who form the heart of Bayou Seco, have been researching and playing the music of the Southwest USA – from the Mississippi to the deserts of Arizona – for twenty two years. Respectfully drawing from these traditions and from their own ancestors, they present to the public an exciting and informative overview of Southwestern music on diatonic accordions, fiddles, guitar, mandolin, banjo and harmonica.
Jeanie McLerie
has been a professional musician since 1962, performing in the US, Canada and Europe with the groups Sandy and Jeanie, The Harmony Sisters and The Delta Sisters. In 1985, she started a school of fiddle instruction called “The Fiddling Friends”, which focuses on an international repertoire of fiddle styles and music, with an emphasis on the sources of the music, including personal contact with traditional musicians.
Ken Keppeler
being from a very musical family from New Mexico, Arizona and California, a fourth generation Southwesterner, grew up with the music of the region. He has been a professional musician since 1972 and performed with the Hogwood String Band and with Bo Lpari and Jim Wimmer in Europe in the mid 70’s before joining Jeanie in Louisiana. He is also a violin maker and, with his partner Peter White, has made over 160 instruments that are being played throughout the United States. They are the only people who make five string violins as an instrument specifically for that purpose as opposed to simply making a regular four string violin and sticking another string on it As part of Bayou Seco’s continuing effort to document traditional musicians in the Southwest, he completed a survey of cowboy music and dance for the Smithsonian Institute and has a degree from the University of New Mexico in American Studies.
Both Keppeler and McLerie have apprenticed (studied for two years of longer) with the following master musicians: Dennis McGee (perhaps the greatest Cajun fiddler), Canray Fontenot (Creole fiddler), Maurice Berzas and Alphonse ‘Bois Sec’ Ardoin (Cajun accordeon players), Cleofes Ortiz (traditional New Mexican violinista), Antonia Apodaca (traditional New Mexican accordionist, guitarist and singer) and Elliott Johnson (highly respected Tohono O’Odham (Papago) violinist.
Adventures on the Tunetravelling Highway. With chugging accordeons and wailing, sailing fiddles, Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie present a vibrant collection of vintage and modern tunes and songs in French, Spanish and English, as learned from old master musicians and friends in the Southwest, USA.
They are joined on some tracks by long time loyal Bayou Seco members Paul and Benny Rangell, Emily Abbink, Scott Mathis and Linda Askew, Michael Combs, and Terry Bluhm.
Ken Keppeler – 1 and 3 row diatonic accordeons, Keppeler fiddle, harmonica, guitar, vocals and triangle | Jeanie McLerie – 5 string Keppeler/White fiddles – (CGDAE,CFCGD), J-45 Gibson guitar,vocals | Michael Combs – Vocal and guitar on #4, guitar on # 9,12,16 | Paul Rangel – guitar #6, guitarron/vocals on #7,8 | Emily Abbink – vocals #7, 8 | Terry Bluhm – Acoustic bass #6 | Scott Mathis – Mandolin/vocal/guitarron on #1, mandolin/vocal on # 7, triangle on # 8 | Linda Askew – Guitar on # 1,7,8 | Benny Rangell – Peter White Fiddle on # 7,8
A mixture of a live show at Daniel Steinberg’s house, with Paul Rangell and some with Jeanie and Ken recorded at home on Fiddle Hill. Dedicated to acoustic music lovers everywhere! Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie in a California house concert and at home – an intimate glimpse of some of the songs they love, with some enthusiastic audience participation. They are joined by Paul Rangell, Daniel Steinberg, Terry Bluhm and John Tank on some tracks.
Ken Keppeler: 1 row and 3 row diatonic accordions, Keppeler fiddle, vocals, harmonica, fretless banjo. | Jeanie McLerie: lead and harmony vocals, guitar, 5-string Keppeler/White fiddles (CFCGD & CGDAE). | Paul Rangell – guitar, mandolin, voice #1,2,5,9,10,11; | Daniel Steinberg – Vielle à roue #6; | Terry Bluhm -Acoustic bass #3; | John Tank – tenor sax #3
Tracklist: 1 Estas Lindas Flores | 2 Two-step de Fiquetaique | 3 Chilegumbo Songe | 4 Contredanse | 5 Tecolote | 6 Get Along Little Dogies | 7 Cholla (pronounced Choiya) | 8 Mercredi Soir Passé/Passez Moi la Bouteille | 9 My Heart’s Tonight in Texas | 10 High Toned Dance/Wild Horse | 11 Dennis McGee Reels | 12 Prisoner For Life | 13 Take Me Home | 14 The Last Waltz
This is a CD of social dance tunes from the Tohono O’Odham people of southern Arizon. We learned them from Elliott Johnson of the Gu Achi Fiddlers. He lived in Cababi, Arizona.
