The name JimmyJo and the Jumbol'Ayuhs (pronounced Jum-bo-LAY-uhs) is a "Maine" play on words (ayuh). Maine is the second state in the United States in percentage of residents who speak French, after Louisiana. We LOVE everything Cajun, the music and food, but more than anything we love the *community*; the genuineness of the music, the love, the sincerity, raw emotion, gutsiness, openness. Louisiana and Maine have more than language in common. Both are rural states where people worked hard (farming, fishing, working in the woods and on the rivers (bayous) and played hard. Music was part of the fabric of life that counterbalanced work and while the music styles are different, there is a connection and we, as a band, try to honor that! The original Acadians came from Nova Scotia- Google Le Grand Dérangement. Some of the Acadians ended up in Maine while many more ended up in southwest Louisiana. This all started in the mid 1700's and after 300 years, we still stay connected culturally.
JimmyJo and the Jumbol'Ayuhs plays Cajun dance hall music as it has evolved into the 20th and 21st centuries. We try to stay true to the tradition and our repertoire includes tunes by Dewey Balfa, Octa Clark, Canray Fontenot, Dennis McGee, Amédé Ardoin and others. We also realize we are dealing with a continuing tradition and play many modern Cajun songs, including some original numbers penned by Pam and Jim, and many of our friends who are a part of the present-day Cajun scene: Mike Doucet, Mark and Ann Savoy, David Greely, and MANY more, as well as some Swamp Pop and Zydeco numbers. This is DANCE MUSIC, and we always encourage folks to get up and dance, whether we are in a dance hall or in a concert setting. If the music makes you want to dance.. don't be shy, get up and DANCE.
JimmyJo and the Jumbol'Ayuhs has played at several of the Cajun/Zydeco and "roots" festivals in the northeast including Bayou Brooklyn, Strawberry Park, NEFFA, DEFFA, Falcon Ridge Folk Fest, and Camp Zydecow. We bring a slightly different aspect to Cajun music with 5 part vocal harmony, innovative percussion solos, and song medleys, while still preserving the heart of the Cajun tradition. The band was started in 1999. Pam, Jim and Bill have been playing together for over 25 years and it shows..