This might be a long shot, but I figure if anybody’s well-versed in somewhat obscure bits of culture it’s you guys.
Can you recommend any zydeco bands/artists? I’ve found the Zydepunks, who are fun, but as their name suggests, not straight-up zydeco.
Anybody?
I remember Porch Dogs from when MP3.com was a free site that let various artists hock their wares. Basically, the artists could choose to offer some songs for free download, or at least listening to bring in more potential fans. I loved their songs “Evangeline Special” “Something in my Gumbo” “Hey Tee Fee” “Joe’s Zydeco Party” and another called “Stomp Down Music” from their album “Fido on the Bayou”.
I have a Buckwheat Zydeco album hanging around here somewhere, and the king of the genre for years was Clifton Chenier.
Beau Jacques and the Zydeco Hi-Rollers were fun. (I coulda gone to his last concert before he died, but didn’t see the announcement. Dammit!)
Awesome guys, thanks. I fully expected this thread to die forthwith, and people to wonder what the hell was wrong with me. 
Of course I missed the recent Zydeco Fest here, I didn’t have the money, and didn’t feel like walking the 10 blocks to sit on the seawall and hope to hear some music.
Allmusic offer this as their list of top rated Zydeco Artists:
Buckwheat Zydeco
Boozoo Chavis
Clifton Chenier
Rockin’ Dopsie Beausoleil
Chubby Carrier
C.J. Chenier
Michael Doucet
Beau Jocque
Mamou Playboys
Queen Ida
Zachary Richard
Rockin’ Sidney
Terrance Simien
Balfa ToujoursBruce Daigrepont
John Delafose
Bo Dollis
Eddie LeJeune
Al Rapone
link to Zydeco
Allmusic’s entry on The Porchdogs.
If you ever get a chance to see Beausoleil in concert, try to take advantage.
My husband is not much into moving to music, but when we see a Beausoleil show, he becomes a dancin’ fool.
Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet
Clifton Chenier is my favorite. I’ve got ’ lAmour Ou la Folie by Beausoleil which is excellent. I’ve seen Queen Ida who was pretty terrific in concert, but I don’t know which of her albums are good. Even our local band, JT & the Zydeco Zippers is pretty good. It’s just a super fun genre of music. How can you not feel optimistic listening to zydeco? And like Caprese said, you just gotta dance, even if you’re rhythm challenged.
Another vote for Beausoleil
Plus another of my favorites I don’t see mentioned is Wayne Toups
I can only handle zydeco in small doses. Very small doses.
I’ve always thought Buckwheat Zydeco sucked. Too much of a “popularizer.” On the other hand, I love Boozoo Chavis, who is about as gutbucket as you can get.
My personal fave is Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Favorite album is La Toussaint. Check out the first cut, which opens with a weird long accordion drone before slamming into the rhythm.
Big Clifton Chenier fan checking in.
Greetings from Houston, the Birthplace of Zydeco.
Yes, the roots are in Louisiana’s (Black) Creole culture. But Clifton Chenier added R&B to the rootsy chunka-chunk music & played it in area clubs for homesick Louisiana folks. Mr Chenier lived in Houston for many years & I saw him numerous times–at his peak. He made over-mellow hippies get up off their asses & dance. And the clubs in Frenchtown welcomed all.
Check out wonderful Arhoolie records site for some great recordings by Mr Chenier–with samples & more information. Many of the artists on this page are Cajuns–who play another fine musical genre from Louisiana. Most Cajun artists “segregate” themselves from Zydeco–except for the excellent Beausoleil.
Zydeco is still alive & well. Here are area events & links to other Zydeco sites. Local Catholic Churches with mostly Black congregations hold Zydecos to raise funds–& serve wonderful Louisiana food. Crawfish season begins in the spring; so many St Patrick’s Day & Cinco de Mayo events feature crawfish & zydeco. Hey, whatever works!
Then, there’s Zydeco Rap…
Here’s another site with wider scope.
Have fun.
I loves me some Zydeco!
It is the ultimate in party music. I used to live in an apartment near a large concentration of bars. Anytime we wanted to have a party we would put the speakers in the windows and play Buckwheat or Chenier and the apartment would be rocking in ten minutes.
The Zydeco Dots play the Houston area regularly. There’s a Cajun music show on KPFT 90.1 every Saturday that I listen to from time to time. Good stuff.
If you get a chance, rent **J’ai été au bal**, Les Blank’s terrific documentary on Zydeco, featuring a variety of artists and traditions (the 2 CD soundtrack is worth getting, too).
But if you gotta start somewhere, start with Beausoleil.
May I recommend The Bluerunners from Lafayette LA ? I once wrangled a wedding invitation from a couple I had never met just to see these guys play at their reception. They were friends with the couple in question.
Their first CD is out of print but I found a copy on ebay a couple of years ago. It’s worth hunting for.
I’m a huge Doucet/Beausoleil fan as well. My own contribution to the thread is Wayne Toups and Zydecajun.
Wow, lots of suggestions… Maybe tomorrow I’ll hit up the old record shop nearby and see if they have any of this or can get it in.
Thanks guys!