High resolution pictures of the Lafayette Rhythm Devils
now on Flickr.
Note: Blake Miller is now the band's
accordion player, replacing Kristi Guillory, who
continues with Bonsoir, Catin. |
|
2006 CD:
les clefs de la prison |
|
See further down the
page for background and information on the group's
first CD.
Go to the Official Web Site of the Lafayette Rhythm
Devils. Or go to
the band's MySpace page.
For their
2006 CD, “les clefs de la prison,” the Lafayette Rhythm
Devils appear on the cover in a jailhouse line-up
wearing striped prison uniforms. They may look like
they’ve been caged, but you can listen to them bust
loose on the CD. Even better, their music gives you the
keys to set yourself free, at least for a while, from
just about any prison, physical or mental.
In words to
“Café Chaud” that parallel lyrics to Leadbelly’s “Bring
Me a Little Water Sylvie,” Randy Vidrine wants more than
hot coffee or hot tea: he needs the keys to prisons in
Lafayette, Ville Platte, or Big Mamou. Actually, his
vocals and the harmonizing on this song should be able
to knock down any jailhouse door.
In addition,
Vidrine’s at times almost volcanic vocals are featured
on Shirley Ray Bergeron’s “Quelle étoile,” Adam Hebert’s
“J’aimerais connaître” and “La porte du nord,” Cleoma
Breaux Falcon’s French version of “Lulu’s Back in Town,”
“Tu peux cogner,” and “Tee Maurice.” After the Rhythm
Devils launch into a spirited version of the
instrumental “Hicks Wagon Wheel Special,” the music
really takes off when Randy Vidrine joins in with his
rendition of “La queue de tortue.”
Kristi
Guillory is also holding nothing back when she belts out
her version of Nathan Abshire’s “Blues du tac tac.” In
addition, she
sings Adam Hebert’s “Cette la moi j’aime,” Wallace
“Cheese” Read’s “Cankton Waltz,” and Cleoma Falcon’s
“Lêve tes fenêtres haut.”
Other totally
unchained members of the Rhythm Devils are Chris Segura
on fiddle, Yvette Landry on bass, triangle, and harmony
vocals, and Donald LeJeune on drums.
The CD
jailhouse photos were taken with the friendly support of
the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Department (any other
musicians with legal problems in St. Martin Parish may
want to ask the Rhythm Devils to put in a good word for
them).
Photos taken at Festivals
Acadiens in Lafayette Oct. 15, 2006. |
Shown are Randy Vidrine on guitar,
Kristi Guillory on accordion, Yvette Landry on bass,
Chris Segura on fiddle, and Donald LeJeune on drums.
Click on thumbnails to access larger photos.
Posted 11-3-06 |
Photos below were taken at
the Blackpot Festival and Cookoff Nov. 10, 2006, at
Acadian Village in Lafayette. Click on thumbnails to
access larger photos.
 |
|
2005 CD: Runnin' |
The photos in this section
were taken at the Liberty Theater August 27, 2005.
Shown in this column are Randy Vidrine, Kristi
Guillory, who has joined the Rhythm Devils on
accordion and vocals, and Chris Segura. In the right
column are Yvette Landry and Peppy Carmelo, who is
performs on the CD.
Also seen in the photo below are Mitch Reed, who is
no longer a member but was on hand at the Liberty
for a performance of Charivari, and Donald LeJeune
on drums. Not pictured but performing on the CD is
George Toups. |
See further down the
page for background and information on the group's
first CD.
Go to the Official Web Site of the Lafayette Rhythm
Devils.In
July 2005, The Lafayette Rhythm Devils released
their second CD, titled Runnin', on their own
Z'affaire label. By the time the CD was out, Peppy
Carmello had decided to retire from the demanding
schedule of the group and Kristi Guillory had joined
the band, returning to regular playing after an
extended breaks (she won the CFMA Female Vocalist of
the Year award in 1995).
The CD features two excellent
original songs. Randy Vidrine searches for "La
blonde avec les yeux bleus"–but that's just the
beginning of what he wants in woman. Peppy Carmello offers a new, beautiful waltz in "Chemin de
vie." He also composed the instrumental title
cut, "J'cours."'
Other cuts feature Randy on
vocals for Cleoma Breaux Falcon's "Lulu Revenue dans
la village," Adam Hebert's "La Pointe aux pins" and
"La valse de ma chérie," Wallace Touchet's "La vie
j'croyais j'voulais," Iry LeJeune's "Blues de
Bosco," and "Grande Prairie Waltz." Peppy sings
"Adieu, Rosa," "Madame Bosso," Lawrence Walker's
"Valse de minuit," Adam Hebert's "Madeleine," Amédé
Ardoin's "Midland Two-Step," Cyprien Landreneau's "Talle
du ronces," and Geno Delafose's "I'll Never See Her
Again."
For booking information, phone
337-989-6154 or
go to
the band's web site.
Posted 8-29-05
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
The Lafayette Rhythm Devils are the house
band at Randol's Restaurant in Lafayette on Wednesdays, 7-10
p.m. When we get to see them occasionally in Eunice at the
Liberty Theater, it's a special treat. The Rhythm Devils provide
a tight, technically precise sound, but, much more importantly,
they clearly are having fun, and that joy and excitement comes
straight through in their performance. Their self-titled CD released in
2003 offers mostly Cajun standards, but there's nothing routine
in the way the Rhythm Devils play: every cut sparkles with fresh
energy.
The CD opens with the instrumental "Fond de
Culotte Two-Step" (i.e., "seat of the pants") and includes
another instrumental, "Mamou Hot Step." Vocals are handled by
Peppy Carmello, who learned Cajun French from his grandparents,
and Randy Vidrine, who is also a member of the widely traveled
Cajun band Charivari. Carmello's voice is a high, sometimes
soaring tenor on songs like "Le
Petit Chemin Que T'as Pris," Nathan Abshire's "Choupique
Two-Step," Leroy Broussard's "Big Boy Waltz," "Ton Coeur Est Barré,"
and "O.S.T.
Special." Vidrine's voice is lower but also soars with
emotion on songs like "My True Love" and "I Don't Want You Anymore"
(two Balfa tunes), Adam Hebert's "Ouvre
la Porte," Aldus Roger's "Two
Step des Vieux Temps," "Fais Do Do," and especially on
Shirley Bergeron's "J'ai Fait Mon Idée."
Other members of the band on the CD are Mitch
Reed, who has played fiddle with Randy for many years in the
band Charivari, Donald LeJeune on drums, and George Toups on
bass. In 2004, Mitch Reed left the band because of his numerous
other commitments, and Chris Segura, founding member of La Bande
Feufollet, has been playing fiddle with The Rhythm Devils.
In the liner notes, Peppy Carmello makes it
clear that, whatever the name of the band might imply, the
members do not aspire to the notoriety of some heavy metal group
pretending to embrace the dark side. Music and dancing are two
of the joys of life, part of a celebration that some may indulge
in with a devilish frenzy, but The Rhythm Devils acknowledge
fully that Cajun music and the opportunity they have to perform
it are blessings from God
The photos in this column were taken at Festivals Acadiens in
September 2003 in Lafayette. Yes, Mitch Reed is wearing a
t-shirt displaying a flying skull, and the flames leaping from
Randy Vidrine's shirt seem almost hellish, but, as you will note
in the other photos on this page, Peppy Carmello is always wearing a
Yankees' baseball cap: no hint of the devil there, nor in any of
the photos in the left column, all of which were taken at the
Liberty Theater in Eunice. |
|
|
