The Midnite Ramblers are Agi Ban (Aux Cajunals) on fiddle and vocals, Julay Brooks (Creole Belles and Honky Tonk Dreamers) on guitar and vocals, and Mark Marcin on accordion and fiddle. They have been playing upbeat Cajun and Creole music together since 2008. As a trio, the Midnite Ramblers are perfect for small intimate settings. For larger venues, the Ramblers add bass and drums for that big dancehall sound. Bring your dancing shoes and join the Midnite Ramblers for lively two steps, soulful blues and haunting waltzes.
	In 1973, Agi Ban traveled to Cajun country in Louisiana. It was Mardi Gras time. She was invited to ride and play in the Mardi Gras wagon with Dewey Balfa, D.L. Menard, Marc Savoy, Rodney Balfa, and Raymond Francois. They drove around the countryside of the town of Mamou with 100 costumed horseback riders, singing and playing the Mardi Gras song at every farmhouse. To say the least, Agi was enthralled with the Cajun traditions, the music, and the warmth and welcome of the people of Louisiana. After that experience, she traveled to Louisiana every few years. In the old days, she had the opportunity to play with Dennis McGee, Dewey Balfa, Rodney Balfa, Mark Savoy, Michael Doucet, and D.L. Menard. Since then, she has performed with Queen Ida, Danny Poullard, Joe Simien, Ed Poullard Jesse Lége, Ray Abshire, and others. She is one of the original members of our local trio, the Aux Cajunals, with Suzy and Eric Thompson. Agi is also a chiropractor and owns Ashby Chiropractic and Health Center in Berkeley.
		Julay Brooks is an intense, soulful vocalist and a multi-talented instrumentalist, playing lead and rhythm guitar, bass, piano, and the triple-row accordion. Her strong, driving rhythm guitar is the heartbeat of the Midnite Ramblers' sound. Julay's love affair with Cajun music began with an invitation to a dance at Ashkenaz, where the Pine Leaf Boys were playing. She found herself involuntarily singing harmony to all the songs, despite not knowing any of them. This led to further exploration, and then one day Agi suggested that Julay join her and Mark to play some music, and the Midnite Ramblers were born. Julay brings a lifetime of musical experience to the Midnite Ramblers: she studied classical piano for 20 years, and since then has led her own bluegrass band, sung and played country and Western Swing music, and explored world music from conjunto to rembetika. She is in several other local bands (The Creole Belles, The Honky Tonk Dreamers, La Bolshevita, Brooks & Diamant), and teaches piano, guitar, and vocals to 50 students a week in Piedmont and Oakland.
	Mark started playing guitar when he was twelve years old. After college he set aside the guitar to pursue a career as a painter. In the early 90's Mark moved to Lafayette, Louisiana where he taught painting and drawing at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. During this time, Mark fell in love with Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco music. After leaving Lousiana, Mark returned to his musical routes and learned to play the accordion and fiddle. He returns to Louisiana frequently to re-absorb the music and culture. He has studied accordion with Ray Abshire, Dexter Ardoin, Jimmy Breaux, Jeffery Broussard, Jesse Lége, Ed Poullard, Dirk Powell, Steve Riley and Wilson Savoy and he has studied fiddle with David Greely, Jason Frey, Ed Poullard, Cedric Watson, Linzay Young, and the Bay Area's own Suzy Thompson. His musical influences include Octa Clark, Iry Lejeune, Aldus Roger, Nathan Abshire and Amédé Ardoin. Mark is a trainer with Lucasfilm in San Francisco.

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