It’s hard to believe that this was the case, but Beausoleil were the first Cajun musicians to decide to go into performing and producing Cajun music on a full-time basis — no day job, no support, no net. The 1986 decision to be a full-time band of professional musicians paid off wonderfully for Michael Doucet and company, however, with a series of albums and a great deal of national attention. The attention garnered led to a series of New York concerts in 1986 and 1987, which have been excerpted for this album. For the band and its fans, this collection is a blast from the past — and what a blast it is! The performances are energetic and heartfelt, delightful and captivating; there are rough edges all around, but that’s all part of the power of these tracks, and of this music. Don’t believe for a second that this is just a collection of old stuff tossed onto the market to keep sales up — this is essential. – Steven McDonald