The Kingdom of ZydecoThere's a musical kingdom in the American South that's not marked on any map. Stretching from the prairies of Louisiana to the oil towns of East Texas, it is ruled over by accordion-squeezing, washboard-wielding musicians such as Boozoo Chavis, Bean Jocque, Buckwheat Zydeco, Nathan Williams, Keith Frank, Terrance Simien, Geno Delafose, Rosie Ledet, C. J. Chenier, and Chris Ardoin. Theirs is the kingdom of zydeco. Michael Tisserand reveals why zydeco's identifiable and unforgettable blend of blues and Cajun influences has made the dance music of the Louisiana black Creoles so popular and widespread. One reason is that it makes your feet move. But zydeco's appeal runs deeper than the feel-good, get-up-and-dance reaction it invariably elicits, and is intertwined in the music's roots and rhythms. Tisserand went on the zydeco trail to meet the major artists, and paints vivid portraits of zydeco people at home and on the road. He reconstructs the legends behind the music's beginnings, offering complete biographies of pioneers such as Amede Ardoin and Clifton Chenier. |
Contents
WHATS IN A NAME | 9 |
SATURDAY NIGHTS DONT COUNT | 23 |
THE CREOLE CROSSROADS | 39 |
LE GRAND CHEMIN DAMÉDÉ ARDOIN | 51 |
A WALTZ CAN TURN TO THE BLUES | 67 |
THE KING OF ZYDECO | 91 |
CARRYING ON | 149 |
A ZYDECO SUCCESS STORY | 157 |
DOG HILL DAYS | 235 |
TRAIL NOUVEAU | 255 |
RIDING LOW AND ROLLING HIGH | 267 |
IT TAKES A WHOLE LOT OF CLIMBING | 279 |
RUNNING AGAINST THE FIELD | 293 |
THIS IS THE SOUND | 307 |
CONQUERED AND CONVERTED | 325 |
A NEW STAGE | 341 |
THE ONESTOP | 175 |
THE HOUSE THAT TOOTTOOT BUILT | 187 |
GULF COAST WEST | 203 |
CORONATION BLUES | 221 |
PHOTO AND LYRIC CREDITS | 374 |
375 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accordion player accordionist ain't album Amédé Ardoin Arhoolie Beau Jocque blues Bois Sec Ardoin Boozoo Chavis brother Broussard Buckwheat Zydeco C. J. Chenier Cajun Cajun music called Canray Fontenot Carrière Chavis's Chris church Cleveland Cliff Clifton Chenier cordion crowd crown daddy dancers deco Dog Hill Dopsie drums Dural Eunice father fiddle French Geno going Guillory guitar hear heard house dance Houston John Delafose Keith Frank King Lafayette Lake Charles laughs Lawtell look Mama musicians Nathan never night Opelousas Orleans play accordion Queen Ida recalls record remembers Richard's Club Rockin rubboard says Shuler Sid O's Simien sing snap beans Soileau song sound Southwest Louisiana started playing Strachwitz talk tell Terrance Simien Texas thing told Toot-Toot tour trail ride tune waltz yeah young zydeco bands zydeco dance Zydeco Festival Zydeco Force zydeco music