To my knowledge, zydeco is a style of music that combines elements of many styles of music such as rhythm and blues, funk, rock, jazz and blues and features the accordion. According to Sean Ardoin on "Zydekool Rollin", it comes from the southwestern part of Louisiana. In Ardoin’s hands it certainly is a boisterous, upbeat, "happy" music, as the music contained here demonstrates. The first three numbers (and as I soon found out, all the numbers) here are entirely interchangeable, with the grooves and changes undistinguishable. "Mama", starts out with a simple, soulful, bluesy accordion ( if you can believe that) and vocal, then doubles up into the same tempo and groove as the first three numbers, albeit in a minor key. With lyrics like "Mama was a woman, Mama was a woman you see...." and "Mama used to tell me to get up early with the chickens, don’t take no wooden nickels..." we realize this music is about the groove. Ardoin also tackles serious issues in "Not A Booty Call" and "Freaky Deaky" with the same lyrical aplomb, repeating over and over "because I love you" in the former and simply, "Freaky Deaky" in the latter. To say that this music is even review-able on All About Jazz is debatable, so as subjectively as I can put it, if zydeco is your cup of tea, you might enjoy this. I didn’t.

Track listing: Pullin’, Zydekool Rollin’, Shut 'Em Down, Mama, Forget About It, New School/Old School, Creole Girl, Not A Booty Call, Two Fingers In The Air, Whoa, I Feel Alright, Ooh Ooh, Do It, Freaky Deaky, Brother-In-Law Recorded in New Orleans. La, in 2001

Personnel: Sean Ardoin, accordion, vocals, drums, Henry "Trip" Wamsley, Chuck Bush, bass, Vanessa Ardoin, Chuck Bush, Raymond Williams, Sean Ardoin, background vocals

Style: Fringes of Jazz
Published: December 01, 2001

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