Ken Keppeler – Keppeler fiddle – Jeanie McLerie – 5-string Keppeler/White fiddle | Scott Mathis – Gibson F-4 and Collins mandolins, Tarahumara Drum (#4,8,9,12,19) | Linda Askew – Gibson J-45 guitar | Jefferson Voorhees – Drums (tunes #2,7,11,13,14,17,18) | Elizabeth Neely – Tarahumara Drum (tunes #3,15,16 ) | The Rhythm Rangellers (Emily Abbink, Paul, Rafael, and Benny Rangell) (tune # 10)
Tracklist: 1. It’s in There – Elliott Johnson himself – OCT 19, 1991 2. Cuadrilla/Biscuit Cheeks 3. Santa Rosa Processional 4. Uncle Charlies/Marla’s 5. 2nd Time in San Javier/Lonnie’s 6. Sonora Church 2-step 7. Big Shoes 8. Elliott’s Special 9. Peanut Shoes/Purple Lilies 10. Great Big White Tortillas – with the Rhythm Rangellers 11. Memories in Ajo 12. Libby Bird Song Mazurka 13. Mary Johnson’s/Blackie’s 14. First Choice 15. Pinto Beans 16. Caballito Blanco/ Paul’s White Sox 17. Cababi Polka/ Hohokum Polka 18. Squashfields 19. It’s in There 20. Rosalia
Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie have been playing music together for a quarter of a century. “Often backed up by our band members and friends, we decided it was time to record a disc of just us two. We are lucky to have worked with some of the best musicians and rhythm sections over all those years,and we feel their presence even when it is just us two.THANKS.!!! We live a full and wonderful life, collecting and playing traditional American music, teaching, building violins, building a house and traveling and visiting friends.
Ramona Ortiz, wife of Cleofes Ortiz, the fine New Mexico fiddler from Bernal, used to say to us, “I never think I come to such a Bewilderness.” Ken and Jeanie are happy to be in such a place. The Bayou Seco band is lead by Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie. Twenty-five members of the family play on this disc along with Ken and Jeanie, who have kept the band going for 20 years, and who now live in Silver City, NM. This disc is a retrospective of that time, taken from many live gigs, recording sessions, a radio programm old releases and newer DAT recordings. This is music learned from old masters and friends. It’s for sharing around, and dancing in the kitchen.
Ken Keppeler – Diatonic 1 & 3 row and chromatic accordeons on all but #18; fiddle: #6,12,16,20; vocals: #1,4,6,8; gtr: #14 | Jeanie McLerie – Lead vocals, Keppeler/White 5 string fiddles (CGDAE,CFCGD) on all but #6; guitar: #5,12,15; harmony vocals: #5,11,13,18 | a. Paul Rangell – guitar, mandolin and vocals – #6,11,12,17 | b. Emily Abbink – vocals, rubboard – #12,18 | c. Stewart Mennin – clarinet – #12 | d. Terry Bluhm – lead guitar or acoustic bass – #2,4,8,10,13,21 | e. Karl Stalnaker – Fender bass – #2,4,8,10,13 | f. Chris Altenbach – rhythm guitar – #2,4,8,9,10,13 | g. Janet Harman – vocals, saxophone, rubboard – #2,10,13 | h. Marj Mullany(April) – harmony vocals – #13 | i. Duke Dewey – percussion – #2,8,10,13 | j. Manny Rettinger – rubboard – #4 | k. Dominique Parent and Philippe Pierson – vocals – #19 | l. Rus Bradburd – fiddle & Dennis Daily – guitar – #3 | m. Scott Mathis – mandolin,triangle – #16,21 | n. Linda Askew – guitar – #16 | o. Jefferson Voorhees – percussion – #16,21 | P. M. Mueller – triangle – #20 | q. Blake Minnerly – saxophone – #21 | r. Dave Bryan – lead vocal – #15 | s. Susie McLerie – harmony vocal – #17 | t. Antonia Apodaca – diatonic accordeon – #14 | u. Frannie Leopold – lead vocal and guitar – #11 | v. Cleofes Ortiz – lead fiddle – #18 | w. Didier Oliver – mandolin – #6 | x. Romney – triangle – #9
Recorded by: Ken Keppeler – direct to DAT #1,5,7,17; | Manny Rettinger – UBIK Sound, Albu. #2,4,8,9,10,11,13,16; | Mesilla Valley Music – Las Cruces at Music in the Park #3; | Dany Thielemans live at Grand Bal de l’Europe, Gennetines #6; | Jimmy Borsdorf – Rangell Litho Studio, Albuquerque #12; | Simon Welter live at the Outpost Performance Space #14; | David Brower KRWG Radio – live on The Back Porch # 15; | Live from the board – Pt. Townsend, Wash. #18; | René Paul Bernard – le Donegal, Camaret, Bretagne,France #19 | Oliver Knight – PANDA Sound Robin Hood’s Bay, England #20; | Jeanie McLerie – on Stage at Summerfest, Albuquerque #21.
