Les Amies Louisianaises
Chansons díinspiration
Musique Acadienne

In 1997, Les Amies Louisianaises (LAL) astounded the Cajun music kingdom
with their French-sung recording of "Amazing Grace." Hence a debate ensued
whether this was Cajun music, or at least a variant of it, but regardless,
its success has inspired others to take a similar path.

Their third recording dispels any lingering novelty-only notion by being an
uplifting, spiritually satisfying effort. The time-honored "How Great Thou
Art," titled here as "Que Tu es Grand," opens the proceedings with producer
John Smithís magnificent piano accompaniment and LAL's angelic four-part
harmonies. But wait! This is hardly a translated King James hymnal just to
hawk at religious goods stores. Rather, new territory is ventured with the
African-American gospel influenced "O jour heureux" ("O Happy Day") and the
syncopated original "Appelez son nom." While the arrangements often glow
with a contemporary pop sheen, what consistently shines here are the
full-bodied, lush harmonies ("A genoux devant toi") that can fill a room
with joy.

In some ways, this recording symbolizes how Cajun French is beginning to
parallel its Acadian cousin as the language takes on new forms of
expression. Patriotic tunes "God Bless America" and "The Star Spangled
Banner" are favorably reworked in French while a few others, the Acadian
National Hymn (normally sung in Latin) and Zachary Richardís "Réville,"
salute the common thread of the Acadian-Cajun fabric.
 - Dan Willging
  With permission of offBEAT Magazine