The Baltimore Folk Music Society Proudly Presents

 Buffalo Jambalaya

Zydeco and Cajun
Dance and Music Camp

Time and Location:

Thurs. to Sun., August 9-12, 2007 in Darlington, MD

Bands:
Step Rideau And The Zydeco Outlaws
Terry And The Zydeco Bad Boys
The Lost Bayou Ramblers

Dance Instructors:

 

Ben Pagac and Debbie Shaw (Zydeco Instruction)
Cal and Lou Courville (Cajun Instruction)
Marv Resnick (Survival Dance Skills)

Chef:

 

Michael Richard, past winner of "Best Louisiana Chef"



Click here to order the Buffalo Jambalaya 2005 LIVE CD





Summary


Buffalo Jambalaya 2007 -The BEST in Cajun/Zydeco music and dance!

Buffalo Jambalaya Ingredients:

• Three great bands a day, for four days! - Each band will play a full set on each of the four days.

• Cajun & Zydeco dance lessons for all levels - basic skills, beginning and advanced dance lessons for both Cajun and Zydeco will be held.

• Musical instrument workshops led by our guest artists - These are not formal lessons, but a chance to ask the band members questions and learn from them. You must provide your own instrument.

• Craft artists helping you create Louisiana-style folk art - Leslie and Nadine's class was a big hit last year. Click here for some photos and more details.

• Cajun/Creole culture corner - Sit down in a small circle and ask questions, hear stories and learn a little as artists share their culture and lives.

• Midnight jam sessions led by one of the bands - Everybody is welcome to bring an instrument and join in or you can just relax and listen or get up and dance. It goes as long as you stay!

• Scrumptious Cajun cooking - We bring in a great Louisiana chef for a wide and varied Cajun menu.

• Hiking, volleyball, basketball, tennis or lazing in the sun at the pool - There's always lots to do, including nothing.

Pour all the ingredients together into Camp Ramblewood, mix thoroughly, add your own alcohol and it makes a great Buffalo Jambalaya!

Through July 9

$300 Full-time

$255 Part-time

After July 9

$340 Full-time

$295 Part-time

Full Time is Thursday 5pm to Sunday 4pm.
 Part Time is Friday 3pm to Sunday 4pm.

BFMS members receive a $10 discount. See www.bfms.org for membership information.

A limited number of cozy (9' x 9') rooms with two twin beds, a window and a shared bathroom are available for an additional $90. They do not have lockable doors, but a curtain across the doorway.

Your registration fee includes all meals, snacks, dance events, workshops, and a bed. All campers must be preregistered & fully paid at check-in time. Refunds (minus $40 cancellation fee) will be given through July 25. Sorry, no refunds after that date. Registration is not transferable. Your confirmation letter/e-mail includes directions and a packing list.

Confirmation is dependent on maintaining a gender balance, so register early with a “dance buddy.”

Here is last year's schedule - BJ2007 TENTATIVE Schedule (66 KB)

Women's V-neck design Men's T-shirt design To register online, please use the following link: ONLINE REGISTRATION

To register by mail:
Complete Flyer (PDF format 92 KB)
or
Application Form (JPG format 117 KB)

BJ2007 will maintain a gender balance.  Please register with a "dance buddy".

Buffalo Jambalaya 2007 T-shirt $15 each

T-shirt and logo design TBD.


The Bands

    Step Rideau And The Zydeco Outlaws

A cornerstone of the Houston Zydeco scene for over fifteen years, Step Rideau And The Zydeco Outlaws offer traditional sounds from Step’s native Louisiana fused with the urban vibe of contemporary Houston. Their music has influences ranging from old Creole folk songs to classic rhythm & blues to rap and beyond.

Born in LeBeau, Louisiana and surrounded by black Creole culture and zydeco music from his infancy, it wasn’t until relocating to Houston in the mid-1980s that Step began to play the accordion and eventually formed his own band. Step Rideau has established himself, over the past decade and the course of multiple recordings and festival appearances nationwide, as one of the most prolific and passionate zydeco recording artists, songwriters, and live performers in the region.

Part of Rideau’s appeal is that he brings a true singer’s sensibility to zydeco—not just shouting out the lyrics but soulfully engaging with them to articulate the song, both in English and in Creole French. In that respect, he’s served well by his band of Outlaws, who provide not only fine instrumental accompaniment but also unusually rich and melodious backing vocal harmonies, especially in the case of long-time drummer Jean-Paul Jolivette.

