Author Archive for phillip

It is refreshing when, from time to time, critics and connoisseurs see through the commoditized version of any culture, especially Cajun culture, which has been victimized by cajun fries, gumbo parties, and crawfish-hawaiian shirts for decades now. At Valcour, we have been lucky enough to work with many artists who ooze both originality and authenticity in their representation of Louisiana culture. In this blog post, American Standard Time recognizes the value of artists reviving the authentic aspects of “Cajun” through language, playing style, and creative production:

“While the rest of the country wallowed in cheap Louisiana souvenirs and over-simplified Cajun songs, the true Cajuns and Creoles of Louisiana have kept their music close to their hearts, tucked away in their homes, and bouncing out of their packed dancehalls. Don’t blame them for the watered down soup we’ve all been fed. But do check out today’s Cajun/Creole music renaissance. You’ll find that the rough-and-tumble songs of the Louisiana’s Cajun country echo the heartbreak and blues of other American hillbilly music traditions like Southern old-time music, honky-tonk, old-school bluegrass and roots country.  It’s music from the heartland of the old, weird America.”

Read the whole article here.

Valcour’s Joel Savoy recently appeared on the soundtrack and in the film for Mary Sweeney’s first solo film project, Baraboo. Mary Sweeney, long time collaborator with David Lynch, has worked variously as editor and producer on many of his films, including Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, winning a British Academy Award for her work on the latter.

Sweeney, a Madison, Wisconsin native, returns to her roots in this Midwestern landscape in Baraboo. Originally titled Motel, Gas Station, the film was shot late last summer in various locations around Madison, including Cambridge, Utica, and Devil’s Lake. Its synopsis reads: “Set in bountiful rural Wisconsin, Baraboo follows six people who have each carved a life out for themselves at Petersens Cabins, a rundown motel/resort. Some are there by choice, and others by circumstance. They circle one another with caution, desire, anger, confusion and compassion, inching their way toward understanding.”

Links
Official Baraboo website
Baraboo on Facebook
Trailer on Youtube

Part Acadiana, part jazz, many parts harmony and 100% sheer creativity. The Picardy Birds grace our Artist of the Month page for March and we think you’ll be pleasantly overwhelmed with what you hear!

Give them a listen on our March Artist of the Month Feature!

March Artist of the Month, the Picardy Birds

Joel fraternizes with Weird Al

Joel Savoy took off for Los Angeles last Friday to represent Valcour at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY awards. After nearly an entire day of airport delays, he settled in at the Figueroa Hotel in downtown LA late Friday night and began the celebration with a glass of cognac at the hotel bar with nominees Ann Savoy (mom) and Jane Vidrine. Joel had two CDs he produced/co-produced nominated for GRAMMY awards this year: Valcour’s L’esprit Creole (Cedric Watson) and Arhoolie Records’ Stripped Down (Magnolia Sisters). This was his third trip to the GRAMMYs, but the development of the Cajun/Zydeco Category brought new hope for taking home the gold! Though defeated by the legendary Buckwheat Zydeco, it was a fantastic trip where he got to socialize with the who’s who of the music industry and spread the word about Valcour Records. After a weekend of non-stop parties, endless drink and food and celebrating, he came home Monday feeling inspired by what he had seen, and proposed these 10 thoughts for the new year:

Continue reading ‘Valcour Represented at GRAMMYs’