Search - Nathan & Zydeco Cha Chas :: Hang It High Hang It Low

The band's tight music is fun, spirited, infectious, & dance

J. Ross | Roseburg, OR USA | 03/18/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Playing Time - 43:55 -- Literally translated, zydeco means "green bean" (evolving from the French "haricot" or snapbean), but the term is used to denote the snappy, upbeat, syncopated dance music of Louisiana's black Creole residents. The evolution of zydeco has resulted in a multi-cultural gumbo, reflecting the background of southern Louisiana's French-speaking Creole population. Zydeco's roots in Cajun music are very apparent, but you'll also notice the influences of reggae, calypso, country, blues, Caribbean and rock. The soul music influence is best represented in Otis Redding's "Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa." The accordion is front and center, and Zydeco also has electric guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, and rubboard. With the support of the Rounder label, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas have achieved national (and international) popularity along with such Zydeco artists as Boozoo Chavis, Rockin' Dopsie, Queen Ida, Buckwheat Zydeco, Terrance Simien, Sam Brothers, John Delafose, Canray Fontenot, and others.



Nathan Williams, Sr. mainly uses a piano accordion, but he's also credited for playing the triple-row accordion which would be a "single action" 31-button accordion which provides a different note on the push and pull of the bellows. Although not identified in the liner notes, the songs with the more unique stacatto sound would be the ones on which Nathan is using the button accordion. Although he grew up in a Creole-speaking home in St. Martinville, Nathan sings in English, and lyrics are included in the CD jacket. Many of the songs refer to their Zydeco music and "My Zydeco" says it best -- it'll "set your soul on fire, make you wanna move, make you wanna groove ... it's like white lightnin' y'all." The band is tight, and the music is fun, spirited, infectious, and danceable.... "like a hot toddy!" Guitarist Dennis Paul Williams is Nathan's brother. A famous painter, his art graces the album's cover and tray card Keyboardist Nathan Williams Jr. is studying music at the Univ. of South Louisiana, and he fronts his own band. Rubboard player Mark "Chuck" Williams is a cousin who has been with the band since day one. Bassist Robert LeBlanc has been a Zydeco Cha Cha for at least five years, and drummer Herman "Rat" Brown played with Buckwheat Zydeco for many years.



Compared to Cajun music, these guys seem to prefer faster tempos, more syncopated and heavy rhythms, simplified melodies, and more influence from R&B and soul music. Williams attributes King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier as a mjor influence. Nearly an hour long, this generous set underlines the band's ebullient, rocking style. Some songs (e.g. "Old Man's Darling" or "Your Love Lasts As Long As Your Money") could be perceived as being more rock or blues (with accordion) than Zydeco, but "Hang it High, Hang it Low" has plenty of energy nonetheless. "Do It Now" and the title cut come across to me as the better funky zydeco grooves. The band is very prolific with many releases during the last two decades. Definitely rock'em-sock'em original music, I guess I was hoping for a few more stylistic innovations in the genre from them. Some of the songs (and especially lyrics) come across as just a little too basic. The musical journey is still a bunch of fun, though. "I Was Born At Night (But Not Last Night)" indicates that these guys have been around, and they know the ropes. They'd also like you to come and boogie along. Let the good times roll! (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)

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