Lee Benoit’s Pour les Générations à Venir is not explicitly Cajun music for kids. He’s not the Cajun Raffi; instead, he presents a disc geared toward the next generation (and generation after that) of Cajuns. While utilizing three generations of his family (his young grandson does some baby-talking on a song), Benoit crafts a Cajun record for both old and young.

The latest in his 20-plus year career, the album offers 12 songs—mostly by Benoit, with a few from Maurice Lassere, Mary Brown and Kerry Boutté. The record is a grab bag of Cajun sounds, all of it vivid and playful. From contemporary dancehall sounds to the BeauSoleil style of “Dennis Comeaux,” it is light, beautiful Cajun music. Benoit’s classic “Valerie”—nominated for song of the year in 1994 by the Cajun French Music Association (CFMA)—gets a masterful redo.

Benoit notes here that he wanted to create positive-story songs. So there’s no drinking songs or deep, sorrowful tunes that populate his genre, but there are a few interesting departures from the middle-of-the-road Cajun approach: “Une Visit Avec Pachelbel” is Benoit’s take on Pachelbel’s “Canon in D major”—the requisite wedding song. “Le Deux-pas à Monsieur Grosbec”—sung by Lassere—is a comical tale about hunting gros becs (night heron). The former is an odd find for a Cajun CD and, while it may not become a favorite at the dancehall, Benoit and family play it well. Lassere’s tale of gros-bec hunting, now illegal, resurrects an old Cajun practice and reminds the next generation that Cajuns get by on what they have.

Benoit’s mission to create new story songs and pass his music to his grandson is a success.

Says Benoit, “I know that most younger people don’t realize our rich heritage and history. I would like to inspire them to appreciate what we have.”