Weston Olencki

an extended reimagining of Dewey Balfa's "Madeleine", from The Balfa Brothers "Plays Traditional Cajun Music, Volume I and II" [1967].

for many prerecorded fiddles, accordions, triangles, featuring Jules Reidy on 12-string guitar.

The title is simply an English translation of the eponymous Cajun song ‘J’ai été au bal’, but is also a nod to a particular story I heard a while back, told in an interview with accordionist Marc Savoy. Paraphrasing roughly: he introduces a pair of brothers, both musicians, accompanying each other into old age. One suddenly passes, the next day visits the other still in our world of the living, bringing two messages: “one, all of the best players are up with me in heaven and they host the best parties every night; two, tomorrow you’re set to play the dance”.