Customer Reviews

Creole Bred: Tribute to Creole & Zydeco

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Ann Savoy has done it again. The follow up album to Savoy's previously released "Evangeline Made" is nothing short of perfection. "Creole Bred: A Tribute to Creole and Zydeco" is a wonderful collection of Creole and Zydeco music performed by an eclectic and incredibly talented group of musicians. Some of the artists featured on this album include Taj Mahal, Tom Tom Club, David Hidalgo and Cyndi Lauper. What I loved about this album was how each artist fused their own musical styling into classic Creole and Zydeco songs. Some of my favorites include the Tom Tom Club performing "Only the Strong Survive" and the blues infused version of "Baby Please Don't Go" performed by Darick Campbell, Phillip Campbell and Curley Taylor. This album is fun and uplifting and a real treat for anyone who is a fan of Creole and Zydeco.

So what happened to Cyndi Lauper after "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" and her later '80s pop hits? And how about Tom Tom Club, with their '80s underground dance music? What, they're doing Zydeco???

Yes, I was surprised to see two songs by Cyndi Lauper, one by Tom Tom Club, and one by Michelle Shocked on a Zydeco album. I never imagined them doing such music (but as soon as I saw Cyndi Lauper's name, I thought, "But of course--her voice is perfect for this music!"), but here it is, pure Zydeco, no crossover stuff (except MAYBE Tom Tom Club).

This is Louisiana music! The liner notes compare Cajun music to Zydeco, saying Cajun music "is created by the white, French speaking descendents of the Acadians." In contrast, the music on this album comes from "the French speaking Afro-Americans whose music, when urbanly based, is called Zydeco, and creole if rurally based. Zydeco evolved from many influences--country Cajun tunes, African rhythms, rhythm and blues from the radio, and field hollers."

My interest in Zydeco is no more than occasionally being in the mood for it, or enjoying it at a blues festival, so I am not a connoisseur of the music and thus cannot judge this in comparison to other Zydeco albums. But as someone who just occasionally listens to the music, I definitely enjoy this album. (I can't believe I'm enjoying music so much with accordians in it!) There's only one song on the album that I don't care for ("Baby Please Don't Go").

This to me is festival music, something to have a great time to. If you don't have any Zydeco albums and think you might be interested in trying out the music, perhaps you might find this album as enjoyable as I do.