Aux Cajunals

Doors: 7:30 Show: 8 The Aux Cajunals return to Ashkenaz with an evening of down-home, foot-stomping Cajun and Creole music, with a bit of old-school blues thrown into the mix. Think “house party on the bayou”!  They learned their Cajun and Creole repertoire from time spent with icons of south Louisiana music including the Balfa Brothers, Marc, Ann and Joel Savoy, Dennis McGee, Steve Riley and David Greeley, Canray Fontenot and Boisec Ardoin. Suzy, who apprenticed in Louisiana with Cajun master fiddler Dewey Balfa, rocks the fiddle with a blues-drenched sound, squeezes her Louisiana-made accordion, and her powerful vocals bring the Cajun-Creole and classic blues to life. Eric Thompson's lead guitar evokes the playing of Memphis Minnie on the blues songs, with a solid Rodney Balfa-style rhythm guitar on the waltzes and two-steps.. Agi Ban’s fiddle duets with Suzy are a hallmark of the Aux Cajunals, and she switches to froittoir (vest rubboard) for the blues and zydeco numbers.  Allegra Thompson ​(daughter of Eric and Suzy) adds her strong lead singing and solid upright bass playing to anchor the sound of the band. Members of the Aux Cajunals have performed and recorded with a “who’s who” of Cajun music royalty including Marc and Ann Savoy, D.L. Menard, Queen Ida, Michael Doucet & Beausoleil, Jesse Lege & Joel Savoy, Steve Riley, David Greely and many others.  Suzy & Eric were founding members of the California Cajun Orchestra, featuring the late Danny Poullard, with 2 award-winning albums on the Arhoolie label.