Michael Doucet avec BeauSoleil, undisputedly the most esteemed Cajun group in music, recently released their 28 th album, Live in Louisiana. The album’s release coincided with the April 2006 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and celebrates the group’s 30 th anniversary. The album is also the first live album that this group has recorded at home in Louisiana.

Founded in 1975 by Michael Doucet, this Grammy Award-winning band from Lafayette, Louisiana fuses Cajun French, folk-rock, zydeco, jazz styles, country, blues and Latin and western swing music for a satisfying musical recipe. BeauSoleil earned national recognition in the early 1980s for frequent appearances on “A Prairie Home Companion” and Garrison Keillor of “Prairie Home Companion” has called the group the “world’s greatest Cajun band.” Doucet has appeared on recordings for Keith Richards, Mary-Chapin Carpenter and Taj Mahal.

After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged Louisiana and the Gulf Coast last year, the band’s home base in the south-central Acadiana region welcomed refugees from Texas to Florida, many of whom are still working to rebuild their lives and homes. In the spirit of survival, BeauSoleil expanded its post-Katrina tour dates to incorporate a number of benefit performances for storm victims. The group also donated a new studio version of their song “L’Ouragon (The Hurricane)” to Our New Orleans, a best-selling benefit album that was released last year on the Nonesuch label.

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