Danser Danser Revolution – Pine Leaf Boys embrace country and rock influences

Before The Pine Leaf Boys’ set last spring at the Bayou Boogaloo Festival in New Orleans, accordionist and bandleader Wilson Savoy slipped almost effortlessly behind the electronic keyboard that stood front and center on stage. Just as he was about to launch into a full-bore, boogie-woogie version of Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire,” he not only informed the audience of what was coming; he also felt the need to justify it by explaining, “Hey, it’s Louisiana music, and that’s what we play—Louisiana music.”

A die-hard fan of Jerry Lee Lewis’ music since his early teens, Savoy then proceeded to channel The Killer’s indomitable spirit for the duration of the band’s eye-opening, five-minute, stand-up-on-your-feet-and-shake-your-hips opening selection.

Welcome to the New Cajun Revival. Gathering momentum now for slightly more than a decade, this third-stage revival of Cajun music traditions by a younger generation uniquely marries a profound reverence for the earliest recorded roots of 20th-century Cajun music with a desire to reignite passion for that same music in the here and now.

A torchbearer for the ongoing Cajun music youth movement since their founding as a band eight years ago, The Pine Leaf Boys have consistently demonstrated the ability to integrate top-notch musicianship with deep-roots knowledge and an inclination toward high-spirited interpretations of all manner of Cajun music—from waltzes and two-steps to heartfelt ballads and more modern honky tonk.

They have also taken a measured approach toward new recordings, advancing with each new release while retaining clear ties to the music that remains their prime inspiration.

This kind of careful craftsmanship has already earned the band significant recognition both on the touring circuit and in the recording studio. Having been the youngest band ever signed by contemporary roots-revival label Arhoolie (where they recorded their first two CDs, La Musique and Blues de Musicien), The Pine Leaf Boys thus far have accumulated a total of four Grammy nominations, while leader Wilson Savoy’s participation in last year’s “super-trio” The Band Courtboullion landed him a Grammy of his own as the band won Best Regional Roots Recording.

On their new CD, Danser (“to dance,” or simply “dance”), The Pine Leaf Boys build on past accomplishments while taking yet another major step forward, exhibiting a looser and more personal attitude toward what they play and how they play it.

As bandleader, accordionist and ace keyboard rocker, Savoy explains, “The band’s vision has slowly but steadily changed from being very old-school traditional with a young, careless attitude to an approach that’s more reflective of each of our personalities and music influences. When we began, we made sure everything was in French, and we only used traditional instruments. But as we grew older and our musical tastes grew, we introduced new musical elements; for instance, we brought the piano to the band, so I can jump from the accordion to the piano and play other styles of music that we all feel connected to, like swamp pop or even boogie-woogie.”

On Danser, that translates into a handful of English-language renditions, pervasive country-Cajun influences from the 1960s and 1970s (especially three Belton Richard covers), gentle folk-rock overdubs on the chorus of the title song, and a closing tune, “Werewolf Two Step,” that subtly borders on the downright crazy.

It’s all great fun, advancing the Cajun music youth revival while superbly satisfying the tastes of a growing young audience that may have come to listen—but wants to heat up the dance floor, too.