Search - Lisa Haley :: King Cake

IC B. (icberry)
Reviewed on 12/29/2008...

From the KVMR Listeners Guide Review - Dale LeBlanc Johnson - USA
(also made the DJ's five top favorites for the year, along with the CDs of three other Grammy nominees.)

Lisa Haley is one of a kind, a Southern Californian whose music has traveled the world, with her authentic Louisiana Cajun blood. This is her 6th album and as always, features her Blue Fiddle and her husky voice. This release is inspired by the NOLA Mardi Gras traditions. Lisa has always had top-notch musicians to back her and this one is right on track.

The title cut is the way to get the party started, but the story itself is about hurricanes and people problems. My favorite cut of all is the medley "Mardi Gras Party/Little Dreamer" which shifts from a good-groove zydeco fast two-step to a slow "Baisse bas" waltz. Boozoo Chavis' "Paper in My Shoe" is given a high-energy spin. "Zydecosis" is Lisa's funky zydeco trademark. "Mardi Gras" features her husky voice. The most beautiful tune is one Lisa penned ten years ago, when she found out she had a half brother – "Louisiana."

From the Zydeco Road Review - K-Paule Pachter - USA

The "Queen of West Coast Zydeco" has much to celebrate these days. For starters, Lisa Haley's latest release entitled, "King Cake" has been nominated as part of the induction class for a 2007 Grammy Award. After fifty years and a serious grassroots effort on the part of numerous Cajun and Zydeco artists, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has established a brand new Grammy Award category recognizing the unique contributions of Cajun and Zydeco artists, and Lisa Haley is certainly within striking distance of the gramophone statue with this exceptional recording.

"King Cake" is Lisa Haley's sixth CD and perhaps her most ambitious to date in terms of material and the A-list of musicians providing support. She has taken some brand new material such as the title track, which pumps new life into the Zydeco genre along with "Mardi Gras Party/Little Dreamer," which defines the joyous spirit that is Zydeco. She's reintroduced previous recorded material such as "Louisiana," "Rubboard Stomach," and "Don't You Tell Your Mother" just to let the new listener know that her previous body of work is emotional, hard-driving and as authentically Louisiana as that of her biggest fan, Clifton Chenier. And if that?s not enough, she offers up a killer cover of the Boozoo Chavis classic "Paper in My Shoe."

Haley's voice is still as gritty and soulful as they come, and her mastery of the bow burning up her blue fiddle is still unmatched by many artists. Haley has recorded both a musical commentary on the rebirth of New Orleans in a post Katrina environment and an album of hope based upon her selection of material.

Backing Haley up on "King Cake" are some outstanding musicians that know how to play Zydeco and Swamp-Pop music. They include: Jim E. Christie (drums); George Hawkins, Jr. (bass); Skip Edwards (Hammond Organ, keyboards); Chuck Alvarez (guitars), and of course Lisa Haley (violin, viola, mandolin, rubboard, jaw harp and vocals). Throw in the likes of KebMo' on harmonica and Leland Sklar on bass and you understand why "King Cake" is Grammy Award material.

Haley writes, "If we succeed in making music to make your heart sing, heal your hurts, and sow the seeds of Joy into your soul, we have done out duty." Haley and "King Cake" succeed big time and earn my highest 5-pepper rating.

Great music - kids and adults enjoyed it

M. Cohen | Irvine, CA United States | 08/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"We saw Lisa Haley & Zydecats perform today at the Hollywood Bowl for a kids concert. I could see right away that they weren't really a 'kids' band, but fit into the theme (it was Louisiana & cajun culture). My son enjoyed the music so much he asked me to buy a CD right away, and when we took it home and listened to the whole thing I ended up really liking it. I don't have any other Zydeco in my collection other than some mass-produced wanna-be zydeco, so this was a great introduction to the genre.



Loved it and hope to see another live performance some time"

Grammy material

Louisiana music fan | 12/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is totally full of great songs and tunes. Title song is awesome. Geaux Zydekats!!"