The Midnite Ramblers are Agi Ban (Aux Cajunals) on fiddle and vocals, Mark Marcin on accordion and fiddle (Mark also plays occasionally with The California Bluerunners), Karen Celia Heil - Knuckle Knockers, KC & the MooNshine Band and Plaid Strangers. - Karen is a San Francisco Bay Area musician who plays Old-time and Cajun music on fiddle and guitar, and Allegra Thompson (Thompsonia and Aux Cajunals) on upright bass and vocals. The Midnite Ramblers as a quartet or as a trio are perfect for small intimate settings, like weddings and parties. For that big dancehall sound, the Ramblers will sometimes add drums. 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.

	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. You may have seen Mark sit-in with local Bay Area Cajun and Zydeco bands such as Andrew Carriere and the Cajun Allstars or The Aux Cajunals. Mark is a trainer and computer graphics artist with Lucasfilm in San Francisco.

	Karen Celia Heil is a San Francisco Bay Area musician that plays Old-time and Cajun music on fiddle, guitar, and sometimes other stringed instruments. She plays with Knuckle Knockers, KC & the MooNshine Band, Plaid Strangers and the AuxCajunals. She sometimes travels nationally and internationally for musical engagements, both performing and teaching. Karen is currently working on many projects and music community issues with the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, and the board of the California Bluegrass Association.

Allegra started out on the path to Cajun music earlier than most. The daughter of local musicians Eric and Suzy Thompson , she was raised on a steady diet of American roots music, everything from Delta Blues to Appalachian fiddle tunes. Allegra was lucky to hear first-hand the amazing music of Dennis McGee, Dewey Balfa, Mark Savoy, and nearly all of the greats of Cajun and Creole music in Louisiana. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; Allegra has inherited both her parents’ love of traditional music as well as her mother’s powerful singing voice. She backs up her singing with a strong rhythm section, playing both standup bass and rhythm guitar. Allegra is also a founding member of the Honky Tonk band - The Drifter Sisters.