some I'm aware of:
Kelly
Ingram VFW with The Archers dance band from 8:00 to midnight featuring ballroom,
swing, Latin, oldies and a few country songs. $20 per person advance tickets or
$25 at the door. Couples and singles welcome. Unique one-of-a-kind New Year's
hats made by Jan Shackelford for each person. Tablecloths, candles, balloons,
festive fun. A full house is expected, so best to buy tickets in advance (cash
only purchased at Saturday night VFW dances). Contact Jan at janshackelford@dollsbyjanshackelford.com
or call her 205-410-4804.
The Birmingham Swing Dancers' NYE dance features music by Patton James
and the Synchromatics from 9:00 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic
Church, 980 Huffman Road,
Birmingham 35215.
Cost is
$30 per person in advance/$35 per person at the door. Holiday Attire is
encouraged. There will be music, dancing, soft drinks, food and complimentary champagne
toast at midnight. BYOB if you prefer. To make your reservations, contact
Shirley Widener at imadancing@charter.ner.
Birmingham FOOTMAD's New
Year's Eve Dance is from 9:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
at the YWCA, 3rd
Avenue North in downtown Birmingham. Celebrate New Year's Eve with contra and swing from the trio of Mick Kinney and
Jambiance. Their web site says Jambiance, "plays 1930's swing
in the style of the Hot Club of Paris made famous by legendary guitarist Django
Reinhart. With violin, accordion, banjo, and guitars, Jambiance re-creates the
sound of French bistros and cabarets where this blend of musette, gitane and
'le jazz hot' originated." Jef Hodge will call the
contra dances but there will also be free-style couple dancing. There'll be
food, great decorations and more. Contact Linda James with questions at
yudell1@aol.com.
Lafayette, Louisiana. Kay Wright is organizing additional bus tours from here to Lafayette, La. The next one is planned for New Year's weekend. You could spend New Year's Eve dancing to Geno Delafose at Vermilionville. Look for fliers at our ACME dance this Friday or if you can't wait to learn more, contact Kay at zydecotour2010@hotmail.com and she can e-mail you a brochure.
===== Kelly Ingram VFW Info =====
Directions: Kelly Ingram VFW, 1801 11th Avenue North, Birmingham, 35234.
From I-59/I-20: Take the 22nd Street exit and head south for half a block on 22nd Street (a 1-way street). At the light, turn right onto Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. (formerly 8th
Avenue North). Drive four blocks and turn right
onto 18th Street (a 1-way street). Drive three blocks and turn right onto 11th Avenue North. The Kelly Ingram VFW is on the right. Drive past the building and turn right into
the lot. There is parking for about 100 cars inside their fenced lot and
overflow parking on both sides of 18th Street (a 1-way street). Enter the hall through the back door off the
parking lot.
The VFW maintains a bar, so please don't bring coolers or any
alcohol. Purchase any alcoholic beverages from the VFW. ACME will provide free soft
drinks, ice water, cups, and ice. New
policy: Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the VFW building! Our
guard will be on duty in the parking lot starting at 7 p.m.