Harry Choates – The Fiddle King of Cajun Swing

Description

Release Date:  1993

Label:  Arhoolie Records

Track List

1 Allons A Lafayette 2:43
2 Basile Waltz 2:34
3 Cajun Hop 2:38
4 Port Arthur Waltz 2:42
5 Harry Choates Special 2:45
6 It Won’t Be Long 2:21
7 Wrong Keyhole 2:28
8 Draggin’ The Bow 2:33
9 Te Petite 2:24
10 Rubber Dolly 2:51
11 Louisiana 2:26
12 Poor Hobo 2:45
13 Devil In The Bayou 2:14
14 Rye Whiskey 2:54
15 Fais Do Do Stomp 2:36
16 Lawtell Waltz 2:28
17 Bayou Pon Pon 2:37
18 Chere Meon 2:38
19 Harry Choates Blues 2:45
20 Mari Jole Blon 2:27
21 Honky Tonking Days 2:44
22 Grand Mamou 2:56
23 Je Pase Durvan Ta Port 2:33
24 Hackberry Hop 2:26
25 Jole Brun 2:18
26 Louisiana Boogie 2:43

Personnel

Banjo – Joe Manuel (2) (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 17)
Bass – B.D. Williams (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 17)
Fiddle, Vocals – Harry Choates
Guitar – Eddie Pursley (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 17)
Piano – Johnnie Mae Smirle (Manuel) (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 17)
Steel Guitar – Julius “Papa Cairo” Lamperez (tracks: 8, 9), Ron Ray “Pee Wee” Lyons (tracks: 11 to 14, 16, 17, 23 to 25)

Review

Catchy, raw backwoods fiddle music from the Louisiana bayou… These late-’40s recordings are an interesting mix of cajun, straight old-timey fiddle music and honky-tonk heavy western swing tunes. A veteran of the Louisiana swamp scene, by the postwar years, Choates seemed ready to try just about any style of music and see what would stick — fortunately, he was pretty darn good at any style he played, and this album is lots of fun from start to finish. The CD version includes ten extra tracks (although his big hit version of “Jole Blon” still is absent…) Cool stuff, a little off the beaten track.