This
Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band greatest-hits compilation was culled from four previous albums on Arhoolie. The performers are the undisputed masters of Cajun music, as one familiar with the genre already knows prior to picking up the album. It's generally a loping bit of work on some vaguely scratchy fiddle tunes, with the constant strum from
Ann Savoy in the background.
Marc Savoy's accordion work is perhaps some of the most outstanding Cajun accordion one will hear, though it's relatively rare for him to go out on a major solo run here, preferring to stick with the other players more often. On the whole, it's an entirely worthwhile album for fans of the genre or of the group, as the bandmembers work through a number of old songs from the traditional books and the old masters of the genre, as well as a few slightly newer numbers written to sound like the old forms. This is music more complex than
the Savoys can make on their own, and out of the comfort zone for
Michael Doucet's usual ventures with
Beausoleil. Pick it up for a nice look at the work that
the Savoys have done alongside
Doucet, and a nice overview of the old Cajun forms, both slow and quick. ~ Adam Greenberg