Jackson Station, Double Bayu, Texas — Image by kenne
He stands in the shadow
zipper rasp loud as crickets,
beer can on the ground.
The pumps long silent,
just dust and a flickering
fluorescent store light.
Moonlight bathes the lot,
silver on gum wrappers, rust—
he waters the past.
Somewhere down the road,
the dance hall dreams in splinters—
still catching blues songs.
Bayou Blues — Photo-artistry by kenne
Tonight we gather in this dance hall
Everyone is looking for a way to let their feelings out.
It takes two to tango and I think I’m ready
To sweep you off your feet.
We’ll count the steps as one, two, three
And act out a story between swaying bodies.
A small twist here and pirouette there
Is all it takes to make this kids heart start to race.
So let’s start this off with a twist
and end it with a dip
As we start to move you’ll feel the rhythm
Start to move you as it takes control of your hips.
from “The Rhythm She Feels Inside (A Dancehall Kind of Love)” by Leslie Alexis
Double Bayou Dance Hall (May 25, 2005) — Image by kenne
Sunday Afternoon At Gruene Hall — Photo-Artistry by kenne
‘The Place’
Gruene Hall took on the mantel
‘Texas’s Oldest Dance Hall’
after Hurricane Katina destroyed
the Double Bayou Dance Hall in 2007
locally called ‘The Place’ for 65 years —
there was blues in this place
music by the people for the poor
served up with beer and bar-b-q
— kenne
Double Bayou Dance Hall (‘The Place’)
Double Bayou Dancehall (October 19, 2002) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
DOUBLE BAYOU, THAT IS
— kenne
Note: Click on the Double Bayou Dancehall below the top image
to see a video on the history of dancehall.
Double Bayou Dance Hall (October 19, 2002) — Image by kenne
Down the road from Jackson’s Grocery
the blues was hangin’ on the hot, humid breeze
at Pete’s place where Bar-B-Q was served on
white bread off the back of an old pick-up truck.
On weekends the blues would be swinging through
the tall gulf coast pines of southeast Texas
attracting outsiders from Houston to hear
Pete sing and play The Blues at the Double Bayou.
By chance the life of Pete and the dance hall ended in 2008 —
Hurricane Ike destroyed the dancehall in September,
and after years of poor health, Pete passed away
the following December. He was 70 — for Pete’s sake!
— kenne
Double Bayou Dance Hall (October 10, 2002) — Image by kenne
I’m fascinated with photos.
When you look at a photograph, what do you see?
Is what you see reality?
Is it posed?
Many of my blog posting start with “Capturing The Moment,” which might imply: taken out of reality; taken out of context; posed.
What is really happening in the moment?
When you look at the above photo, which captured a moment, you don’t get the narrative. You don’t know how the image fits into the world, but if you begin to ask questions related to who, what, where, when and how you can create a narrative — a photo story that effectively places you into the image. Still, when many people look at a photo, they tend to be matter-of-fact about matters of fact.
Because I took the above photo, I know more facts of the narrative. Because I composed this photo, the moment is out of context, in a sense I posed the photo, which is why I believe all photos are posed.
Still, this photo provides the viewer a lot of information from which to create a story that will allow the image to fit into the viewer’s world. It’s a narrative we create using our values, experience and perception, which allows a photo to become attractive to the viewer. The viewer can be connected and not connected — looking at the past as if he/she is there.
Photos offer a powerful look into history, so ask questions.
kenne
Bayou Blues (Pete Mayes and John Broussard at Double Bayou Dance Hall, May, 2003) — Computer Painting by kenne)
— Langston Hughes
The Double Bayou Dance Hall, “The Place”, where you could get good smoke brisket
and local women offered homemade pecan, lemon meringue and sweet potato pies. (October 19, 2002) — Image by kenne
Break Between Sets at the Double Bayou Dance Hall, “The Place” (May 25, 2003) — Image by kenne
Double Bayou Dance Hall (October 19, 2002) — Image by kenne
DOUBLE BAYOU, THAT IS
— kenne
Swinging To The Blues — Image by kenne
— kenne
Front Door To Jackson’s Grocery, Double Bayou (The Place), Texas. — Images by kenne
All-time is created equal,
but we don’t use it equally.
Some are livin’ on bayou time,
while others in a New York minute.
My time is your time,
but it is not mine to give.
You can’t give away
something that isn’t yours.
…unless you share the moment.
— kenne
Image Source: Library of Congress
I recently observed this Library of Congress photo of a gas station, grocery store and “juke-joint” in Melrose, Louisiana. This image reminded me of rural northern Alabama where I lived with my grandparents for several of my childhood years, minus the “juke-joint.” This photo also reminded me of Jackson Grocery in Double Bayou, Texas. No juke-joint here, but a few hundred feet down the road you will find the Double Bayou Dance Hall. The grocery store still exist, however, the dance hall was badly damaged by hurricane Ike and remains closed.
kenne
Jackson Grogercy in Double Bayou, Texas (Note the guy on the left) — Image by kenne
Double Bayou Dance Hall, Double Bayou, Texas — Image by kenne
Dancing at The Double Bayou Dance Hall — Image by kenne
Sweet Mama Cotton with Pete Mayes & The Texas Houserockers at The Double Bayou Dance Hall — Image by kenne
This revisit came about by an email I receive yesterday from Sheryl Shaw, who is with the Chambers County historical commission. They are gathering photos and memorabilia from Double Bayou Dance Hall and Pete Mayes and the Texas Houserockers for exhibiting at the museum. She requested use of the video of photos I a short time after Pete’s passing away, which would be an honor for it to be a part of the exhibited.
For the uninitiated, The Double Bayou Dance Hall, in the small black community of Double Bayou in Chambers County sixty miles east of Houston. I dedicated to the memory of Pete Mayes and Billie Dietz. It was through Art and Billie Dietz that we learned about the Double Bayou Dance Hall. Steve Bucher also educated me on Dance Hall. The old Double Bayou Dance Hall still exist, but barely since hurricane Ike played hell with the 1941 structure. As secretary for the historical commission, Sheryl is helping to renew interest in restoring the dance hall. If you would like to learn more about their efforts, you can contact Sheryl at Dunkit42@aol.com.
kenne
Image by kenne, 2010 (Original Images 2002)
