La Pointe

1	Kingpin Special 3:27
2	Restez, Mom et Pop, Restez 4:05
3	Freight Train Blues 3:38
4	Pa Janvier 3:57
5	Marshall's Club 3:42
6	Les Tacas de Todd Balfa 3:34
7	Nonc Charlot 2:24
8	The Freeman Fontenot Medley 3:29
9	Bayou Teche Special 3:33
10	Bernadette 3:44
11	La Valse de Bayou LaFourche 2:42
12	Blacktop Blues 2:34
13	Le Reel de Courville 2:06
14	Un Ange Pour Tout de la Louisiane 3:21

Barnes & Noble

La Pointe is the name of the earliest Acadian settlement along the banks of the Bayou Teche, the first place the wandering exiles from Canada called home in Louisiana. It's also the home of Christine Balfa and her husband, Dirk Powell, who with Kevin Wimmer form Balfa Toujours. Dirk and Christine's living room and kitchen became the recording studio for this project, bringing the music back to a place where, two centuries ago, it was developed by Christine's ancestors. The record is by no means a museum piece -- rather it's music that pays loving and honest homage to the past while moving this vibrant tradition firmly into the future, offering a window into the best of Cajun acoustic music directly from the front porch and the New Orleans club. This two-disc set offers vivid illustrations of how the place makes a difference. The city disc music, piano based and sung in English, features driving beats with lots of blues and R&B influence. The songs here come from Gulf Coast circuit stars, including Professor Longhair, Johnny Adams, and Chuck Carbo. On the country disc, fiddle is the main instrument, the language is French, and the style hews to the Acadian/Celtic spirit of the first Canadian settlers of the area. Big stars of the Cajun country style are here, among them D. L. Menard, Geno Delafose, and Beau Jocque. This is a marvelous update on the ever-bubbling musical melting pot that is Louisiana. Kerry Dexter

All Music Guide

Christine Balfa, daughter of Cajun pioneer Dewey Balfa, comes up with her third album in the company of Dirk Powell's beautiful accordion playing and Kevin Wimmer's spot on fiddle work. With the bass duties being swapped out between Mitchell Reed and Peter Schwarz (who also doubles up on fiddle on certain tracks) and family member Nelda Balfa on triangle, this is as down-home real as you can get. Recorded in Christine and Dirk's home in La Pointe, Louisiana, the music is comprised of new originals and old time material gathered from several sources. Balfa Brothers material is trotted out ("Nonc Charlot," "La Valse De Bayou La Fourche"), along with songs that tip the regional hat to local legends like Octa Clark ("Black Top Blues," "Freight Train Blues"), Dennis McGee ("Le Reel De Courville," "Pa Janvier") and the Fontenot family ("The Freeman Fontenot Medley," "Bernadette"). Balfa's rhythm guitar work is spotless and driving, Powell's multi-instrumental work on fiddle, guitar, accordion and banjo is diverse yet focused and both contribute authentic Cajun vocals in the native tongue that are full of wistful heartbreak and good times. Wimmer's fiddle workout on "Bernadette" once again reminds us that fiddle can be one bluesy instrument in the right hands. An amazingly simple, unaffected and beautiful album. Cub Koda