Encyclopedia: Z

Z is for Zydeco

I had no idea what zydeco was until my first trip to Louisiana. You probably don't either (unless of course, you're from Louisiana). It's really fast, accordion and "rubboard"-based music which originated in the Creole communities of South Louisiana during the 1800s. Now you can hear it at pretty much any crawfish boil or cajun restaurant. It was intended to be played at dances, although the beat is so fast, I don't know how you could dance to it, unless, of course, you have some Creole blood in you. Louisiana is a fascinating place. The people there are incredible, the food, delicious, the old plantation homes, fascinating, and the culture as a whole, very different from what I was used to. I always feel like I'm in a different country and time when we're over there. We're planning a short trip during our Christmas break. Neal wants to be sure our kids get a little taste of what life was like for him growing up there.
Now back to zydeco, it isn't something I would play in my car while driving, let's just put it that way. But nothing says Louisiana like a zydeco band on a makeshift stage and a spicy something in your hand.

This is Ophe & Lennis Romero, and although they're not playing Zydeco, they are involved in one of my fondest memories of traveling in Louisiana with Neal and his mom. We stopped in the quaint village of St. Martinville, located in the area first settled by Acadian people from Nova Scotia (where my people come from, although they stayed up there). We sat along Bayou Teche, listening to 'The Romero Brothers' sing and play traditional Cajun songs under the famous Evangeline Oak. With only an accordion, a triangle, and their strongly accented voices, they sang songs of love and loss in Cajun French.

And here we are listening. Let's see, this was springtime, 2000.

You can scroll down on this Amazon page to listen to some Cajun Zydeco for yourself.

Z is also for Zero.
As in I have Zero things to blog about now that my "encyclopedia" is finished.
Phew.