Credits

DVD created and produced by Robert Willey
©2005 Robert Willey and Karl Fontenot, Lafayette Louisiana

Paintings used in DVD design ©2004 Francis X Pavy, Lafayette Louisiana

Published by Center for Louisiana Studies, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Copies donated to libraries and cultural institutions, and are not for sale.

Audio mastering by Ivan Klisanin
Songs are ordered on the DVD chronologically by recording date.


Scenes from "Hot Pepper" (1973)

Clifton Chenier, accordion, vocal
Cleveland Chenier, rubbard
Robert St. Julien, drums
Felix James Benit, guitar
Charles Goodman, bass
Junius St. Julien, rhythm and equipment manager

Scenes used by permission from Les Blank's film "Hot Pepper" - Flower Films http://www.lesblank.com
Video excerpting by Robert Willey. Cuts are indicated by page wipes.

 

1987 Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival

Clifton Chenier and His Red Hot Louisiana Band, What I'd Say
Clifton Chenier, accordion, vocal
Warren Cesar – trumpet
Harry Hypolite – guitar
C.J. Chenier – saxophone, keyboard
Wayne Burns - bass
Joseph Edwards - drums

Video producer - Dan Hildenbrandt
Camera and engineer - Karl Fontenot
Audio is line feed from the front of house board mix - Bill Bennett, engineer

Two other songs were included from the same set in Hildenbrandt's documentary "Zydeco Gumbo" (1988) that features Clifton Chenier, John Delafose, Boo Zoo Chavis, Terrance Simien, and Willis Prudhomme. It is evidently Clifton's last recorded performance. What I'd Say is used by permission (by Dan Hildenbrandt and Clifton Chenier's son, C.J., who played saxophone in that band, and Warner Chappell, the publisher) and shown on this DVD for the first time.

 

Remaining Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festivals

Producer - Karl Fontenot
Camera operators, technical directors, and assistants were volunteers from Acadiana Open Channel of Lafayette, Louisiana, whose video production equipment was used.
Boom camera - Wendell Basinger from Baton Rouge.
Audio for 1995 - 1998 festivals - Karl Fontenot, Terry Dupuy, Chad Brown, and Todd Leblanc.


1995 Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival

Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys - Brown Sugar
Rosie Ledet, accordion
Morris Ledet, bass
Lanice Ledet, washboard
Kent August, guitar
Corey Ledet (not “Lil’ Pop”), drums

The Creole Zydeco Farmers - Baby Don't You Cry
Leon Murphy Richard, accordion
Clarence "Jockey" Etienne, drums
Morris Francis, bass
Chester Chevalier, guitar
Joseph Rogers Charles, washboard


1996 Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival

Boozoo Chavis and the Magic Sounds
Johnnie Billy Goat
Tell Me What's The Matter
Wilson Anthony “Boozoo” Chavis, accordion, vocals
Anthony Charles "Poncho" Chavis, rubboard
Classie Ballou Jr., bass
Carlton “Guitar” Thomas, guitar
Rellis Chavis, drums

Keith Frank and the Soileau Family Band - Sweet Soul Music
Keith Frank, accordion, vocal
Jennifer Frank, bass
Brad Frank, drums
George Lee, guitar
Eric Cole, scrub board

 

1997 Documentary footage

Producer/video - Karl Fontenot
Initiated by a grant with Paul Scott to work on zydeco music documentary. Production equipment provided by KDCG-TV22 of Opelousas, Lousiana

Some of the footage was considered for the DVD. In the end we decided to pack it with as much music as possible. The tapes, which have been converted to DVDs by Robert Willey, are archived in the Louisiana Studies area of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Dupré library.

Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas - Zydeco Hog
Nathan Williams, accordion, vocal
Dennis Paul Williams, guitar
Wayne Burns, bass
Gerard St. Julien, drums
Mark Anthony Williams, scrub board

Recorded at El Sid-O's Zydeco and Blues Club on 10/21/97

Preston and Carlton Frank - You Act Sick When Your Man Is Home
Preston Frank, accordion
Carlton Frank, fiddle

Recorded 3/2/97

Zydeco Joe - Allons Plaisance
Joseph Adam Mouton

Interview with Herman Fusilier recordedat KRVS on 8/10/97



1998 Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival

Thomas Fields and His Footstompin Zydeco Band - (Don't Mess With) My Toot Toot
Thomas Fields, accordion, vocal
Geneva Mouton, bass, vocal
Martin Gilbeaux, drums
Randall, guitar
Paul Edwards, washboard

Chris Ardoin and Double Clutchin', Lake Charles Connection
Chris Ardoin, accordion, vocal
Sean Ardoin, drums, vocal
Tammy Ledet, rubboard
Nathaniel Fontenot, guitar
Derek Greenwood, bass


Up to this point all recordings produced by Karl Fontenot through Acadiana Open Channel.  The remaining live performances were produced and edited by Robert Willey, with students from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and South Louisiana Community College helping with the audio and video recording.  Since these performances were multi-tracked and recorded digitally they offer the option of either stereo or 5.1 surround sound mixes.


