La Pointe
Balfa Toujours is from the new generation of Cajun music, free to go back home now that the fusions have been tried and the stars have been named. This recording was made in Christine Balfa and Dirk Powell's hometown, literally in the living room and kitchen of their home in La Pointe, Louisiana. Powell delivers some gritty train- imitating accordion on "Freight Train Blues." Balfa serves up a wonderful original ballad (cowritten with Powell), "Restez, Mom and Pop, Restez" that could have been written a hundred years ago, about anyone leaving the family to work and survive. All of the songs show a relaxed, personable trio of musicians, joined by a few friends for a good time first and a record second. Not that this recording suffers from chatter and mistakes. This is ace playing of new songs and old favorites, dance tunes and song ballads that speak from the heart of Cajun culture, played in an appropriately lean style.--Louis Gibson