Cleoma's Ghost
New Paltz, New York, United States | SELF
Music
Press
CLEOMA’S GHOST—
TAKE ME BACK: A CAJUN REVERIE
(Little Bird Records)
The music of Cleoma’s Ghost sounds like a
party, especially on their new album, Take
Me Back: A Cajun Reverie. It’s the kind of party
found on rickety front porches on lazy summer
nights, fireflies dancing in the distance. In
many ways, the album’s Cajun party vibe is
inherent in the music, some originals and some
already familiar. But even more so, it’s in the
authenticity the musicians bring to the table.
Take Me Back, according to the Cleoma’s Ghost website, is the
culmination of numerous trips to Southwest Louisiana, soaking up
the atmosphere, as well as meeting new people like “Karleen,” who
Buffy Lewis and Roger Weiss met at a drive-thru daiquiri bar in
Holly Beach before it was blown out to sea by Hurricane Rita.
Lewis, who sings and plays guitar, and Weiss, who plays the fiddle
and also sings, combine to form a perfect musical pairing, each
aware of what they bring to the party without stepping on one
another’s toes. It’s a natural trait which serves them well, not only in
their own interplay, but also when other musicians enter the picture.
Covers of “Jambalaya,” “Iko Iko” and other traditional numbers weave
seamlessly with originals, like the accomplished title track.
If you’re a fan of the fiddle, you’re in luck. Of the 16 songs on Take Me
Back, 14 begin with the fiddle, with only “Louisiana Boogie Woogie”
(guitar) and “Born in the Country” (a cat, a dog, and then the fiddle).
Take Me Back is more than just a travelogue; it’s likely to transport the
listener to another place. —Crispin Kott - Roll Magazine
Discography
Mon Coeur Est Avec Toi, Swallow Records 2004
Take Me Back, Little Bird Records, 2009
Photos
Bio
Cleoma’s Ghost is a Cajun Duo who play traditional and old-time fiddle-based Cajun music. They have been crafting their musical style together over the past 12 years. Originally they performed as part of a larger dance-hall band and then, realizing they shared a similar musical vision, distilled their sound into the current incarnation of Cleoma’s Ghost. Their energy, passion and drive can be felt in their music whether on the dance floor, at a house dance, in a theater or in the intimacy of a white table clothed restaurant. One of the consistent comments they have gotten over the years is about how much sound, energy and joie de vivre two people can conjure in an evening or afternoon of performing. The music speaks for itself, clearly Cleoma’s Ghost loves what they do.
Buffy Lewis: guitar and vocals. Buffy’s driving guitar style is the backbone of Cleoma’s Ghost. She was a nominee in 2005 for the Cajun French Music Association’s award for Best Female Cajun Vocalist. It was the first time that a non-Cajun singer was recognized with such an honor. Buffy is a wonderful dance instructor. She gets people dancing through her clear and supportive sequence of dance steps.
Roger Weiss: fiddle and vocals. Roger’s fiddle style has emerged into a blend of Creole and Cajun styles. His fiddle playing is heartfelt and very traditionally Cajun, a spicy blend of influences from mentors studied with down on the bayou over the years.
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