The Savoy Family Cajun Band plays honed down, hard-core Cajun music laced with an earthy sensuality. Though the old tunes have been revived and returned to new life intensity in their hands, the Savoy Family Cajun band doesn’t play from a studied angle. The musicians in the band, Marc and Ann Savoy and their sons Joel and Wilson, each hold their own as strong individual group members, making up a tight, intense sound.
Marc and Ann, as the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, have been performing and recording together since 1977, recording five CDs on the Arhoolie label. They have traveled all over the world, appearing in all the most prestigious venues, such as the Newport Folk Festival, the Berlin Jazz Festival, the Festival at the Smithsonian Institution, the National Geographic Concert Series, even the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England, to name a few. The Getty Museum in Los Angeles featured the Savoy Family Band in a special concert presentation. Ann and son Joel appeared in the film “Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood” and they perform three songs on the Warner Brothers Soundtrack. The Savoy Family Band performed at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles. Ann is the associate music producer of the upcoming film “All The King’s Men” (Sony Pictures) and her sons Joel and Wilson appear with Sean Penn as musicians in the film. Ann’s most recent project is a CD with Linda Ronstadt, the friends appear as the Zozo Sisters and do many types of regional acoustic music.
Marc Savoy has been rewarded the highest honor in the country for traditional artists, the honorable National Heritage Fellowship Award. Marc and Ann recently appeared on the PBS series “American Roots”, and Ann wrote the chapter on Cajun music in the book that accompanied the series, which was published by Rolling Stone Press. Ann was awarded the Botkin Book Award for her definitive book on the history of Cajun and Zydeco music.
Although the Savoy Family Cajun Band insists upon maintaining an acoustic approach to Cajun music the band can hold its own amongst Cajun music lovers everywhere. In fact, the band loves seeing how much power and sound they can get out of just four instruments. Sometimes the group demonstrates the way Cajun music has evolved by demonstrating the early double fiddle - triangle sound or the solo accordion - fiddle sound. Early French ballads are added to the program to show other historic elements prevalent in early southwest Louisiana.
Between the songs the Cajun French Ann often briefly translates poetry of the songs so that the feeling can be better understood. Their repertoire is chosen carefully, popular dancehall tunes interspersed with soulful ballads, fiddle or vocal duets, or blues. The songs show the spectrum of Cajun life from sorrow and lost love to nonsense and the joy of dance. The Savoy Family Cajun Band brings the raw energy of the dancehalls of southwest Louisiana to the stage, peppered with humorous and informative anecdotes about life on the Louisiana prairies.
Still remembering the wonderful time we had at the Balfa camp. We're incorporating some Cajun flavor in our set and Maggie has just written a waltz with Johnny on the accordion. It's not in French, since we are not conversant enough, but it has a feminist flavor which may interest you. Any comments appreciated!
Thanks so much for the add. It was wonderful to meet you all at the Balfa Camp last month. Your music captures and preserves the authentic Cajun sound while remaining fresh and alive as well. Bravo!
Is that sexy mama too much of a rockstar to put her own voice up on something so small as myspace now? :) Haha. Love hearing Wilson, but something's missing there. Don't think I ain't noticed!!
Well it's about dang time! Who made this page? Good job! Don't forget to add Dear Little Red Stockings, the Magnolia Sisters, the Marc Savoy Appreciation Page, me, Gabie, Joel, Ann, and so on! :)
