Choupique
Catch and Release
New and Traditional Cajun, Zydeco, Creole, and South Louisiana Roots Music
Follow that lonely gravel road through rice fields and crawfish ponds to places that only the locals know about. There you'll find a unique group of musicians collectively known as Choupique. Their eclectic styles range from the classic cajun tunes that come from the heart, to rockin' zydeco, deep woods creole inspired numbers, and a few other surprises along the way. It's proof that the sum can be greater than the parts, even if you do name your band after an ugly fish.
Band Members:
Anglyn Brown - Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Anglyn started playing guitar in 1997. Her rhythm is flawless. After turning down a promising lingerie modeling career, she joined Choupique "because I was desperate." Her beauty and crowd appeal is lagniappe. Expect everything from hard "chumping" percussive cajun style to delicate picking on a slow gentile waltz. She may also lose the guitar for the frottior, wood block, or 't fer.
Bill Grass - Three time Louisiana State Fiddle Champ, Bill Grass applied with Choupique only after being rejected by such names as "Big Rappin' Daddy R", "The Fly Brothers", and "The Tingling Loins". A superior fiddle player, Bill is also known to pick up the electric guitar for those killer zydeco numbers or swamp pop tunes to polish your belt buckle. If you're lucky, he'll even show off his backup and lead vocal talents.
Kent Lavigne - Making the long trek from Gonzales, LA, Kent Lavigne is the band's "bass man". He also has somehow worked his way into being the band's "guy who knows what key all of songs are in". Kent's bass runs pump up the zydeco and rockin' cajun numbers and lay down in the background for more traditional tunes. "Whatever you're paying me, it's not enough."
Jesse B. Brown - Lead singer of the band, Jesse Brown originally hails from Eunice, LA. During his first public appearance, he won the Mamou "Hard Body Contest" wearing cut-off blue jeans and his infamous straw hat. Since that day, he's been contacted by GQ and Men's Health magazines, but his refusal to lose the hat has limited his modeling career. So, with a desire to be in front of throngs of people screaming his name, he picked up the Cajun accordion. He will join Bill for several twin fiddle tunes, and may even plunck out a few numbers on the mandolin.
Warren Thomassie - Warren Thomassie comes to the band courtesy of his wife. His music abilities are summed up by "I play in perfect time even when the rest of the band is out!" His back up and lead vocals add depth and dimension, and so does the size of his drum kit. A lefty drummer, Warren comes from a musical family and started playing music at age 11. It is apparent that his older siblings taught him well.
World: Zydeco