Customer Reviews

I'm Never Comin Back: Roots of Zydeco

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First off, don't get this CD expecting very high-fidelity audio. All material here is from the 1930's, and about half of it was recorded with field equipment. (The other half was recorded in an NYC studio, and sounds much better, is comprised of solo performances, without backing fiddle.)

This is an essential recording if you're interested in the history of Cajun and Zydeco music. These have developed as two distinct styles, but Ardoin is a figure that towers above both. Amede Ardoin was a black Creole musician who brought a strong blues influence to Cajun music, and defined the accordion playing style.

This collection has nearly everything he recorded that survives. His first four recordings are in another collection (the strangely-titled "Cajun Dance Party", which I'll recommend in addition to this one using the Amazon feature for doing this.)

I only recently heard the recorded works of Amédé Ardoin via the internet through a folk music site featuring the PBS program "American Patchwork" Series by the late and great Alan Lomax. I finally got around to purchasing another album with both Amédé Ardoin and Dennis McGee are featured on called J'ai Ete Au Bal [I Went to the Dance], Vol. 1. From then on in I was very interested in his works. When I got this CD for Chirstmas I was ecstatic. To say the least, I had already heard some of the samples on this site. But finally hearing them in their entirety was even greater. My only complaint is the quality of some of the songs. I understand that a few of them are field recordings, but for the most part, the rest of the songs sound great. His voice is heart breaking and so soulful and his accordion playing is frenzied and so lively. The blues pieces on the album are something of a hit or miss, but I enjoyed the majority. For the most part, it's great album with little disappointment. For anyone who enjoys earlier roots music, especially early Cajun and Creole, this is a must have!

Monsieur Ardoin played a mean accordion, but his haunting vocals are just as astonishing. This music is for the ages. Even though I hardly understand a word of standard French - let alone the cajun version sung here - the music speaks to me. Anyone who wants to have a perspective on African-American music needs to hear this stuff.

I love early Cajun, and I particularly love the soulful singing of Ardoin. The CD contains most, but not all of his recordings but unfortunately, about 1/2 on this set are in extremely poor sound quality when I am sure that collectors out there have very clean copies. All of the Decca sides though sound great. This is a must have collection for the Cajun collector.

If you have heard modern cajun and modern zydeco he is where it all started. He was a creole five foot tall walking wealth of talent. He has been gone from this earth 62 years,but he truly did do what god sent him here for. He is the godfather. The songs are very primitive, but usually when someone helps contribute to the roots of a music, their recordings are more primitive in most cases. He brings the creole and the cajun together in music, because he is the roots for the modern version of both. My godmother is an Ardoin she is related to amede and that is how I first heard of him. His music brings pride to anyone who has creole blood or even cajun (that includes me because I am part creole myself). Anyone with an appreciation for our creole culture, the louisiana culture period and our music and history will do themselves a great service by purchasing this cd. All of the blues songs are very good. His one step and two step songs are good as well. He was like Robert Johnson, he was an extremely talented black musician from the old days with an unusual extraordinary wealth of talent who lived a short life, made very little money for his talents, and died a horrible death by the hands of someone who was jealous. He like robert, left us too soon and he played the blues creole and acadian(cajun) style. Not to ramble, but this cd is a valuable treasure of songs from a long lost musical legend. God bless you, AMEDE'. In creole (male' wah) and bye bye catin (bye bye baby).