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Welcome to my music page. This page is meant to inform, enrich and enhance your appreciation of music and dance.  Suggestions and feedback are always welcome. So tell me what you think and what you’d like to see in articles to come.
  Randy Cook

My first article concerns Southwest Louisiana’s music and dance called Zydeco. To be specific and historically accurate, Black Creole Zydeco (pronounced ZY-duh-coe) music. Cajun is another music and dance form born of the bayous of Southwest Louisiana. I’ll cover this cousin to Zydeco in a later article.    

“Les Haricots” is the French phrase (translated “the snap beans”) pronounced “lay-Zah-ree-coe” that, misheard, became “Zydeco”. The full French phrase is “les haricots sont pas sales”. Lay-Zah-ree-coe-son-pah salay (the snap beans are not salty). This could be a reference to the lack of salt pork during hard times in Louisiana’s history.   

This great music had its start with, shall we say, transplanted peoples…No, let’s be honest….Creole slaves. An old precursor to Zydeco was known as La La music. However, it needs to be pointed out, as it is in the Ben Sandmel book “Zydeco!”(pg.18) that many more were either free people of color who emigrated after the Haitian revolution of 1789, or educated professionals who emigrated from the former French colony of Saint-Dominique. I highly recommend the Sandmel book.

Zydeco, like many forms of great local music, grew from the porches and family rooms of small towns of Southwest Louisiana beginning in the late nineteenth century. Zydeco and it’s equal partner Cajun music borrowed extensively from each other, and both have benefited. (more on Cajun culture in a future article) However, as time went on, Zydeco incorporated Afro-Caribbean rhythms and elements of rock, rhythm and blues and lately elements of rap. Zydeco also picked up the frottoir or scrub board. This is a corrugated metal vest, and is hung over the shoulders and scraped with spoons against the chest. It is always used in Zydeco bands as a powerful percussion instrument.  

The accordions used in Zydeco are far different from the traditional “Lady of Spain” type accordions by the way they are played. Traditional “piano” accordions are used by many players in Zydeco, but more compact diatonic instruments are used by many more. As I’ve said, these instruments in Zydeco music are played differently with much more presence and volume. Additionally, add a drummer who plays the Zydeco “double clutch” bass drum beat, plus snare back-beat, and the occasional cymbal accent or crash and a rhythm guitarist and you have a rockin’ sound that calls dancers to hit the floor to dance song after song after blazing Zydeco tune.

Now to the dance. You can boogie on your own or you can take a Zydeco lesson or two from instructors who will first give you the basic “ slow, quick-quick-slow” focus count. Other instruction will include “open and closed positions” you will need to learn before you can dance with a partner. With your significant other or other willing dance partner, the closed position can be as close as you like. “Yeh… you right” At most any dance or summer festival that includes Zydeco bands, instruction is generally given before a performance.  

Dances are held in many locations even outside Louisiana and I would suggest locating a dance near you. Here’s a link to locating dances or festivals that just may be close by. Arn Burkoff

Give Zydeco a try. It can become a great hobby with potential to perhaps help you to be healthier and happier.  Want to know more....

     Brief History of Cajun, Creole, & Zydeco Music

Curley Taylor - Swamp N Roll

Sean Ardoin and ZydeKool

Louisiana Zydeco Live - With Chris Ardoin

Photo Journal  of Zydeco History

 Events Note

 SC

Featured music in Randy's narration by: W. Ellwood