Freshgrass is just a week away and I for one, am incredibly excited for this year’s lineup. One of the band’s playing that may not be classified as traditional bluegrass, but manages to cross boundaries and mix influences with the genre and Cajun, Zydeco, and Roots is the Lost Bayou Ramblers. The band hits the stage at the festival on Saturday at 5:15 PM, and judging on what I have heard and seen of the band so far, I suggest you be there.
I caught up with Louis Michot, who plays fiddle and sings in the band to talk about the festival this year, the band’s involvement and all they have been up to. Check it out.
RLR: So, why are you excited for Freshgrass this year?
Louis Michot: For one, I love the venue! MASSMoCA is such a unique spot, will be great to experience a festival here. And of course that’s the other I’m excited about, getting a front row seat to see some great bands, as much as we can on tour schedule of course.
RLR: A big part of what Red Line Roots stands for is collaboration, community and bringing folks together and fostering an environment where artists help each other. How do you feel about that preservation of unity and family sentiment as it applies to a festival like Freshgrass? How does it play into your own music and where you come from?
LM: Family is the root of Cajun Music, it’s how the music keeps going strong, generation to generation. And what allows Cajun music to thrive and evolve is the chance to collaborate with other musicians from other musical families. That’s one of the best things about being a musician, the opportunity to collaborate with not only other musicians, but it something that is shared with the performer and the listener or dancer alike.
RLR: If you could collaborate with anyone (dead or alive) musically, who would it be? How about seeing anyone on stage together or joining you for your set this weekend?
LM: That’s a huge question, at first thought I’d try a collaboration with the late Harry Choates and the incredibly present Daniel Lanois…and Louis Armstrong while we’re at it.
RLR: What is 1 record that shaped you when you first started playing and also, who is 1 ‘lesser known’/independent artist or an album that you are listening to now that you think folks really need to hear about?
LM: Amede Ardoin & Dennis McGee; from 1929, it’s Cajun-Irish-African music sang in French played on the German accordion, a perfect representation of the complexity of Creole culture, and they made some amazing music.
RLR: Anything else you want to plug?
LM: I’m excited to be doing a residency in New York from May 31-June 5, 2016, at John Zorn’s “The Stone” in the East Village, which will be a retrospective of my own & the Lost Bayou Ramblers’ musical journey over the last 20 years. It will be 12 different shows over 6 days, with some interesting and amazing collaborations.