Simi Valley might not be the funkiest enclave in the Southland, but this weekend it moves a whole lot closer to Louisiana in spirit with its annual Cajun and blues festival. Saturday's headliners include British blues maven John Mayall and the surviving remnants of influential local blues-rock heroes Canned Heat, but no one will draw more attention than Guitar Shorty, the fret-spinning, guitar-twirling, note-stabbing master showman who was a major influence on the young Jimi Hendrix. Appearing on Saturday and Sunday are C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, led by the son of late, great zydeco wizard Clifton Chenier. Squeezing out his bittersweet surges of accordion, C.J. infuses the blues with the magically deft, shuffling rhythms of zydeco, turning loneliness and heartache into a merry celebration. Among other delights, Sunday closes with the soulful entreaties of Swamp Dogg and the insanely elaborate pedal-steel forays of Robert Randolph. Also Sunday, May 25.

Sat., May 24, 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., 2014
(Expired: 05/24/14)

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