Collectively these players make music that respects the art of the human voice in song as much as it respects the driving rhythms, funky beats, and accordion riffs that make zydeco perhaps the ultimate dance soundtrack for the upper Gulf Coast.

Websites:
www.StepRideau.com
www.lsue.edu/acadgate/music/srideau.htm


    Terry And The Zydeco Bad Boys

Self taught accordionist Terry Domingue from Duson, LA received his first accordion at the age of eight. Growing up around his grandparents Terry had no choice but to learn Creole French. In the late 90’s, he formed Terry And The Zydeco Bad Boys; a young and energetic band with an expanding “Nouveau Zydeco” presence. They pack high energy into Zydeco favorites as well as original beats. Not only does Terry dish out hot accordion licks that make his audience want to get up and dance, but he keeps his culture and heritage alive by singing in French and Creole. Terry And The Zydeco Bad Boys play from the heart, producing a unique, attractive and captivating sound.

Websites:
www.zydecobadboys.com
www.lsue.edu/acadgate/music/terrybb.htm


    The Lost Bayou Ramblers

Louis (fiddle and vocals) and Andre (accordion) Michot were immersed in roots Cajun music from birth, primarily since their father and uncles were already touring the world playing traditional songs as the band Les Freres Michot. After a decade on triangle, guitar, and bass, Andre and Louis took on the lead instruments - accordion and violin - and picked up the torch as the next generation in the evolution of their musical heritage.

When they matched up with Chris "Oscar" Courville's drumming, Alan LeFleur's upright bass and Cavan Carruth's rhythm guitar, the band began to play around Acadiana. They have added dozens of original songs to compliment their vast Cajun repertoire of early accordion dancehall tunes, pre-century fiddle tunes, and Cajun swing. It all mixes together to form a definitive sound - capturing the "roots" spirit of their culture's unique music while initiating a renewed cultural identity and pride among their generation.

Their music stems from a time before electricity, when the Gulf Coast's incapacitating heat only amplified the backbreaking stresses associated with the toil necessary to sustain a successful farm. Indeed, south Louisiana's work ethic was the natural force that ground through the Cajun ego, liberating in song the fervor and spirit of a people. The Lost Bayou Ramblers are like a snapshot of a bygone era. Their music is emotionally raw, intense - in a word, authentically Cajun.

Websites:
www.LostBayouRamblers.com
http://www.lsue.edu/acadgate/music/lostbayouramblers.htm



The Dance Instructors

    Ben Pagac and Debbie Shaw

Ben and Debbie have been dancing together and teaching Zydeco for over 14 years in the Washington DC area. They are often on the road instructing in the U.S., Europe, and the Caribbean (via the incredible Zydeco Cruises out of New Orleans). They have developed two popular dance instruction videos, "Learn To Zydeco Dance Tonight" and "Advanced Zydeco Dance".

Website: Ben's Dancing Grasshopper Web-site

    Cal and Lou Courville

Cal and Lou Courville As childhood sweethearts, Cal and Lou Courville have been dancing together for more than three decades. While growing up in Acadiana, they were both raised as true Cajuns, speaking the language, eating the food, and dancing to the music. They¹ve been instructing since the mid 90’s, and have travelled around the country to teach and entertain thousands.

The Courville’s attribute their love of Cajun dance to the Blackie Forestier Cajun Aces Fan Club. Through the club, they had the opportunity to dance regularly and learn more about the Cajun music and their unique heritage as Acadians, the French-speaking people who settled in Southwest Louisiana after facing exile from Nova Scotia.

Currently the Courville’s teach Cajun dance lessons at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette through their continuing education program. They can be seen dancing at local dance halls as well as local and national festivals. Experience their joie de vivre (joy of living) in their latest dance instruction video, ‘Danser Avec Nous!’ (Dance With Us!) available on DVD and VHS.

Website: www.dancecajun.com

    Marv Resnick

Marv Resnick started dancing as a teenager, and became an accomplished swing dancer. At 17, he became a "regular" on Allen Freed's "Big Beat" TV show. During the year he was on the show, he won all four of the dance contests. After taking a 25-year hiatus from dancing while pursuing a career and raising a family, he discovered Cajun and Zydeco dancing which is now his passion. In his desire to become proficient at the more authentic styles of the dance, he has made trips to Louisiana and has danced with and taken lessons from many Creole dancers. Marv now teaches regularly in the Philadelphia area.

