Turn Loose But Don't Let Go

From the Savoy Family Band — home of some of the greatest lineage players in Cajun music as well as some ardent historians of the genre — comes this great collection of old pieces. Many of these pieces are relative unknowns even within the genre, given the age and almost oral-history level of culture behind the passing of a song to a new musician. In the hands of the Savoys, though, with representatives for both older and younger generations, the songs are given some new life. Whereas the few recordings of these pieces that do exist are generally in overly scratchy archival sets, there's some new life given to the numbers by the family. The album opens up with a great old Joe Falcon piece, moving into a more reserved love song and a simple piece of dancehall fun that showcases son Wilson's singing. Some Cajun blues make an appearance, and a sad song from Belton Richard. A few songs later, listeners get the first of two pieces originally (or almost originally) from the great Amédé Ardoin, with justice done to them by the family. Some religious-based music, another Belton Richard number, and a nice waltz later, and the album closes out with a fiery piece, again from Ardoin, that simply won't let the dancers slow down. An excellent outing from one of Cajun music's first families.