Big Red & The Zydeco Playmakers
Secret Ingredients
Maison de Soul – 1084
available on amazon
Josef Lynn “Big Red” Arline has come up with a first official disc that is bound to get him noticed, and hopefully ensure a good quick journey to the top of the Zydeco charts, and a long stay there. He has songs that generally get a story going in his lyrics, as opposed to mindless repetition of a catch phrase or two to carry the song. He wrote 10 of the 13 songs on this disc and the covers are of very good material, by the likes of Clifton Chenier and Roy Orbison, and he does a very good job on those. He has put together a very solid band that allows his Zydeco to incorporate a bit of reggae, and rock and even a bit of hip-hop without sounding forced or as if it is trying to appeal to all, but rather show some of his other
influences, aside from the church and blues. Take a good long listen to “Realization,” and get an idea of the range in his voice. No he doesn’t have the vocal strength of Terrance Simien, however he does have one of the best voices in Zydeco. This is a disc to pick up and don’t lose sight of this performer as he has some great strengths going for him.