The Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band “Live! At the...

The Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band “Live! At the Dance”

Arhoolie

Cajun music and dancing are as inseparable as the sausage and rice in jambalaya. So it makes perfect sense that this accomplished trio would choose to record its latest album at a dance gig.

People in Southwest Louisiana have been two-stepping and waltzing to many of these songs for half a century, and while the vision of a sea of lilting dancers is missing, the energy jolt they give the musicians is frequently audible.

Accordionist Marc Savoy can be heard egging on fiddler and singer Michael Doucet to new instrumental and vocal heights. Guitarist Ann Savoy provides unadorned beauty in her straightforward lead vocals.

The 18 songs include some Cajun classics that are balanced with enough songs pulled from deep in the Cajun repertoire to keep the aficionado intrigued.

Among the latter is “Quand J’etais Vaillant (When I was a Nice Young Man).” Setting the instruments aside, Doucet and Ann Savoy begin this haunting ballad singing in unison, an octave apart. They continue trading verses, telling the story of a man who is exchanging women for the bottle because of all the heartache love has caused him. (Fortunately, the CD booklet includes bilingual lyrics so that English-speaking fans can keep up with these timeless stories sung in Cajun French.)

It’s one of the few songs here that seems to invite audiences to sit and listen. The rest of the time, Marc Savoy’s invigorating accordion work, Doucet’s fiery fiddling and Ann’s solid rhythm guitar work--the trio is joined on a half-dozen tunes by bassist Billy Wilson--defy listeners to remain chair-bound.

In fact, the only thing keeping this from being the compleat fais do-do experience is a collapsible dance floor and a stockpot full of simmering gumbo.