La Toussaint
One of the oldest songs in the Cajun repertoire is the traditional "La Danse de Mardi Gras," and the Mamou Playboys mass a triple-fiddle attack to play the tune's droning motif in eerie, close harmonies. More impressively, they have created a new holiday tune, "La Toussaint," which nearly matches its predecessor in ghostly grandeur. Peter Schwarz penned the lovely, slow melody, and David Greely sings his own French lyrics, which give voices to the dead, "It's enough to be buried in these tombs, dear children, don't bury us with noise and money. Get in tune, get in tune with us, get in tune and play something we can dance to."There's plenty to dance to on this album. It begins with the Riley-Greely composition, "Je M'en Fous Pas Mal," which underlines the romantic kiss-off of the lyrics with real rhythmic kick. "Ca Tu Dis et Ca Tu Fais Sont Pas Pareils," a more positive love song from Riley and Greely, expresses its exuberance via an infectious Cajun two-step. Two rollicking zydeco numbers by the grandmaster Clifton Chenier are reinforced by guest appearances from C.J. Chenier on alto sax, Clifford Alexander on rubboard, and C.C. Adcock on electric guitar.The Mamou Playboys have replaced their excellent but quite traditional rhythm guitarist Kevin Barzas with the more lead-oriented Jimmy Domengeaux. He joins fiddler/accordionist Riley, fiddler Greely and fiddler/bassist Schwarz--all former protegés of Dewey Balfa--plus drummer Kevin Dugas. This is a band which has paid its dues. Now it withdraws those deposits with interest in the form of the triumphantLa Toussaint.--Geoffrey Himes