Various Artists: A Tribute to the King Of Zydeco
Valcour Records. VAL-LP 0058 (LP). 2025. Steve Berlin, Joel Savoy, prods.; Justin Tockett, Tony Daigle, Mike Napolitano, Matt Clifford, many others, engs.
Performance ****½
Sonics **** Of all the genius-level musical talent to come from Louisiana, few have had more far-reaching influence outside their niche than the singer, songwriter, and marvelous chromatic piano key accordionist Clifton Chenier. A native of Leonville, Louisiana, and the son of a diatonic accordion player, Chenier, who died in 1987, has become a towering figure in American music, best known as the brightest star and most skilled practitioner of zydeco. A collection of songs he wrote or is closely associated with, covered by an array of Americana and roots music performers, A Tribute to the King of Zydeco is intended as a celebration of Chenier's 100th birthday. Sung primarily in French, zydeco is a blend of blues, R&B, Caribbean, and African influences liberally mixed with what came to be known as swamp pop as well as the older Louisiana Creole music called la la. The accordion and the percussive rubboard, the vest frottoir, are its most essential instruments. The word "zydeco" seems to have come from les haricots, French for snap or green beans as in les haricots (ne) sont pas salés, and was widely known slang for hard times. One of Chenier's earliest recordings, from 1955, was "Zodico Stomp"; he later claimed to have come up with the anglicized spelling, zydeco.
Chenier's recording career began in the mid-1950s and moved through music labels: Elko, Imperial, Specialty, Chess, and finally Arhoolie, where in partnership with the late Chris Strachwitz, that indefatigable chronicler of American roots music, he made many of his best recordings.
Tribute records, even those launched with the best of intentions, often end up sounding like lifeless, rote exercises. But due no doubt to the widespread and ever-increasing respect for Chenier's music, everyone here sounds engaged and eager to make an impassioned, listenable contribution. Some of this music was recorded at Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana, by engineers Justin Tockett and Ian Sutherlin; other tracks—mainly vocals—were recorded in studios across the world, from Paris, France, to Queens, New York. Produced by Los Lobos's Steve Berlin and Joel Savoy, the album was mixed by David Simon-Baker, who did a fine job balancing the sound of all those flown-in parts.
The big get here is The Rolling Stones, whose contribution on "Zydeco Sont Pas Salés" was, like much of this collection, recorded elsewhere and flown in. Yet like much of the rest of the album, this assembled track is admirably clear and balanced. Always able to relate to anything down 'n' dirty, The Stones—Ron Wood, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagger, joined by original Chenier drummer Robert St. Julien—recapture some of the ramshackle charm of the original.
Other inspired vocal performances include left-of–Music Row country singer Charley Crockett, who nails the emotions of the slow blues "Easy Easy Baby." Lucinda Williams and swamp pop veteran Tommy McLain combine for a feverish duet on another sad love song, "Release Me"; McLain pushes his voice as he pleads, "To waste our lives/Would bring us pain/Release me/And let me love again." The rocked-up instrumental "Hot Rod," featuring Los Lobos's David Hidalgo and Clifton's son C.J. on accordion, is a groover. Current NOLA pianist Jon Cleary came up with the slow, smooth arrangement of "I'm on the Wonder," a Chenier original that he recorded as part of his first session for Arhoolie. This version features Cleary on Hammond B3 organ and Sherelle Chenier Mouton, the daughter of Clifton's brother Cleveland Chenier, who played rubboard in Clifton's band, keeping time on the same instrument. About Chenier, Cleary says, "By the time I got to New Orleans, Clifton had lost a leg, and it was easier for him to just stay on stage and keep playing all night than to shuffle on and off. He would groove for four hours straight. I still have a fading poster from Tipitina's that Clifton signed for me, an 18-year-old fan in the audience. He looks very regal in his big crown, above the line that says, 'I'm a Hog for you.' There's only one King of Zydeco."
The biggest question about this collection and a possible obstacle to its success was who would play the accordion? Who was going to play Chenier's instrumental parts? The creative, successful answer was to make this a showcase of modern accordion players of Louisiana and Texas music. The players standing in for Chenier include Steve Riley, Nathan Williams Sr., Keith Frank, Anthony Dopsie, Curley Taylor, Josh Baca, Roddie Romero, Geno Delafose, and Clifton's son C.J.
Valcour Records recently joined the Chenier family estate and the University of Louisiana Lafayette to form the Clifton Chenier Memorial Scholarship, which will offer annual financial assistance to students studying traditional music, specifically zydeco accordion. All proceeds from A Tribute to the King of Zydeco will go directly toward funding this new scholarship. Also in celebration of Chenier's 100th birthday, this fall, Smithsonian/Folkways will release a four-CD/six-LP box, Clifton Chenier: King of Louisiana Blues and Zydeco.—Robert Baird
Valcour Records. VAL-LP 0058 (LP). 2025. Steve Berlin, Joel Savoy, prods.; Justin Tockett, Tony Daigle, Mike Napolitano, Matt Clifford, many others, engs.
Performance ****½
Sonics **** Of all the genius-level musical talent to come from Louisiana, few have had more far-reaching influence outside their niche than the singer, songwriter, and marvelous chromatic piano key accordionist Clifton Chenier. A native of Leonville, Louisiana, and the son of a diatonic accordion player, Chenier, who died in 1987, has become a towering figure in American music, best known as the brightest star and most skilled practitioner of zydeco. A collection of songs he wrote or is closely associated with, covered by an array of Americana and roots music performers, A Tribute to the King of Zydeco is intended as a celebration of Chenier's 100th birthday. Sung primarily in French, zydeco is a blend of blues, R&B, Caribbean, and African influences liberally mixed with what came to be known as swamp pop as well as the older Louisiana Creole music called la la. The accordion and the percussive rubboard, the vest frottoir, are its most essential instruments. The word "zydeco" seems to have come from les haricots, French for snap or green beans as in les haricots (ne) sont pas salés, and was widely known slang for hard times. One of Chenier's earliest recordings, from 1955, was "Zodico Stomp"; he later claimed to have come up with the anglicized spelling, zydeco.
