Clifton Chenier
Squeezebox Boogie
Just A Memory Records - http://www.Justin-time.com
1999 - available on
Amazon
This is a live disc by the undisputed King of Zydeco playing with his Red Hot Louisiana Band at The Rising Sun Club in Montreal, Canada in 1978. The disc is a prime example of the dance music of southern Louisiana done live in a club is the way this music should be heard, experienced. This is an excellent recording except for the fact that they didn’t take the time to make the sound a little cleaner and fuller. It is not distracting, but enough to be noticed, the technology is there to clean it up without making it sound sterile. With that said let it be know that this was arguably the band that best fit the name he gave to his backing bands. With the likes of his brother Cleveland Chenier on rubboard and Paul Senegal on guitar the band was like a pot of gumbo, the longer it sat on the stove cooking, the better it got. From the enthusiastic noises of the crowd in the background (fortunately not at all overpowering) they were feeling the same way about the band. We are presented on this disc with a good overview of Zydeco music, and his music in particular. He wrote 5 of the 10 songs, including songs that are now classics in the genre. Songs such as “Bon Ton Roulet”, “I’m A Hog For You”, “Jole Blonde”, and “Zydeco Cha Cha”. I don’t think that there are many Zydeco sets played anywhere that doesn’t include at least one of these songs. For you who never got to hear this man, this is a good primer, for those who know Clifton it is a good reminder of why he is the Undisputed King of Zydeco to this day.
Songs, times, and writers
1 Intro – 1:04
2 Rock Me Baby – 6:02 – King/Josea
3 Bon Ton Roulet – 5:14 – Chenier
4 Tu M’as Promis L’Amour (You Promised Me Love) – 5:49 – Huey P. Meaux
5 In The Mood – 3:57 – Garland/Razaf
6 I'm A Hog For You – 5:35 – Chenier
7 Jole Blonde – 3:40 – Chenier
8 Zydeco Cha Cha – 4:32 – Chenier
9 Whole Lotta Lovin’ – 4:22 – Bartholomew/Domino
10 Instrumental – 3:08 – Chenier
The Red Hot Louisiana Band
Clifton Chenier – accordion and lead vocals
Cleveland Chenier – rubboard
Robert Peters – drums
Paul Senegal – guitar
Joe Brouchet – bass
John Hart – tenor saxophone