“OLD MUSIC IN THE NEW WEST” DESERT STOMPS, CAJUN ROMPS AND SONGS FOR MODERN COWGIRLS AND VAQUEROS.
Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie are joined by special guests Antonia Apodaca, the Frannie Leopold, and Paul Rangell and the Bayou Seco Band.This music is ancient. Old symbols have been preserved on rock walls, but old tunes have been kept alive in the hands and minds of the musicians and passed on, over the generations, by ear. The tunes are out there in the cosmos, constantly flying through the airwaves, waiting to be lassoed in and spun out through savvy fingers. Dennis McGee used to say, “I feel one coming in now,m” and that’s exactly how it is. Saddle up your old Ford, buckle up tight and get ready for a wild, tune wrangling ride across the deserts, mountains, across the deserts, mountains, plains and bayous.
This collection of music is dedicated to all the musicians we have learned from and played with over the years: Dennis McGee; Canray Fontenot; Alphonse Ardoin; Maurice Berzas; Raymond Francois; Wallace ‘Cheese’ Read; D.L. Menard;Marc Savoy; Cleofes Ortiz; Antonia Apodaca; Alfredo Vigil; Bonnie Apodaca; Elliott Johnson; Robert J. Keppeler; Susie McLerie; and many others.
Ken Keppeler – 1&3 row diatonic accordions, Keppeler violin, harmonica, triangle, & vocals. | Jeanie McLerie – 5-string Keppeler/White violins, guitar, & vocals. (violins tuned: CGDAE & CFCGD) | Frannie Leopold – guitar & vocals on #3,4,11,13,15,16,17. | Antonia Apodaca – lead guitar and lead vocal on #7. | Paul Rangell – guitarron, mandolin on # 3,5,6,11,13,15,16. | Karl Stalnaker – bass on #2,7,8,9,17. | Terry Bluhm – acoustic gtr. on #2,8,9,17, lead vocal on #17 | Jefferson Voorhees – drums, washboard & congas on #2,4,8,9,14,17,18. | Chris Altenbach – electric guitar on #17. | Scott Mathis – mandolin on #4,14,18. | Linda Askew – guitar on #4,14,18. All the violins, and the mandolin played by Paul Rangell, were made by Ken Keppeler and Peter White.
Produced by Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie and Manny Rettinger. Digitally recorded on ADAT by Manny Rettinger and engineered by Manny Rettinger and Ken Keppeler at UBIK SOUND, March and April, 1995. Nos. 1,6,10,12 recorded at Rancho Bayou Seco on a Denon DAT by Ken and Jeanie. Design and layout by Adam Ford. Cover Art by Ken Keppeler.
Songs and tunes from the west, from cowboys, Native Americans, Hispanics, Mexicans, Cajuns and a little Appalachian. The Bayou Seco Trio:Ken Keppeler, Jeanie McLerie, and Mark Mueller, use fine musicianship to give you a tour of our homeland. We have learned most of our music directly from other musicians, in their homes. Many have passed on. Here are some of their gifts to us.
Ken Keppeler: 1 row and 3 row diatonic accordions, Keppeler fiddle, harmonica, Thornburg fretless banjo, vocals on 4, 14. | Jeanie McLerie: lead and harmony vocals, guitar on 4 & 11, 5-string Keppeler/White fiddles (CFCGD & CGDAE) on everything else. | Mark Mueller – Guitar on 1,6,8,9,12,13, vocals on 2,6,9,12,14, fake Farny & Cie fiddle on 2,3,7,10, triangle on 8, cardboard box on 4,11. | Mastered by Manny Rettinger at UBIK Sound, Albuquerque,NM | Recorded by Ken Keppeler while taking care of the other musicians, one of whom had an appendectomy, both of whom had terrible colds, and simultaneously playing on the recording, doing taxes, and fixing our crashed email system. | Cover photo by Patrick Sullivan, taken at the beautiful new fountain at Geronimo Springs in Truth or Consequences, NM, which was designed and built by Shel Neymark.
