the Radiators closing it all up is always the right way to end a summer festival.  The set was rockin' as only the the number one party band on earth would have it....The Radiators jammed out to a crowd that was soulfully deep and numerically nice and deep.  Giving us some tracks off the new album, which I discussed with bassist Reggie Scanlan live on the show, the mix of songs had dancing feet smiling and Madison had a big wide grin wrapped around it.  I have a pal who has seen the Radiators over 50 times and this was the show he was able to bring his young boys to as their very first..i think they made out just fine.  The first show I caught on Sunday was Feufollet and they were followed by Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole.  I really got the feeling Cedric Watson enjoys playing and sometimes doesn't want to stop...he is one of the most noted young talents to emerge in Cajun or Creole music in the past few years, Cedric Watson is a fiddler, vocalist, accordionist and songwriter of seemingly unlimited potential. Born in 1983, Cedric grew up in San Felipe, Texas surrounded by the sounds of blues, old soul, country and zydeco.  Wherever he goes he is sure to combine all his musical flay-vas into an incredible gumbo of Creole laced goodness, that you'll want those seconds and thirds.  Feufollet is a steady progressing Cajun band that is surrounding  itself in the now of Cajun music and making a name for themselves as one can easily tell by the places they are being invited to play.....

Watcha Clan are a Marseilles-based quartet that fuses together influences as diverse as its members' heritages. Drawing on North African, Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, French, and modern electronic musical styles for inspiration, the Clan claim a nomadic ethic, calling no single style "home." Since their inception at the turn of the century, their touring schedule and lifestyle have been as nomadic as their philosophy and man did they ever just blow me away, the fusion was monstrous and heavy in the beat department with grooves that would make any vinyl album jealous....I would go to see them at any show that they were a part of.  They are a band that I hope my radio show takes lessons from....Direction unknown.


Watcha Clan

Balla Tounkara, a griot and master kora player from Mali, West Africa, is one of the hottest artists on America's World Music scene. He and his band Groupe Spirit have been bringing a spicy, eclectic blend of danceable music utilizing African, Latin, Funk, Reggae, Jazz and Blues musical styles to enthusiastic audiences across the country.  Balla's playing is skilled and sincere, falling deeply into the Malian allure, I found myself in a state of happiness that only a kora can accompany one in..


Balla Tounkara

Finishing with a great African dance band is a La Fête Saturday night tradition. The fest has had legendary performers Kekele and Samba Mapangala and Senegal's Fallou Dieng the past three years. In keeping with this pattern the dynamic Lura and her 7-piece band from Cape Verde (an island nation across from Senegal in northwest Africa) had the honor of driving the audience into a dancing frenzy. This band's music was absolutely transcendent under the stars.  Lura is full of energy and passion that speads over a crowd quickly & these things are rewarded greatly on a Saturday night conclusion to a beautifully sounding and picturesquely perfect day.


the Vivacious Lura

Day 2 of the Fete and let me tell you that this night brought what would end up being the musical highlight for me.  Boukman Eksperyans, 10-members strong from Port-au-Prince in Haiti.  Lolo and crew woke up the zombies and called on them to dance.  The sounds and sights of their set resonate still in my spirit.  The voodoo laced afro reggae beat groove really took on an identity in what was a beautiful evening, blending the where we were in with the places and experiences being shared on stage made for a time of uniqueness and oneness that is only obtained with a group like Boukman Eksperyans and a community musical festival like that which takes place here each year on Madison's wonderful east side.  I hung out with Lolo for a little bit after the show and will be sure to bring the new album to ears, and perhaps an interview with the man himself down the road. 

**Photo Credits to Michael Sullivan**




After that, was Tab Benoit and his Band.  They certainly did rock the festival with their "swamp pop" and Louisiana-inspired originals. Tab and band inspired and performed in the documentary film, Voice of the Wetlands. That was screened in the large "Bistro" tent between and after bands on this night.  His set was awesome and is always well received here in Madison, and Wisconsin as a whole.

for me, my Fete du Marquette got started with the Duhks.  The Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Duhks (pronounced Ducks) have always gravitated towards traditional roots-based song structures, but they've never stopped evolving since their inception five years ago. Due in part to a collective musical worldview that knows no boundaries and that was very evident in their genre unknown string bending sets, exhibiting sounds from several corners of the musical spectrum, they rocked and twanged and world beated my kick off to a weekend of free music, tasty beer and good people.  Half way through their set, a Wisconsin Southern rail train horned slowly by and added its unique sound to an already wild time....

Just like last week for the Chicago Afrobeat Project show, it was yet another perfect night overhead for music on the terrace.  On this night, Jackie Greene brought his get down rock and roll Americana sound and he meant it.  The set was high energy and had the large crowd feeling the Thursday night before the 4th of July as more than another Thursday night, but this started people's celebration weekend.  Certainly a touch of the Dead's "U.S. Blues" was thrown in there just to remind us where we were.  Jackie's band was making themselves known with stylist licks and giving people more of what they wanted~those finely crafty Jackie Greene tunes that the ones attached to the ears can seem to relate to. There were perfect moments to dance and other times to reflect, a great combination on a night made for us.