 

Jude Taylor, Hassle in My Castle
Jude Taylor, accordion, vocal

Recorded in Grand Coteau, 9/22/03 by Robert Willey. Note: this was just part of a casual conversation with Jude and not representative of what he does when performing with his group.

 

2003 Festival International de Louisiane

Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie
Bon Soir Moreau
Eunice Two Step
Geno Delafose, accordion, vocal
Curley Taylor, drums
Kent August, guitar
John "Popp" Esprite, bass
Wilford Pierre, washboard
Andrew Fontenot, washboard II

Recorded on 4/26/03 at Festival International, in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Producer - Robert Willey
Video - Maria Oneide Willey and Robert Willey
Audio recording - Robert Willey
Post production mixing - Ivan Klisanin
Video editing - Robert Willey

Downtown Alive!

BeauSoleil, Zydeco Gris Gris
Michael Doucet, violin, vocal
David Doucet, guitar, vocal
Al Tharp, bass
Jimmy Breaux, accordion
Tommy Alesi, drums
Billy Ware, percussion

Recorded on 10/10/03 at Downtown Alive! in Lafayette, LouisianaProducer - Robert Willey
Direct outs were taken from Bill Bennett's front of house system and recorded by Robert Willey
Video - Loren Carriere, Jiro Hatano, Maria Oneide Willey, and Robert Willey
Video editing and postproduction mixing - Robert Willey

BeauSoleil is a nationally-known Cajun band, a genre that shares with Creole music their roots in French music of Louisiana. Zydeco Gris Gris is based on a song by Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin. See the interviews with Michael Doucet in the extras section of the DVD.

 

2004 Festival International de Louisiane

Corey "Lil Pop" Ledet and His Zydeco Band were recorded on 4/24/04 in the morning at Festival International in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Producer - Robert Willey
Bill Bennet and Buck Kliebert provided the front of house feeds, recorded by Brandon Chitty.
Video - Nicole Archangel, Paulia Matthews, Charles Garrett, Malaika Small. Video production equipment provided by South Louisiana Community College and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Video editing - Robert Willey
Postproduction mixing - Ivan Klisanin
Producer, video editing - Robert Willey
Production assistant - Paulia Matthews
Photography - Jiro Hatano and Todd Rojas

Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble were recorded on 4/24/04 in the evening at Festival International in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Curley Taylor, accordion, vocal
Errol Taylor, bass
Keith Clement, keyboard
Wayne "D.C." Dalcourt, guitar
Eric "Boss Hogg" Miniex, drums
Matt Sonnier, rubborad

Matt Peters provided direct audio outputs from Gulf Coast sound's front of house system, recorded by Robert Willey
Video - Nicole Archangel, Charles Garrett, Jiro Hatano, Maria Oneide Willey, and Robert Willey. Video recording equipment provided by South Louisiana Community College and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Video editing - Robert Willey
Postproduction mixing - Ivan Klisanin

 

2004 Festival Acadiens

Dexter Ardoin and the Creole Ramblers, Allons Danser
Dexter Ardoin, accordion, vocal
D'Jalma Garnier III, fiddle
Cedric Watson, fiddle, vocal
Blake Castille, guitar
Gus Ardoin, bass
Kenny Allemand, drums

Recorded at Festival Acadiens in Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana on 9/18/04.
Video - Jiro Hatano
Audio - KRVS' live broadcast mix from front of house system, recorded at KRVS studios by Cecil Doyle

The Frank Family Band
Les traces de mon boghei
Oh Mom

Preston Frank, accordion, vocal
Keith Frank, guitar, vocal
Ed Poullard, fiddle
Kevin Wimmer, fiddle
Jennifer Frank, bass
James Nade, rub board

Recorded at Festival Acadiens in Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana on 9/19/04.
Producer - Robert Willey
Video - Jiro Hatano, Loren Carriere, Claire Myers
Video Editing - Robert Willey
Audio - multi-track recording taken off front of house system by Terry Dupuy
Post production mixing - Ivan Klisanin


Extras Menu

Interviews

 

The DVD ROM part of the DVD has some additional interviews.


[ From La La to Zydeco ]