The Backdoor Cajun Sessions

On the second Sunday afternoon of each month the front bar takes on a Cajun feel as The Backdoor Cajun Sessions play.

We caught up with band member Chris Hudson to find out a bit about the group.

I’ve been playing music for 52 years and started to play Cajun music about 18 years ago.

g>What inspired you to play this type of music?

I have done a lot of other things and this is just a bit of exploration. What does a musician do for a hobby? Finds music never heard of before.

There’s something interesting and strange about it. It’s not like anything else. People think it may sound Irish, but it doesn’t. It’s not like Country &Western or Blues, there’s something unique about it.

The music is fun and good time music. It’s really free.

In Lousiana, many play same the same songs differently. There’s no ‘this is the way’, they just start playing together and come up with a version that ‘s creative.

Have you heard the music on your travels?

I travelled to Louisiana when I was six. It’s a long time ago, but it certainly was influential as a small child Drivin through southern America and there are so many things I still do that are connected to that experience.

In the group that plays together, our triangle and wasboard player, Claire, comes from Louisiana and has told us a lot about it.

How long has the current group been playing together?

Some of us have played together for the entire 18 years. Myself and drummer, Billy Thackery, have been together the longest. People have joined and left over the years and now we have accordion player, Arthur Bower, and we’ve roped in Richard Tonkin to play fiddle.

Do you practice, or just get together for fun?

We practiced and played festivals a lot in the beginning, but then things started to change as each of us got busy.

Our monthly sessions at The Gov are great fun and anyone who wants to join in can.  We love it and keep in touch with it and know it so well.  That’s the reason we keep going.

Cajun music has had many influences and potentially we don’t play ‘traditional’ Cajun, but we think that is in keeping with ideology of the music.

Some songs are played very folky, others rock n roll, swing, blues… it has so many influences that you can take it anywhere you want.

It’s all very moveable and the only reason we’re there is to have a good time.

It’s shared joy. We’re from different backgrounds and different places and we all meet and do the same thing.