For bookings contact:Bayou Seco – e-mail: bayousecoATaoldot.com * Tel. 505-534-0298 | website: www.bayouseco.com | PO Box 1393, Silver City, NM 880621
Tracklist: 1 My True Love – 3:04 | 2 Out on the Plains – 3:49 | 3 Sonora Church 2-Step/La Capsula – 5:34 | 4 Love on the Range – 3:26 | 5 Polka de Gascogne – 3:24 | 6 El Testimonio/Cuadrilla de Pecos – 3:15 | 7 Vals Emiliano/Polka Montaña – 4:04 | 8 Bal de Charlot – 2:54 | 9 Fierro/Redondo de Leyba – 4:37 | 10 Crook Brothers’ Sally Ann/14 Miles to Georgia – 3:42 | 11 Patty Moorhead/Fat Doctor – 3:59 | 12 La Ciudad de Jauja – 4:49 | 13 Second Time in San Xavier/Lonnie’s Polka – 4:57 | 14 Home on the Great Divide – 3:41
CD version (incl. shipment cost world-wide)
$ 16.00
USE IT AGAIN – BUVETTE 2004
Ken Keppeler, Jeanie McLerie & Friends.A COLLECTION OF FOLK SONGS from the Southwest and the USA about CACTUS, ANIMALS, RECYCLING AND OTHER FUN STUFF in English, Spanish, and French.
BAYOU SECO is a family of musicians led by Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie. For twenty six years they have been delighting New Mexico and the World with their multi-cultural and multi-lingual songs of the Southwest and Beyond. Ken plays the 1 and 3 row diatonic accordians, fiddle, banjo, harmonica, jaw harp and he sings too. Jeanie plays guitar, five string fiddles, charango, and a bit of kazoo and does most of the singing. On this recording they are ablely joined by Terry Bluhm (electric and acoustic bass throughout); Jefferson Voorhees (drums #1,2,5,8, and Tarahumara drum#9), Stewart Mennin (clarinet# 1); Mark Weaver (tuba#3,10,15); Scott Mathis (vocals#3,7,8, mandolin#7,11); Linda Askew (guitar#7,11,vocals#3&7); Dave Bryan (vocals #4,16); Blake Minnerly (tenor sax and guitar #2); Scott Jarrett (egg shaker #2, drum #11, triangle #14).
WE DEDICATE this recording to all the Bayou Seco family, the folks before us who have kept this music alive, to everyone who has taught us songs and tunes, and to all our friends, old and new, out there and wherever they may be. A big thanks to the communities of Albuquerque and Silver City, who have given us so much support over the years. Also thanks to the Silver City elementary students from Mrs. Earlywine’s, Mrs. Rogers’, Mrs. Fellingham’s and Mrs. Murdock’s classes who did the recycled art in the cover photo, and to Chuck Pawlik for taking that wonderful photo.
Thanks to Manfred Pietrzok, maker of our Manzanita Guitar; to Stan Burg for the loan of two guitars; to Ken Keppeler and Peter White, makers of the four and five string violins and the mandolin. Recorded, engineered and mixed Nov.98-Mar.99 at Thunderbird Studios,Edgewood N.M. by Scott Jarrett. Mastered by Eric Larson at Santa Fe Center Studios, Albuquerque, NM. All songs were recorded live using M/S mic-ing with two coincident AKG TLII’s or with Crown SASS-P Stereo PZM mics. Overdubs were minimal. Produced by Paul Hartsfield for Buvette Music, along with Ken Keppeler and Jeanie McLerie.
Ken, I was refered to you by Marion and Jamie Newton. – Do you do violin repairs ? – Please call me at 575-654-0464; or e-mail : pnjmcquaide@yahoo.com. This is a special fiddle I plan to will to Marion.
Sunnyside 
Sunnyside 
A SLICE OF LIVE
A SLICE OF LIVE
More Memories In Cababi
More Memories In Cababi
MUSIC IN THE AIR 
MUSIC IN THE AIR 
20 Years Happy In The Bewilderness
20 Years Happy In The Bewilderness
Following In The Tuneprints – Buvette 2003
Following In The Tuneprints – Buvette 2003
Adding...
Ken, I was refered to you by Marion and Jamie Newton. – Do you do violin repairs ? – Please call me at 575-654-0464; or e-mail :
pnjmcquaide@yahoo.com. This is a special fiddle I plan to will to Marion.