Doors 7pm

Beginner-Friendly Cajun Dance Workshop with Sarah Travis 7:30pm

Cajun Dance Party with Blake Miller & Aux Cajunals 8pm

Old Time Jam led by the Corn Likkers 8pm

The Berkeley Old Time Music Convention (BOTMC) invites you to this year’s Welcome Party, with a Cajun dance in the front room, and a rocking old-time jam in the back studio. Instrument check available so dance some, play some!

From southwest Louisiana, Blake Miller has performed with the Red Stick Ranblers, Pine Leaf Boys, and Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole. He currently performs with the Revelers, with his wife Amelia Biere in the Old-Fashioned Aces, Balfa Toujours, the Daiquiri Queens, and the Lafayette Rhythm Devils. Blake Miller comes from a multi-generational musical family in Iota, Louisiana – in the heart of Cajun country. He learned to play all the instruments traditionally found on a Cajun bandstand through his grandpa (world-renowned accordion maker Larry Miller of Bon Cajun Accordions), father, uncles, the late local accordion player Kenneth Thibodeaux, jam sessions at D.I.’s Cajun Restaurant, as well as the Augusta Cajun Week in Elkins, West Virginia. He started playing regular dances at the age of 14, and at 17, he began bringing his love of Louisiana French Music around the world with bands such as the Red Stick Ramblers, Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole, and Pine Leaf Boys among others. He hosts a bilingual public radio show, La Lou Jukebox, on 88.7 fm, KRVS.org.

The Aux Cajunals will serve as the band for the great Louisiana Cajun musician Blake Miller. They've backed up many other visiting great Cajun musicians, including Michael Doucet, Steve Riley and Ann Savoy. Bandleader Suzy Thompson apprenticed with Cajun master fiddler Dewey Balfa and learned accordion rom Danny Poullard. She rocks the fiddle, squeezes her Cajun accordions (handmade by Marc Savoy) and brings the Cajun-Creole and classic blues to life with her powerful vocals. Agi Ban, whose double fiddling with Suzy is a hallmark of the Aux Cajunals sound, switches to froittoir (vest rubboard) for the blues and zydeco numbers. Eric Thompson's lead guitar evokes a steel guitar on the Cajun songs and Freddie King on the R&B songs. Allegra Thompson (daughter of Eric and Suzy) adds her strong lead singing and solid upright bass playing to anchor the sound of the band. Karen Celia Heil's powerful rhythm guitar and Michaelle Goerlitz's drumming combine to underpin the groove, and sometimes Karen adds a third fiddle to the mix when the band performs 150-year-old archaic tunes learned from Dennis McGee.. Members of the Aux Cajunals have performed and recorded with a “who’s who” of Cajun music royalty including Marc and Ann Savoy, D.L. Menard, Queen Ida, Michael Doucet & Beausoleil, Jesse Lege & Joel Savoy, Steve Riley, David Greely and many others. Suzy & Eric were founding members of the California Cajun Orchestra, featuring the late Danny Poullard, with 2 award-winning albums on the Smithsonian-Arhoolie label.

Instrument check will be available
Moreinfo: https://www.berkeleyoldtimemusic.org/

Tickets:

General Admission $20

Ashkenaz is all ages, all the time. Kids and minors are always welcome. Those 12 or under are admitted FREE (unless otherwise noted).