Album Notes

The Cajun Coyotes have been playing traditional Louisiana dance music in Northern California since 1991. Based in Sonoma and Napa Counties, the Coyotes are the favorites in the Wine Country. Consisting of fiddle, accordion. guitar, bass, and the triangle (tee fer) or rubboard (frattoir), this band has introduced hundreds of folks to the great music of Southwestern Louisiana.

The Cajun Coyotes include the following musicians:


"Fiddlin Gus" Garelick (fiddle): A former California State Fiddle Champion, Gus has toured and recorded with Queen Ida, Al Rapone, and was an original member of the legendary Sonoma Swamp Dogs with the late Jim Boggio. Gus produces The Fiddlin Zone on KRCB Radio in Santa Rosa. When not playing Cajun fiddle, he plays Italian mandolin in The Hot Frittatas, whose first CD, Caffe Liscio, was released last year.

"Coyote Carlo" Calabi (guitar and vocals) plays traditional folk, country, cowboy, and Cajun music and does the best Coyote howl this side of Texas. He also produces and performs in the monthly St.Helena Contra Dance, and participates in numerous family music camps throughout the year.

Dennis "Da Squeeze" Hadley (accordion and vocals) began studying accordion as a child, playing the old-time polkas of Frankie Yankovic. Then he discovered Clifton Chenier and took a major change of direction. Dennis is now conversant in many accordion styles, from Cajun and Zydeco to Italian, French, Celtic, Russian, and German. He also plays in the Italian trio, The Hot Frittatas.

Sam Page (bass) is one of the most respected bass players in the North Bay. In addition to a busy recording schedule, Sam and his wife, Allegra Broughton, are songwriters and performers in the group Solid Air, whose latest CD is called Tailgates and Substitutes.

Dema Kay Hudson (Tee Fer and Frattoir and Bon Vivant) joins us for this farewell performance before moving to San Antonio. The triangle is the secret ingredient in our music, and we know it'll be different without Dema Kay. But Tejano Conjunto music in San Antonio will never be the same.