Maurice Barzas- "Eunice Two Step".

Born in Mamou in 1909, Maurice Barzas picked up the accordion at a young age. He picked up the harmonica at first, but after hearing his uncle play the accordion; he switched his interests to it. Soon he was playing at house dances and clubs.

His first job performing was at the Evangeline Club in Ville Platte. Dewey Balfa started playing with him locally as well. But after Maurice got married, he didn't play dances as much. And during a time in the late 1930's and early 1940's, the accordion went down locally with string bands dominating the musical scene.

Maurice recalls J.B. Fuselier bringing back the accordion:

"It was J.B. who started having more accordion. At the old fais do-do's, he would play with a string band; but he would bring an accordion. He'd play dances just on the accordion. The people went crazy for that. It started there."

Maurice soon started playing the accordion again as well. He played locally in his area with his group; The Mamou Playboys. In 1962, he and his band recorded for Swallow Records in Ville Platte. Floyd remembered them in a interview I did with him:

"He's a great accordion player! He and his son,  they needed to make a record, so they came to see me and I recorded that in my studio."

The group returned in 1963 and recorded the "Eunice Two Step" with Maurice on the accordion, Allen West on the steel guitar, Vorrance Barzas on the drums and Roy Fontenot on the fiddle. Sadly this would be the last time the group recorded.

Judging by the four songs the group recorded, they were one of the best of this time. Floyd recalls they didn't have many songs and at this point on his label, he thought he had enough Cajun records by different bands.

As for Maurice and the Mamou Playboys, they started playing at Snook's in Ville Platte every Saturday night. The group continued this tradition for thirty five years.

                                

Resources

Wade Falcon

Ann Savoy- Cajun Music Vol 2

Session info

Acdn, Roy Fontenot (v-1/fdl), Allen West (g), st-g, Vorrance Barzas (v-2/d)

Swallow Studio, Ville Platte LA: 1963

S 6380 Eunice two step-2 Sw 10141

Maurice Barzas and the Mamou Playboys- "Mamou Hot Step"

                         

Maurice Barzas was born in Mamou in 1909. By age 12, he was playing the harmonica, but soon became interested in the accordion after hearing a uncle who played the instrument. After six months of practice on it, he was performing in public and was soon performing at dance halls.

He stopped playing in the late 1930's and early 1940's as the musical styles shifted to string band. With the accordion out of style during this time, Maurice went back to farming. It wouldn't be till after World War II when the Balfa Brothers approached him to pick back up the instrument to play in a band with them.

They soon joined together with Elise Deshotel's band. They recorded six songs for the Khoury's label, on which Maurice played accordion in the group. Also recording in the group was Atlas Fruge. These six songs recorded in 1951 would be the groups only output. During the next couple of years the Khoury's label faded and so did the interest of recording Cajun French music.

Maurice didn't like to travel, so he stayed close to the Mamou-Eunice-Ville Platte area. He started his own band and called them the Mamou Playboys. The group played at Snook's in Ville Platte every Saturday night; a gig they held for thirty-five years.

Floyd Soileau saw the lack of Cajun records being released during the late 1950's and decided to start his own label. With the rise of Swallow Records everyone was visiting Floyd and recording for his new label. Maurice and his group came as well.

In 1962, Maurice and his band, which included his son on drums, entered Floyd's studio in Ville Platte and recorded "Mamou Hot Step". On the recording with the Barzas' was Lee Manuel on fiddle and Allen West on guitar. The song was a instant classic and has been covered many times.

The group made one more record in 1963 and didn't record again. Over the years, live recordings from the group's shows at Snook's have been released.

                                          

Session info:

MAURICE BARZAS AND MAMOU PLAYBOYS 

 Acdn, Vorrance Barzas (v/d), poss. Lee Manuel (fdl) and Allen West (g), st-g 

Swallow Studio, Ville Platte LA: 1962 S 6358 Mamou hot step (instrumental) Swallow 130

Resources:

Many thanks to the help of Wade Falcon for all the info and photos for this article.