Bar DKDC has a long history of fostering the bonds between Memphis and New Orleans. In years past, they’ve hosted the Wild Magnolias, a wall-to-wall tribute to Dr. John (complete with street parade) and more. This Friday, February 25, they’ll carry on that tradition, but with a slightly different twist. Sure, there will be plenty of Second Line fever, courtesy of the Lucky 7 Brass Band, but when Marcella and Her Lovers take center stage, they’ll bring a lesser-known slice of Louisiana: Mardi Gras, country style.
I caught up with Marcella Simien, daughter of the Grammy-winning zydeco master Terrance Simien, to hear about her unique take on that time of year when you just have to “laissez les bons temps rouler.”
Memphis Flyer: I suppose Mardi Gras songs are burned into your brain, having grown up in Louisiana.
Marcella Simien: Yeah. When you grow up immersed in the culture, it becomes a part of your DNA. And it shows up in a little bit of everything I do. Like in the phrasing of things. I’ll notice little things I do that remind me of all the things I grew up hearing. In our household, dad was close with some of the Neville Brothers, so those voices informed so much of how I sing and phrase things. It’s really an honor to perform this music and carry on these great songs that are a deep part of my heritage. Art Neville was like an older brother to my dad. When dad was coming up, Art really was a mentor of his, and even played on dad’s second album. He played keys with him and gave him advice. Dad’s got some great stories about that time, when he was in his early 20s and kind of a country boy, not knowing the ropes of the business. Art really schooled him in a really kind way.
To be growing up in that environment must have been inspiring.
Yeah, it’s wild to think about being close to it like that. Because you don’t realize until you’re a little older and more educated what a profound effect that music — the Meters and the Neville Brothers — had on the world. It’s huge.
Where was the family home as you were growing up?
My dad’s from Mallet, Louisiana, which is a really small community outside of Opelousas. There’s a church and grocery store, and that’s about it. That’s where my grandparents’ home is and where my dad grew up. The Simien family’s ancestry goes back hundreds of years there.
It’s about two hours west of New Orleans, so it wasn’t like we were in New Orleans a lot, but I would spend time there, growing up. We would go several times a year.
For Mardi Gras?
No, not really! We did Mardi Gras in the country. Like the trail ride stuff, which is way different than the city Mardi Gras. And I was a little kid. It was more appropriate or safer for me to go to Mardi Gras parades in Lafayette. New Orleans was a little wilder! We mostly went to New Orleans during the festival season, for Jazz Fest or the French Quarter Fest in June. Like when dad would play, or people would come to town. I knew a lot about New Orleans, but I didn’t live there. But I still kind of came of age going there. I’d sneak away as a teenager. [laughs].
So your dad stayed in the community where he grew up. And Mardi Gras was celebrated a little differently there. What was that like?
Well, they call it a Mardi Gras Run. In the country, they start drinking really early on Mardi Gras day. People would be on horseback. There would be people in pickups with truck beds full of hay, and people with instruments on the truck beds, playing music. And you’d go down these trails out in the country and just party! You’d be outside and it was beautiful. And then there would be a part in the day, after people were pretty inebriated, where they’d chase the chickens — to catch some and wring their necks. And then they’d go cook a gumbo with the chicken at the end of the day. Everyone’s together, it’s a big tradition. That’s how the Prairie Creoles would do it. And it’s fun! It’s rustic! [laughs]. You dress up and make a day of it.
Then there’d be parades in the city too. So in Lafayette, you would have a Mardi Gras break, where you’d get out of school for Lundi Gras, Mardi Gras, and Ash Wednesday. It’s kind of like they’re living on their own time, down there in Louisiana.
Do you associate some different songs with Mardi Gras, that you wouldn’t necessarily hear in New Orleans?
Yeah. With that zydeco accordion, you hear a little bit of it in New Orleans, but that’s not the primary sound. It’s jazz and horns and pianos. But with the Prairie Country Creole kind of stuff, the French speaking Creoles play accordion, and maybe a fiddle and rub board as the main instrumentation. Maybe a full band with guitars and bass and drums. The French Creole stuff is unique to the area that I come from. Definitely different from the New Orleans Mardi Gras experience, although they nod to each other. They honor each other in different ways. It’s all soul music.
What are some zydeco songs that you’ll likely play on Friday?
I’ll do “Jolie Bassette” and “La Danse de Mardi Gras,” and probably a Meters medley to pay tribute to the New Orleans heritage. I’m definitely bringing some Mardi Gras beads to toss during my show.
And the Lucky 7 Brass Band will be playing as well?
Yeah. And it’s been amazing to watch what a following they’ve developed. Victor’s such a great band leader, and I’m so blown away at how tight they are, and so much fun to watch and so high energy. It’s the ultimate way to kick off a party.
Don’t some members of the group join your band sometimes?
Yeah, they’ll sit in with us. If they have their horns with them and they’re in the mood, I want them up there. I love it when they join in. Victor will sit in with us sometimes when we share a bill. He did that last June, when Karen [Carrier] reopened DKDC for the first time since the pandemic started.
Will David Cousar play guitar with your band this weekend?
Dave Cousar will be with us on March 3 and on April 2. But for the Mardi Gras show, we’ll have Steve Selvidge, Landon Moore, and Art Edmaiston. And usually we have Robinson Bridgeforth on drums, but he’s giving a master class at Georgetown — he’s a great drummer — so we’ll have Ryan Peel with us. He’s actually playing with the Lucky 7 as well, so it’ll be a cool merging of the two bands. It’s going to be a family affair!
Bar DKDC, Mardi Gras Party ft. Marcella & Her Lovers + Lucky 7 Brass Band, Friday, February 25, 9 p.m.
