Michael Ball and Jody Benjamin (the wonderfully named duo of more than 20 years, Ball and Chain) want to make you dance, tap your toes and sway to the joyful strains of Cajun and Zydeco music! They enthusiastically illustrated this during a Mardi Gras Party featuring Ball & Chain and the Wreckers and The Vanier Playboys on February 25 at Irene’s Pub. The evening doubled as a CD release party for the second album from The Vanier Playboys, appropriately titled Deux.
The two bands are inextricably linked, as The Vanier Playboys was formed from Ball & Chain and The Wreckers, which is the full-band version of the duo. The parent band includes Jody Benjamin on guitar and lead vocals, Michael Ball on fiddle, vocals and mandolin, Fred Guignion on lap steel, Robert Bangs on drums and vocals, and Derek Jeffrey on the bass. Musical guests Mary Gick and Tessa Bangs took turns providing accompaniment on the triangle.
The Vanier Playboys. Photo courtesy of Ball and Chain.
The Vanier Playboys has the same lineup, plus hip young accordion player Antoine Larocque from Montreal. While “hip” and “accordion” rarely appear in the same sentence, it is merited in this case. The addition of the accordion helped make the exuberant music even more infectiously danceable. For The Vanier Playboys, Jody played the rubboard (a washboard-looking instrument) and sang lead vocals while Fred Guignion rocked on lead guitar.
The weather was subzero, despite the Rideau Canal not opening this year, so we all needed a little cheering up, and these lively bands were just the ticket. The first half of the evening had Ball & Chain and the Wreckers performing Cajun music from southwestern Louisiana, with mostly French lyrics. Although I am not bilingual, I could still enjoy the music, which was incredibly upbeat.
Dancers immediately filled the postage-stamp-sized dance floor in front of the stage, adding to the sheer joyfulness of the occasion. I had not seen people dancing up a storm like that in a club indoors since before the pandemic! Some of the more adventurous couples danced in a straight line down the aisle and right back to the dance floor.
The band members made it look easy because they are all accomplished players and, in the case of Fred Guignion, an experienced studio musician who has also performed extensively with Ian Tamblyn.
During intermission, traditional Cajun food, including delicious rice, beans, and cornbread cooked up ahead of time by Jody, was dished out by Michael. It was a nice touch and appreciated by the crowd, who eagerly lined up for it.
The second half of the evening featured The Vanier Playboys with the same gang plus Larocque, who had also joined in during the first set. This time the music was Zydeco, rather than Cajun. The difference? Jody Benjamin says that while both musical styles are from southwestern Louisiana, Cajun music is the kind typically played by the white folks and is a little on the country side.
“Zydeco is typically played by the Black folks and is more on the R&B and blues side. Cajun music usually has the triangle for percussion, while Zydeco has the rubboard.”
The dancers responded with alacrity to numbers from The Vanier Playboys, combining covers and original tunes by drummer Robert Bangs. The band played five songs from Deux with English lyrics, with the exception of “Madame Faielle,” a catchy tune with French lyrics.
Watch for Ball & Chain and The Wreckers, who are throwing a release party for their upcoming CD Satisfied at Irene’s Pub on June 24. For more information about Ball & Chain and the Wreckers, and The Vanier Playboys, visit ballandchain.ca.
