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Song o' the Day-"Houma, Louisiana"
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New Orleans JAZZ NHP’s Song o’ the Day:
“Houma, Louisiana”
Today, July 8th, we are wishing a happy birthday to Sieur de Monts National Monument, Maine, which became Acadia National Park in 1929. Where, I wonder, may we find a JAZZ number in our NPS catalog presenting an homage to parks in the great State of Maine? Well, it seems that British misbehavior back in 1755, provides us that opportunity.
“Le Grand Dérangement” (Great Upheaval) of French Folk from L'Acadie, Quebec resulted in several thousands of British-displaced Acadians re-settling in our Louisiana Bayou Country, which became known thereafter as “Acadiana”. Of course, these French terms were modified by our American tongue efficiencies (laziness?) into simply “Acadian” and ultimately “Cajun”. And part of that new “Cajun Country” is the traditional home of the Houma Indian People, now Houma, La.
That brings us to our Song o’ the Day: “Houma, Louisiana”, by the blues-influenced, trad-jazz banjoist from the Treme’, “Creole” George Guesnon, “The Banjo King”. Although King Creole George wrote this song about that title town in Terrebonne Parish, Barry Martyn sings this Arrowhead Jazz Band version about New Orleans! Poetic license I presume, and he is certainly entitled in his terrific performance, however, I cannot completely visualize New Orleans nestled on the banks of the “Lazy Bayou Terrebonne”! Nevertheless, Happy Birthday to Acadia NP!
From: The Revival: A Chronology of New Orleans Jazz, Volume 2
Produced by: Arrowhead Records
Written by: George Guesnon, 1960
Performed by: The Arrowhead Jazz Band, featuring Barry Martyn (vocals & drums), Chris Tyle (trumpet), Tom Fischer (Clarinet), Freddie Lonzo (trombone), Lawrence Cotton (piano) & Walter Payton (string bass)
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NPS photo: Eric Waters, graphics by Diana Thornton, crescentmusic.com