He will be instructing one hour Survival Dance Skills Workshops prior to the dances on Thursday and Friday. This will be a dynamic class offering true novices a chance to learn dance techniques to enjoy the evening’s music on the dance floor and readying them for both the zydeco and cajun beginner lessons the next day.

Michael Richard, formerly the head chef for Cafe Vermilionville in Lafayette, LA brings 17 years of Cajun culinary talent to BJ2007. He has been named Louisiana chef of the year and is annually the guest chef at the Saulieu, France Cajun and Zydeco festival. He’ll provide dinner at 6pm on Thursday, three meals a day Friday and Saturday, brunch Sunday and snacks after the evening dances.Here are a couple of items we have feasted on in the past:

• Bronzed garlic chicken breast topped w/ mushrooms & red onions over brown rice pilaf.
• Broiled tilapia topped w/ shrimp & mushroom in a garlic butter & white wine sauce over brown rice, artichoke hearts & roasted peppers

• Chicken & smoked sausage jambalaya

There will be a delicious vegetarian entree available at each meal. Here are some previous year's entrees:

• Homemade black bean cakes w sour cream and salsa
• Tofu and corn enchiladas with red mole sauce
• Eggplant stew with tomatoes, peppers and chickpeas over pasta

We are sorry, but the kitchen cannot accommodate individual dietary requests.

On-site: Ramblewood, a 200-acre camp in Darlington, MD near I-95, exit 89 will be our home for the weekend. It is about 45 minutes north of Baltimore, 75 minutes south of Philadelphia and 2 1/2 hours south of New York City. For those flying, Baltimore Washington International airport (BWI) is just one hour south and is serviced by both Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airlines, two very low cost carriers.

The grounds include wooded hills with hiking trails, a pond with a sandy beach, a swimming pool, a dining hall with complete commercial kitchen, an open-air dance pavilion,  a large dance hall and numerous other meeting areas. There are beach volleyball, tennis and basketball courts with all equipment except tennis racquets provided for you.

Housing is in dormitory-style cabins which sleep 6 to 12 people. All male, all female and couples cabins are available. The cabins are self-contained, closed buildings, with screened windows and ceiling fans. Indoor hot water showers, sinks and toilets are either in or attached to all cabins. Dancers must bring their own towels, toiletries, bed linen, pillows, blankets or sleeping bag. Tenting sites are available, but there are no RV hookups.

For photos of the camp and facilities, please see - Camp Ramblewood website or this website from the Scottish dance weekend.

For directions and a map, please see - Ramblewood Directions.


Off-site: Campers who are not really campers will be glad to know that our new location has an abundance of accommodations within an easy drive of Ramblewood. Most are in the towns of Havre de Grace and Aberdeen and less than 14 miles from camp.

Two local Bed and Breakfasts (These are not associated with Buffalo Jambayala).

Two local budget motels (These are not associated with Buffalo Jambayala).

  • Super 8 Motel in Havre de Grace, MD - 410-939-1880
  • Budget Inn of Aberdeen in Aberdeen, MD - 410-272-2401

Message Board

The Buffalo Jambalaya committe has a message board for sharing of ride information and other information about the camp. To join, please see the message board website or send a blank email to Buffalo_Jambalaya_Messsages-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Once you join, all messages will be forwarded to all members.


Review of Buffalo Jambalaya 2006

Review of Buffalo Jambalaya 2004

Review of Buffalo Jambalaya 2002

Review of Buffalo Jambalaya 2001


Photos from Buffalo Jambalaya 2005 by Heather Rabinowitz

Photos from Buffalo Jambalaya 2004 by Heather Rabinowitz

Photos from Buffalo Jambalaya 2003 by Laura Rice

Photos from Buffalo Jambalaya 2001 by Marty Katz.


Questions?
General: Paul Schneider at 703-749-7949 or director@buffalojam.org
Registration: Linda Schoenbrodt at 336-274-6350 or reg@buffalojam.org
Volunteers: Pat Yaffe at 410-653-2571 or volunteer@buffalojam.org

Contact for website issues: webmaster@buffalojam.org