Harry Wimmer harryblog@wimmercello.com

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DJANGO IN CAJUN COUNTRY Last night I found myself deep in the heart of Cajun Country, in Eunice, Louisiana. At the Liberty, an old vaudeville and movie theater so lovingly restored by the locals, the charming and lovely Ann Savoy (who recently joined Linda Ronstadt on the GRAMMY- nominated Vanguard CD "Adieu False Heart" and on Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" ) presided over her relatively new band, "The Sleepless Knights," of which my son Kevin is a member. The enthusiastic overflow audience, usually presented with Cajun and Zydeco offerings, heard something different this time, and LOVED IT! It was a happy mixture of 1920's and 30's French and American jazz standards presented in bubbly stylings by Ann and the group, shades of Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli with a smattering of Count Basie. With Ann gently swaying to set the tone of each song, she was soon joined by the warm toned guitarist Tom Mitchell and the incredibly versatile fiddler Kevin Wimmer, who worked in tandem as if they enjoyed every moment of every note they played. This Infectious collaboration ignited the rest of the band, the highly talented Savoy sons and the rhythm section of the young band, "The Red Stick Ramblers. What made it all work was the ease and humor with which each song melded into the next. Ann, responsible for the original mood, was soon followed by Tom Mitchell's flights of fancy and his Loudon Wainright-like vocal descents into a hollow low register, then capped by Kevin Wimmer's totally relaxed and seemingly effortless fiddle improvisations. Tom and Kevin were responsible for some most felicitous arrangements. I can't wait to hear the upcoming CD of Ann Savoy & The Sleepless Knights on Memphis International Records, which has been recorded and awaits final production. P.S. I am "borrowing" my son, Kevin Wimmer, for my March 24 concert event at New York's Thalia Theater, where he will join me again in some Cajun duets with cello. Not to be outdone, my wife, violinist extraordinaire Shirley Givens,will do a Cajun "fiddlesticks" number with Kevin on the same program. But first I must return to New York for Thanksgiving, with a tur-duck-en on my knee, packed in dry ice . . . . . . POSTED NOVEMBER 16, 2006 COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARK This blog created, written and maintained by Harry Wimmer (hwimmer@wimmercello.com). Thanks to Shirley Givens sgivens@juilliard.edu for her imaginative illustrations. Design and content ©2006, 2007 by Harry Wimmer, Incidental Artwork ©2006, 2007 by Shirley Givens. All materials on this blog are limited to personal, non-commercial use. CelloBlogTM Trade Mark by Harry Wimmer

OTHER POSTS CHARLIE CHAPLIN - Left-handed Cellist and Composer BUXTE - WHO? Confessions of a Would-be Page Turner The Concert As A Meal The N.Y.Times Misses Out Again! Quack! HARRY WIMMER ON BRAHMS: Sonata in E Flat Op.120 No.2 (Live) MENDELSSOHN: Sonata No. 1 in B Flat (Live) CHAPLIN-WIMMER: "Oh, That Cello! (Live) MENDELSSOHN-CASALS: Spring Song (Live) ARTICLES, CARTOONS The Virtuoso by Wilhelm Busch The Cello Concerto (anon.) Young Itzhak Perlman in Aspen Leonard Rose in Colo.Springs String Portraits by Shirley Givens Bach's C Minor Suite Was Written This Morning. Pablo Casals From Afar Michael Tippett Arrives inShorts Casals Lives On in Puerto Rico The Golden Treasure of San Juan Bach on the Bayou ABOUT HARRY WIMMER Bio from the"Joy of Cello Playing" website Liberty Theater, Eunice, Louisiana