NEW ORLEANS FESTIVALS - Jazz Fest Features

CAJUN & ZYDECO - Feufollet

School might not seem like a favorite subject for a band of teenagers but for the members of Feufollet, it helped launch a start in Cajun music. French language immersion programs in Lafayette schools reconnected them with their Cajun heritage. "My grandparents spoke French around the house," Chris Stafford says. "But my mom is just learning."

Aged 15-18, they are one of the first bands of a new wave of Cajun music. They have been influenced by Stafford family friend Steve Riley, one of the young musicians to take up Cajun music in the '70s after a period when it was almost lost.

"I started playing [accordion] when I was 8," Stafford says. "I had an uncle who was learning. I borrowed it from him and found it easier to pick up so he let me use it. Steve Riley made tapes for me to learn off."

The revivalists like Riley, Mitch Reed and Michael Doucet helped inspire new interest. Now they're playing, recording and singing mostly in French. Both of their CDs have original songs, but they have made a point of rescuing older, more obscure songs as well. While not old enough to drink, they have played dance halls and made a name for themselves at festivals from Louisiana to Nova Scotia. They favor upbeat styles but mix contemporary and traditional songs.

Playing since the average age in the band was 12, they have weathered a couple of personnel changes. The current line-up is set as a couple of members enrolled in college in Lafayette, La. That promises to open new doors as well.

"I'm taking a class with [folklorist] Barry Jean Ancelet," Chris Segura says. "He was talking about the first Festivals Acadiens and how they noticed they needed younger people to carry on the traditions."