As tribute records go, this one is more consistent than most.
Boozoo Chavis was the stuff of legend. He cut zydeco's first ever hit in 1954 with "Paper in My Shoe" and became a star, leaving the music when he felt he was being economically exploited. He picked up his button accordion once more 20 years later and regained his title as the king of zydeco. This collection features a number of Louisiana performers who shared the stage with
Chavis and his band.
Marcia Ball performs "Dance All Night" and zydeco artists like
Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys,
Beau Jocque,
Sean Ardoin, and Poncho Chavis & His Magic Sounds perform, as do
Buckwheat Zydeco and
Sonny Landreth. Cajun ensembles like
Beausoleil and
the Hackberry Ramblers -- who play twice, once with
Rodney Crowell fronting the band -- lend a hand, as do
the Iguanas,
Keith Frank, Svare Forsland and
Little Queenie, and
the New Orleans Klezmer All Stars. These tunes by
Chavis are rendered faithfully -- in spirit anyway -- and with plenty of greasy verve. ~ Thom Jurek