Terrace soul took form under a beautiful evening sky with sailboats in the near distance and smiley firework displays overhead....The music was rich in nature and presented to us by the Chicago Afrobeat Project, who tears up the stage breathing the intensity of Chicago’s rich music scene into the infectious sounds of afrobeat.  Afrobeat’s range of influences — funk, rock,  jazz, afro-cuban, high life and juju music – settle into a hypnotic, dance-compelling pulse at the core of CAbP. The group layers a fiery originality around this core through high-energy rock and experimental jazz.  Their live act is all together rockin' and danceable, communicating the opportunity to share experience thru body movements and positive vibrations...The individual players, coming from diverse backgrounds, each hold their own as soloists that ultimately characterize the live shows.  Melodic and hard-hitting horn lines create a lyrical flow to the music, delivered by a cutting, driven rhythm section dynamic.  Complex call-and-response percussion songs are dispersed throughout the nights gig....making the music as beautiful as the surroundings.....

Mon Aime Vieux Farka Toure made things seem like the should for me....The sound of his guitar transcends music and clears a journey out of once was a pathless landscape.  And on this journey I was happy to be able to spend some time catching up with Tim and Vieux before and after the show as it is always nice to spend time with people from past moments.....The music that Vieux and his band put out at this festival had the crowd in an amazement whirl~there were new dances being born right before my eyes...the African Jam Blues rock and roll deeply rooted in traditional Malian Blues music has gone in its own direction and it just GOES.  The charm and charisma is a part of Vieux that flows off onto the crowd easily and kept a "connection" with the listeners~people became more than festival goers...I run out of words for my experiences with sounds and people that deeply affect me and Vieux and his music keep me pretty quiet at times....I managed to pick up the new cd FONDO to do the talking for me in the upcoming weeks.




Bonsoir, Catin was on before Vieux and featured authentic cajun music that is energetic, passionate and heart-felt, leading the Madison crowd to cut a, well... cut a festival lawn into a dusty dance square filled with couples embraced in a Cajun swing.  Bonsoir, Catin is an all-woman Cajun band. Their music is an expression of what it is to be a Cajun woman--feminine, classy, smart, brave, take-charge, and no-nonsense, and has emerged as one of South Louisiana's most exciting new Cajun bands.

This year for the Marquette Neighborhood Association's Waterfront Festival brought entertainment from around the globe, local fare and goods and a LOT of people for a real good gathering of spirit and sound.  This year was the 20th anniversary of the event and the music was joyous and raucous and sweat-inducing danceable so many people came to bask both days in the seductive lakeshore breeze. The community celebrated in Yahara Place Park on June 13th and 14th at the confluence of the Yahara River and Lake Monona where the cottonwoods provided the ideal canopy for this rite of spring.  On Saturday I saw Taj Weekes and Adowa bring the gentle conscious voice of today thru Island sounds delight the audience with vibes and grooves of a folk reggae, words to hear and rhythms to move your body to...this hours after Taj called in to do another phoner on the program where we discuss his music and his beliefs of giving back (see early post here).  I always enjoy giving artist who give back time to share on the airwaves. 


After the show I chilled with Taj and the band for a bit, keeping it real with hula hoops and kindness.....we watched as Rupa and the April Fishes prepared backstage before an amazing set of eminently eclectic, genre bending and body moving music from this San Francisco based group creating lively, romantic and instantaneously appealing music with influences from many areas of the globe....there is too much going on within this groups on identity to write but I do suggest you check them out.

Before I started my Waterfront Festival adventures, I made the short trip to Middleton to the Club Tavern to see the one and only Mr. Dale Watson.  Dale seemed to know just about everyone in town never mind the folks at the show...it was quite warming to see a gentleman of country music being more than that....and then the Honky Tonk began.  As we spoke of in our recent on air conversation, true country and western songs were treated kindly and requests were easily achieved...Dale's good that way for sure.  I sure enjoy honky tonk and hard edged country music for before my time really, and this music on this day and any other day finding this band on stage sure did hit the spot.  I appreciate the energy put into working to assist the independant truckers develop some kind of health care that doesn't sink them, if they can get any at all...Oh there is a lot to like about Dale Watson and I hope I point you in the right direction with my honesty.  His new album the Truckin' Session Volume 2, as I mentioned a few posts back is exciting, rebellious and just in its causes...I am proud to have it in my music collection and the ability to share it with others is appreciated. (Thanks Dale/Kevin/Hawk/Moose)

Ukulele Master and friend of the program, Jake Shimabukuro has his first live album released on Hitchhike Records.  There are several moments during one of Jake's live shows to be amazed by what sound can be made with a four stringed instrument, but imagine it being captured and sifted through by the artist after several performances were recorded and the best of the best (as seen through Jake's eyes) were put on the first full-length CD since 2006' "Gently Weeps".  The 17 song album include 12 originals ( 4 of which are brand new) and 5 covers (including an incredible version of J.S. Bach's "Two Part Invention No.4 in D Minor" and a unique interpretation of Michael Jackson's "Thriller".  Not only does this release capture the innovation behind the sound that Jake can create musically but the playfulness and joy that accompanies the art with the artist....Checkout "Jake Shimabukuro LIVE" for more of what I mean.