CLARENCE GARLOW/ Louisiana Music
Dans les années 1930, Clarence se retrouve à Beaumont, au
Texas, est facteur le jour et joue dans les clubs locaux le soir. A ce
moment-là, il est extrêmement influencé par T-Bone Walker. Un soir, une
rencontre avec son idole dans un club de Beaumont, décide Clarence à quitter la
poste et tenter de vivre de sa musique. Il fonde un orchestre qui alterne blues,
ballades, airs de Country Music et musique louisianaise, notamment des la-las noirs de plus en plus appelés
zydecos. A l'automne 1949, lors de concerts à Houston, Clarence rencontre Macy
Lela Henry et Steve Ponchio, directeurs des disques Macy's qui lui offrent de
l'enregistrer. Des cinq titres gravés à ce moment-là, Bon Ton Roulé (Les Bons temps roulent traduction française cajun de
Let's the good times roll) sur un
rythme de mambo, devient rapidement un succès dans tout le Sud Ouest et pénètre
même dans le Top 100 R&B durant l'année 1950.
Malheureusement, la faillite du label Macy's brise
quelque peu l'élan de ce succès. Malgré tout, Garlow y trouve l'opportunité de
nombreux engagements et tournées au sein de spectacles de R&B. Il en
profite pour créer son club à Beaumont, le Bon Ton Drive In qui présentera la
plupart des artistes louisianais, texans ainsi que les stars du R&B de
passage.
Malgré plusieurs excellents disques, Garlow n'arrive pas
à retrouver les Hit Parades. En 1953, et malgré de fortes réticences quant aux
arrangements trop sophistiqués à son goût de Maxwell Davis, Clarence enregistre
plusieurs séances à Hollywood pour le label Aladdin, notamment New Bon ton Roulay, mais ces disques ne
se vendent guère. Garlow se replie alors sur ses terres louisianaises, tourne
un instant avec un tout jeune Clifton Chenier, grave plusieurs 45t pour J.D.
Miller et Eddie Shuler (notamment la seule séance où il joue de l'accordéon sur
Za Belle et Fais moi brailler/ Make me cry) qui sont sur les juke boxes de la
région.
Avec les années 1960, Clarence a de moins en moins
d'engagements et prend un emploi de Disc Jockey sur la station KJET de
Beaumont. C'est là que Mike Leadbitter (le fondateur de Blues Unlimited) le
rencontre et l'interview en janvier 1968, le faisant ainsi connaître auprès du
public européen du blues revival. Malheureusement, tous les projets de lui
faire enregistrer un album échouent et Clarence décède le 24 juillet 1986,
laissant malgré tout un bien bel héritage musical.
Cet article est largement basé sur l'interview de Garlow
par Mike Leadbitter et les pages qui lui consacre John Broven dans son
indispensable ouvrage South to Louisiana. Merci à Joel Arceneaux, Pierre
Monnery et José Y. pour leur aide et le prêt de disques. Quatre titres manquent
encore ici et comme toujours toute copie .mp3 serait la bienvenue.
Gérard
HERZHAFT
A true pioneer of
the post war Louisiana musical genres and the first to bring Zydeco to a wide
audience, Clarence Garlow was born on February, 27th 1911 in Welsh (La). His
father, a dancer and musician with a local reputation, taught him how to play
fiddle, guitar and string bass while a neighbour showed the young Clarence how
to handle the Cajun accordion.
During
the 1930's, Garlow moved to Beaumont at the Texas border and began to play
music in the local clubs the week ends while making a living as a postman. He
was then a true fan of T-Bone Walker and after a meeting with his idol he
decided to become a full time musician, launching his band, playing a little
bit everywhere in Texas and Louisiana a wide repertoire of blues, ballads,
Hillbilly music and Cajun, particularly the new adaptation of the old la-las favored by the Black Cajuns and
more and more called the Zydeco. During the Autumn 1949, while playing in
Houston, Garlow met Macy Lela Henry and Steve Ponchio, who offered him to
record for their Macy's label. Among the titles recorded during those sessions,
Bon Ton Roulé (French Cajun
translation for Let's the good times roll)
played on a driving mambo rhythm was a hit, even climbing in the Top 100 R&B
in 1950.
Unfortunately
the dismiss of Macy's prevented Garlow for a more important hit but
nevertheless assured him to have better paid gigs a little bit everywhere in
the South West and to be on the bill of several R&B tours among major names.
Garlow also opened his own club in Beaumont, the Bon Ton Drive In who would
feature local acts as well as R&B touring stars.
