American music and New Orleans Mardi Gras culture have been inextricably linked for 200 years, ever since the imported, enslaved African people, mixing with a similarly oppressed native American culture, found free expression on Congo Square in New Orleans, where they were permitted to congregate for one day a week, two centuries ago.
The spirit and rhythms expressed by this new American culture evolved into the Jazz and Rock’n’roll of the 20th century. This American history has inspired the Folksoul Band, which came together to create a Mardi Gras party, which we have done every year since, as our repertoire has expanded to include offshoots and branches. We try to bring this original source of American music to the New England audience in as pure a form as we can manage, allowing for our own inspirations and creativity. We always make room for that.
We have a long and varied history that includes street performing and second line parading for both princes and paupers around the country in addition to many clubs, fairs and festivals.
It’s a tradition we hope to keep alive.
We are:
Richard Doherty – Guitars, vocals
Tara Greenblatt – Drums, vocals
Fred Simmons – Trombone, tambourine, vocals
Ramsey Thomas – Stand-up bass
Leslie Vogel – Piano and accordion, vocals
Walden Whitham – Saxophone, flute, rubboard, vocals
From Langdon NH & Brattleboro VT, Bayou X is southern VT/NH area’s signature high energy Cajun/Creole dance band, performing both original and traditional Cajun & Zydeco dance music of southwest Louisiana, as well as original and traditional music derived from the global Afro-Creole diaspora, including New Orleans R&B, popular and folkloric tunes from Haiti, the Antilles, Africa, and an ever evolving variety of Southern roots music genres.
Bayou X is led by New Orleans native, Peter Simoneaux on fiddle and vocals, with spouse & partner Linda Simoneaux on various accordions, fiddle and vocals. Other core members of the band, include Steve Frankel on electric bass, Bob Everingham on electric guitar, and Ben Carr on drums, as well as a diverse list of area collaborators on percussion, brass and reed instruments.
Bayou X plays driving, contemporary Cajun & Creole dance music, reflecting the full history of Louisiana French music, from classic Cajun 2-steps and waltzes, to old-time country music, the blues, zydeco, swamp pop, jazz, New Orleans R&B and Mardi Gras standards, and a whole panoply of pan-African and Caribbean musical genres. While Bayou X maintains a deep book of time tested tunes, its focus is increasingly on original music in a broad range of southern roots styles.
Peter & Linda Simoneaux have entertained audiences at dances, concerts, festivals and folk music venues since 1989, first as members of the Schuylkill Bayou Ramblers in Philadelphia, and since 1997, in New England, as the acoustic duo/combo Lil Orphans. They have shared the stage with acts as renowned as Beausoleil, File, Savoy-Doucet Band, C.J. Chenier, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, and Buckwheat Zydeco. They released their debut CD, Big Powerful Woman, in 2011, under the name Lil Orphans Cajun Express. Their latest CD, Your Mother Must Be… Something Special, was released in March 2018. Their website can be found at https://bayouxband.com.
DOORS ARE AT 7PM AND MUSIC WILL START NO LATER THAN 8. Seating is limited and first come first served.