Music Monday: Marc Broussard

So, since one of the "secrets" to a successful blog is probably "Post more than once a week", and I sadly don't get to cook as often as I'd like (last night's dinner was a very non-cajun dish of Asian-style Steamables veggie medley + canned baby corn + canned water chestnuts + Ramen noodles + an assortment of sauces to make what I now refer to "holy cr@p, hurry up & eat fast, the trick-or-treaters won't stop ringing the doorbell" stir fry). So I started thinking about other things we can talk about here. Because life in Louisiana is about so much more than just food (although food is a VERY important component).

I mean, I moved down there, knowing NO ONE, for grad school...and then even when the opportunity presented itself to move back home after Katrina smacked us (& then her sister Rita snuck up & kicked us while we were already down), I stayed. For 5 more years. And as much as I REALLY love food, you don't stay somewhere just for the food. You stay for the people, the weather, the culture, the festivals, the work, the music--the whole life experience.

So...Monday, Music...it's an alliteration, and we'll run with it. People in Louisiana love good, authentic, home-grown music. One of my favorite places in Louisiana was The Blue Moon Saloon, an outdoor bar built on to the back of a hostel--so it's essentially like going to a backyard house party. The stage is situated on a wooden "porch" attached to the back of the house. And with fabulous evening weather during 10 out of 12 months of the year, why WOULDN'T someone love an outdoor bar? If you're ever in Lafayette for any reason, I highly recommend you check it out. Then kick back on a bench with an Abita and enjoy.

Today's Music Monday artist, however, I never saw perform at the Blue Moon, although I did see him at several other venues, since he's originally from the Lafayette "metro" area, out around Carencro: Marc Broussard. This guy has a wicked talent & a powerful voice. I think the best example I can give to you is this scenario:

A while back, a friend of mine was feeling down in the dumps, so I made her a CD, with Marc's song "Let The Music Get Down in Your Soul" as the first track (one of my favorite songs of all time). A week after I gave her the disc, we had coffee and she told me, "you know, I really loved that first song on the CD you gave me, so I looked that guy up....um....*lowered voice* Did you know he's white?"

I guffawed...because I'd had the same thought the first time I heard him.



Here's this rather precious looking boy-next-door-looking chap...with a voice that makes you think he was somehow medically created in a lab using DNA from Wayne Brady & Luther Vandross.

I was hooked from the first song, and now celebrate his entire collection.

And I'd like to share.

You can download his CD "The Atlantic Recordings", legally and FREE OF CHARGE, from Noisetrade.com. Not just samples--the whole CD. Here's the link.

Enjoy, and happy All Saints Day!