Despite
several excellent records, Garlow wasn't able to repeat his initial success. In
1953, despite strong disagreements about the sophisticated West Coast
arrangements of Maxwell Davis and others, he recorded two sessions for the
major label Aladdin. But despite great hopes from everybody involved, those
records went nowhere and Clarence stuck in his Louisiana/ Texas home base the
following years, recording for J.D. Miller and Eddie Shuler (one great session Za Belle et Fais moi brailler/ Make me cry featuring him at the accordion).
The
1960's were very lean years for Garlow who had to disband his group and take a
job as a DJ on Beaumont's radio station KJET. This is how Mike Leadbitter found
and interviewed him for his Blues unlimited magazine in January 1968, spreading
his name and reputation among the European public. Unfortunately, all the
subsequent projects for a new album by Clarence fell short and Garlow died in
Beaumont 24 July 1986, leaving anywhere a great musical legacy.
This
article is largely based upon Leadbitter's interview and the essential John
Broven's book, South to Louisiana.
Thanks to Joel Arcenaux, Pierre Monnery and as always Jose Y. for their help
and loan of records. Four Garlow titles are unfortunately still missing and any
.mp3 copies would be most welcomed.
Gérard
HERZHAFT
Clarence a enregistré un dernier 45t en 1982/ Clarence recorded a last 45 in 1982... Thanks to ace sleught collector Gerrit Robbs for this:
CLARENCE GARLOW
Complete Recordings
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Wilmer Shakesnider, a-sax;
Shelby Lackey, t-sax; Mildred Smith, pno; bs; Johnny Marshall, dms. Houston,
Tx. Septembre 1949
Bound to lose my mind
01. In a boogie mood
02. Jumpin’ for joy
03. She’s so fine
04. Blues as you like it
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; horns; Johnnie Mae Brown, pno;
bs; Johnny Marshall, dms. octobre 1949
05. Bon ton roula (roulet) (Macy’s)
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Curtis Babineaux, t-sax;
Shelby Mackey, t-sax; Emma Dell Lee, pno/vcls; bs; Bill Parker, dms. Crowley, La.
juin 1951
06. New bon ton roola
07. Let me be your Santa
Clarence
Garlow, vcl/g; same. Lake Charles, La.
juillet 1951
Louisiana blues
Trouble with my woman
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Emma Dell Lee, pno/vcls; band.
New Orleans, La. 4 mars 1953
08. Hey Mr Bon Ton
09. New bon ton roulay (aka Mr Bon Ton)
10. You got me crying
11. Dreaming
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Maxwell Davis, t-sax and
Orchestra. Los Angeles, Ca. 24 juillet 1953
12. Jumpin’ at the Zadacoe
13. I’m hurt
14. Flip Flop
Clarence Garlow, vcl/acc; Darnell Jackson, pno;
Chester Randle, g; Garen Joseph, bs; Matthew Colbert, dms. Lake Charles,
décembre 1953
15. Za Belle
16. Make me cry (Brailler)
17. I don’t know
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Curtis Babineaux, a-sax/t-sax;
Shelby Lackey, t-sax; Anna Mae Rogers, pno; g; Bill Parker, dms. Crowley, La.
Juillet 1954
18. Cry cry baby
19. I’m just a cry cry baby
20. I’ll never hold it against
you
21. I keep on worrying
22. Come baby come
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Jewell Grant, a-sax; Maxwell
davis, t-sax; Willard Mc Daniel, pno; Red Callender, bs; Peppy Prince, dms. Los
Angeles, octobre 1954
23. Crawfishin’
24. Route 90
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Katie
Webster, pno; James Williams, bs; Little Brother Griffin, dms. Lake Charles,
La. mars 1955
25. Nothing to talk about
26. Train come down the track
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Dranell
Joseph, pno; Garan Joseph, bs; Matthew Colbert, dms. Lake Charles, La. 1 mai
1955
27. No no baby
28. I feel like calling you
29. Jolie tee catin (Purty little
dolly)
30. Purty little dollie
31. She’s a bum baby bum
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Darnell
Joseph, pno; James Williams, bs; Matthew Colbert, dms. Lake Charles, la. 1956
32. Pretty little dollie
33. Sunday morning
Sundown
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lionel Prevost, t-sax; Katie
Webster, pno; James Williams, bs; Little Brother Griffin, dms. Lake Charles,
La. 1957
34. Bon ton roulé (Good times
roll)
35. Sound the bell n°1
Clarence Garlow, vcl/g; Lazy Lester, hca; Katie
Webster, pno; Bobby Mc Bride, bs; Warren Storm, dms. Crowley, La. 1958
36. Foggy blues I
37. Foggy blues II
38. Sound the bell n°2
(Flyright)
39. Carry on
