So, does all the great music you hear in Lafayette inspire you to play along? Do you have your guitar, fiddle, accordion, or other acoustic instruments --- including your voice--- handy? Or do you enjoy listening to a group of people playing classic Cajun, Zydeco, or old-timey music in a laid-back, casual setting? If your answer to any of these is "yes," then catch some of the weekly music jams in Lafayette Parish.
Music is one of the most definable components of Lafayette's many cultures, and rare is the Cajun or Creole family that only counts a few multi-instrumentalists among its members. Most house parties or social get-togethers include a group of musical friends or relatives seated in a circle, jamming together for their own, and other guests', enjoyment. This love of the jam also extends to some public venues, where everyone with a little expertise is invited to participate.
At a jam, there is a designated "leader," usually a well-known local luminary of the musical genre, setting the tone, so to speak, as to which songs will be played and in which key, but participants are usually encouraged to provide input to the selection process. Onlookers can happily sit and listen, and, as often as not, there will be at least a few dancers making use of nearby floor space or grassy area to 2-step, waltz, or otherwise move to the music.
Whether you are a seasoned musician, well acquainted with the songs of the genre the jam is featuring, less experienced and hoping to learn some new tunes to add to your repertoire, or want to sit back, listen, and/or dance, attending an acoustic music jam is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the unique cultures of Lafayette.
Mondays
Bluegrass Jam
109 Vine St. Lafayette, LA | 6:30p
Wednesdays
Blue Moon Saloon
215 E. Convent St., Lafayette, LA | 8:00p
Dulcimer Jam
978 Kennerson Road, Opelousas, LA | 10a
Saturdays
Moncus Park Farmers & Artisans Market
2913 Johnston St. Lafayette, LA | 9:00a
Savoy Music Center
4413 US190, Eunice, LA | 9:00a
Tante Marie
107 N. Main St. Breaux Bridge., LA | 11:00a
Vermilionville
300 Fisher Rd., Lafayette, LA | 1:00p
Jammin' On the Bayou
978 Kennerson Road, Opelousas, LA | 1:00p (3rd Saturday of the month)
Zydeco Capital Jam
978 Kennerson Road, Opelousas, LA | 1:00p (2nd Saturday of the month)
Sundays
Bayou Teche Brewing
1002 Noth Lane, Arnaudville, LA | 2:00p
JAMbalaya Acoustic Music Jam
204 Fuselier Road, Arnaudville, LA | 12:30p (1st Sunday of the month)
Cajun Jam Sessions
Fiddles, button accordions, and guitars comprise the backbone of Cajun music and comprise the majority of instruments at these jams. Still, you might also hear some percussion, stand-up bass, or even an instrumental saw! However, one rule that is generally followed is that only one ti fer (Cajun triangle) is allowed at a time!
Wednesdays
Blue Moon Saloon
215 E. Convent St., Lafayette, LA | 8:00p
Long-standing weekly jam in this popular music and dance venue.
Saturdays
Moncus Park Farmers & Artisans Market
2913 Johnston St. Lafayette, LA | 9:00a
Come for the market, stay for the music! Bring a chair if you are planning to jam.
Savoy Music Center
4413 US190, Eunice, LA | 9:00a
The most famous of the area's jam sessions have been happening here every Saturday morning for the past 40 years, and anyone is invited to bring an instrument and play Cajun tunes.
Tante Marie
107 N. Main St. Breaux Bridge., LA | 11:00a
Located in the center of historic Breaux Bridge, this is the place to enjoy your jam with a side of breakfast or lunch or just a good cup of coffee and a pastry.
Vermilionville
300 Fisher Rd., Lafayette, LA | 1:00p
The jam session is hosted every week in this living history museum. The admission charge includes the opportunity to stroll among restored 18th and 19th-century homes and educational exhibits chronicling the lives of the early Acadian settlers and native tribes of the region.
Jammin' On the Bayou
978 Kennerson Road, Opelousas, LA | 1:00p (3rd Saturday of the month)
This Cajun & Country jam session, held the third Saturday of the month, is hosted by musician Stanley Lee at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center. Musicians at any level of expertise can bring an instrument and suggest their favorite songs. Bystanders can sit and listen in or dance along. The jam session is free and open to the public.
Sundays
Bayou Teche Brewing
1002 Noth Lane, Arnaudville, LA | 2:00p
At Bayou Teche Brewing, an eco-friendly microbrewery utilizing locally grown ingredients in craft beers, Sunday afternoons are a great time to meet the locals during a front porch jam session. Grab a slice of woodfire pizza, listen to traditional songs, or join in with your instrument.
Zydeco Jam Sessions
Zydeco is the Creole sister to Cajun music, with more funk, R&B, and syncopation elements. Always accordion-fronted, the accordion type can be a piano key or button. The rubboard (aka scrubboard, frottoir, or washboard) and guitar are other necessary instruments. Drums or other percussion, horns or woodwinds, and fiddles can also be integral elements of the musical sound.
Zydeco Capital Jam
978 Kennerson Road, Opelousas, LA | 1:00p (2nd Saturday of the month)
Zydeco Capital Jam is held on the 2nd Saturday of the month for musicians and fans at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center. The only regularly scheduled zydeco jam, it recalls the tradition started by Zydeco legend Roy Carrier, who would jam with other great musicians at the Offshore Lounge in Lawtell. Bring your favorite instrument, jam, dance, or sit back and appreciate the music.
Other Jam Sessions
Although most uniquely known for Cajun and Zydeco, Lafayette has an eclectic music scene encompassing Country, Bluegrass, Blues, Jazz, Old-Timey, Swamp Pop, and just about any other genre you can name. Some of our most well-known Cajun and Zydeco musicians often participate in side projects in some of these different types of music. You might even find them leading these jams.
JAMbalaya Acoustic Music Jam
204 Fuselier Road, Arnaudville, LA | 12:30p (1st Sunday of the month)
Enjoy this casual acoustic jam session on the first Sunday of the month for experienced and beginner musicians. Those who don't play can listen in and meet the musicians. Tom's Fiddle and Bow is a repair and restoration shop for string instruments, one of only a handful in Acadiana. Tom specializes in making fiddles and sells his handmade creations in the shop.
Bluegrass Jam
109 Vine St. Lafayette, LA | 6:30p (Mondays)
Bring your instrument and join in, or sit in and listen every Monday! All are welcome. This jam is for all ages and experience levels at Cite des Arts.
Dulcimer Jam
978 Kennerson Road, Opelousas, LA | 10a (Wednesdays)
Jam organizer Joe Besse invites anyone with a dulcimer or acoustic instrument to stop by on Wednesdays and join the group of dulcimer and bluegrass enthusiasts who gather to jam out at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center just outside Opelousas.
