![]() White Acadian wedding pants are family tradition Decoys and old photos document Gueydan’s popularity with duck hunting Historic but endangered museum building That tradition continued for six generations. ![]() ![]() ![]() Hair told me, “They’re over 200 years old, and every male member in the family that’s gotten married has worn the pair of pants”. Charles Hebert first wore the pants for his wedding in 1802. The pants belonged to one of the first Acadian expatriates who was born in France. That’s what’s always interesting.” To prove that point, Hair points to a pair of men’s white dress pants in a display case. “It’s not the item, it’s the story behind it. “I like hearing about history,” says Hair. Cathy Hair is a volunteer at the Gueydan Museum who curates the rotating exhibitions. There is a very genuine feel to the items on display, from old cookware to family photos and tools. I always enjoy visiting small town museums. Museum shows family history and town’s personality Instruments like these were played at family gatherings and house dances. One display case contains three accordions that date from the mid-to-late 1800’s. You can see photographs with information on some of those musical legends. Watch and listen to this Saturday morning jam session roots of cajun music in gueydanĭuring the Summer of 2021, the Gueydan Museum put together an exhibit of its musical history and some of the early Cajun music pioneers who lived here. “I don’t want to go play a dance, and some old people come up and start fussing at me, Hey you’re saying that wrong,” Meaux says. He explains later that he does not speak the Cajun language, but says he asks his grandmother if he is pronouncing the words correctly and what they mean. 19-year-old Lukas Meaux takes the lead on a song, playing his accordion and singing in French. And as they play, more young musicians arrive and join the jam session. Saltzman sits next to his son, Adam Saltzman, who plays the accordion. But they would sing about it and make it better.” passing cajun music to the next generation “If you understand the Cajun French language,” Saltzman explains, “all of this music tells a story, and it’s usually heartache. His strong voice cuts through the harmonies of the accordion, guitars and fiddle as he sings in French. Neelis “Pio” Saltzman strums his guitar and leads the makeshift Cajun music group. And while the musicians work through a list of familiar tunes sung in French, couples two-step and waltz across the Gueydan Museum’s carpeted floor. The music is irresistible for anyone comfortable on a dance floor. Two-stepping to Cajun music at monthly jam session at Gueydan Museum Area residents, who have a connection to the music and their community’s deep Cajun heritage, play traditional french songs on the accordion, fiddle and guitar. We try to present different genres in the jazz spectrum,” she said.The small southwestern Louisiana town of Gueydan is celebrating its Cajun music roots with a monthly jam session in its local museum. “We decide if it will be Latin, jazz, what the whole season will be and how we balance that. With Berg as the series’ jazz consultant, Wallace works very closely with him to plan the seasons, theme the shows and decide on opening acts. The students also collaborate with Berg and the UM School of Music, working with all their jazz ensembles and the Mancini Institute. They also attend a lecture by the musicians followed by a Q&A session prior to watching them on stage. Through the series’ educational outreach arm, 200 Miami-Dade high school jazz students come to the Arsht to experience sound checks by the performing artists. He, along with several other like-minded community leaders, was tapped by Rosen to help put the series together. With Rosen from the beginning was Berg, a classical pianist and the dean of the University of Miami Frost School of Music. “The Arsht was the originating home of the series for two to three seasons.” “Larry came to the Arsht Center in 2008 to create the Jazz Roots: Larry Rosen Jazz Series, which from day one has (had) educational programming … created specifically for this series,” she said. The late Larry Rosen, founder of Jazz Roots, addressing an audience.
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