L’aissez les bon temps roulez is the Socially Sparked® quote of the week. Mardi Gras 2020 is in high gear through this coming Tuesday, February 25th. Known as Fat Tuesday — this fitting expression truly captures the essence of one that is Socially Sparked!
Through my travels to New Orleans over the last few weeks, I have personally had the ultimate global warming experience. When in New Orleans for the Folk Alliance International Conference, I arrived to the frigid temperature of 32 degrees. The following day brought rain. By week’s end, the city reached 60+s degree temps.
Weather can be a real mood enhancer up or down. Given the drastic temperature shift within a 72-hour period, I decided that we need to roll with the shifts and embrace what mother nature brings so as not to let our spirits deflate. Thus—a new meaning for L’aissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (Let the Good Times Roll).
Mardi Gras always falls on the Tuesday that is 47 days before Easter and always the day before Ash Wednesday — which is the start of Lent. Carnival season refers to the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, and officially begins on January 6 every year. Carnival season lasts for more than a month but the parties, parades and fun kick into high gear on the Thursday before Mardi Gras.
THE GOOD TIMES ROLL YEAR-ROUND
For over 50 years the man they call Mojo has been letting the good times roll in countless ways. He’s a musician, singer-songwriter, bandleader, mentor, board member to many arts organizations, and the Ultimate Giver.
His band, Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies has been entertaining audiences around the world year-round for five decades. They have been performing their annual Mardi Gras Show for 35 years. Truly, this cajun, zydeco band from N’awlins area captures the essence of “L’aissez Les Bons Temps Roulez.”
“I discovered his music searching for a soundtrack for 10 ‘Soldier Story’ mini-documentaries created to engage support of the creation of a National Museum of the US Army… Mojo’s composition ‘Lights on the Bayou’, a beautiful and haunting ballad in the cajun style, was the perfect fit. This introduced me to Mojo and the discovery that there is more to his music and more to the man than his cajun accordion.” — Joe Gallo, Director, “The Magic Behind the Mojo”
Now an independent short-form documentary “The Magic Behind the Mojo” is making the film festival rounds. Directed by Joe Gallo, this documentary looks into the making of a man who gives something everyday, lives life to the fullest, and all his friends are friends for life. The film was accepted to The Golden State Film Festival and the screening is on Fat Tuesday, February 25th at 2PM.
Let the good times roll indeed! Happy Fat Tuesday. Abbe is #SociallySparked! — Tweet @asparks01 & @sosparkednews
*This story has been updated from its original date of February 2017.
