Small ensembles, specifically duos and trios, were prevalent in the days of early Cajun music until they were shoved aside by larger, more popular dancehall aggregations. But whatever goes around comes around, and in recent times, there’s been a revival of upstart trios paying homage to the roots of the music. Lake Charles’ LakeSide Gamblers, on the other hand, is a trio that breaks the preconceived mold. Instead of dusting off old 78s and devouring every honk and squeal, accordionist Ganey Arsement crafts songs that blend fresh melodies with familiar themes, resulting in new compositions that still feel traditional in nature. “Pas de temps pour pleurer” (no time to cry) is the most surprising throwback tune: a widower vows to remarry quickly and not feel sorry for himself, hence illustrating the harsher realities of long ago life.

Musically, the Gamblers keep it lively with Arsement’s tasteful ornamentation, solid timing and crisp accents, while Mitch Simon maintains a propulsive snap to his acoustic guitar playing. The group varies things up somewhat with an early zydeco-styled original, “Depuis t’es gone,” that gets its Creole crunchy sound by having the mic inside the accordion rather than outside, as well as two Celtic-favored fiddle tunes. Though fiddler Clint Ward exhibits a pretty, pristine tone on “La valse Sallier,” the arrangement could have benefited from more embellishment and variation. That aside, the Gamblers still ramble in the right direction.