Heeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy, Baby! The next week or so is a good time to listen to zydeco music in the Ann Arbor, Michigan, area, as Buckwheat Zydeco and C.J. Chenier (more about C.J. in just a bit) both visit tree-town.
Buckwheat Zydeco - Lay Your Burden Down - Grammy winner!
Stanley “Buckwheat Zydeco” Dural, Jr., plays The Ark in A2 (that’s slang for Ann Arbor, for those who may not know) on Wednesday, February 16. Doors open at 7:30, showtime is 8:00 pm. Tickets are $20. As far as I can recall, this is the first time The Ark has hosted a zydeco act, although they have had Cajun music acts previously. BTW, The Ark is at 316 S. Main St. in A2. Info: 734-761-1800/734-761-1451.
Mr. Dural has been playing zydeco music for a long time. I have several of his zydeco LPs (i.e., old-fashioned vinyl records) from the late 1970s/early 1980s. He recently won a Grammy in the “Best Cajun/Zydeco Music Album” category for his latest recording, “Lay Your Burden Down.”
On February 26, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band come to Ann Arbor to play at the Dream Nite Club, 314 S. Fourth Ave.
C.J. Chenier at Dream Nite Club
Doors open at the Dream Nite Club at 8:30 pm on February 26, show starts at 9:30 pm with local band Maison Bleue playing a 30-minute set, followed by C.J. Chenier. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Info: 734-222-4522.
Creole du Nord also plays The Ark on February 25, but that’s for another post.
Trivia question: Besides both playing piano-key zydeco accordion, both Buckwheat Zydeco and C.J. Chenier have something in common. They both played in the same zydeco band with a famous zydeco headliner, although in different years. Whose band was that? (Answer later.)
Tags: Ann Arbor, Buckwheat Zydeco, C.J. Chenier, Dream Nite Club, Red Hot Louisiana Band, The Ark, zydeco dancing
Duh! Here I post about how The Ark hasn’t had any previous zydeco acts, and then I scroll down on my very own Michigumbo blog and see that Myrick “Freeze” Guillory played there! Not to mention that I now recall that Buckwheat Zydeco played there about a year ago.
Answer to the 200 cent question:
THE RED HOT LOUISIANA BAND (Clifton Cheniers’ Band)
Hi Garry,
I think I have the answer to the trivia question:
Both played with Clifton Chenier. Buckwheat Zydeco played keys in his band for a year before retiring to the woodshed to hone his chops, and C.J. played sax with his dad and later on accordion.
Did I win?!
Cole wins the 200 cents by five minutes over Kip, although Kip gets honorable mention as he added more detail about what instruments both Buckwheat and C.J. played in Clifton Chenier’s version of the Red Hot Louisiana Band!