A Cajun dance lesson, live music from the Thames River Ramblers with special guest Jock Tyldesley, and a Cajun-style electric jam!

1:30-2pm: Cajun dance lesson

2-5pm: Cajun dance to music by The Thames River Ramblers with special guest Jock Tyldesley

4-5pm: Jam! For the last hour of the dance, the stage will open up & musicians will be welcome to join the band for a Cajun-style electric jam.

The Thames River Ramblers are guitarist Miriam Hogan (Jole Blon; Là-bas Cajun Band) and accordion/fiddle player Heather Cole-Mullen, a Louisiana dancehall veteran who has played with the likes of T’Monde, Jimmy Breaux, The Lafayette Rhythm Devils, and many more. They’re thrilled to be joined on fiddle by special guest Jock Tyldesley of the Flatville Aces, who has played and toured with such greats as Balfa Toujours, Sheryl Cormier, and Eddie LeJeune.

How does an “electric jam” work? A Cajun electric jam is different from acoustic jams you might be familiar with, since we maintain a dance band lineup and continue to play for dancers from the stage. That means the number of people who are playing for any given song is kept small, and musicians take turns on stage. There’ll be a signup list by the stage, where any musician with an instrument is welcome to sign up to play. Everyone who signs up will get a chance to join in and play one or more Cajun songs in the band. If you’re new to Cajun music or a less confident musician, don’t be intimidated by this! You’ll be fully supported by the band to play whatever you’re comfortable with.

If you want to choose a song (or several), we’ll play it with you. If you prefer just to sit in and play songs we choose, that’s fine too. If you’re not comfortable being amplified, that’s also ok. This is a fun way for anyone to experience playing with experienced Cajun musicians as part of a dance band. Everyone is welcome!