What's ZYDECO?

Zydeco music is music by the Creole (black) population of Louisiana.
Like cajun music  accordeons are used, but the off beat,  the accent 
on the 2nd and 4th count, and  syncopic rythms  are more important
Old zydeco music sounds a bit like Rock&Roll and Rhytm&Blues,
the newer ones  have elements from Funk and Reggae.
The rubboard (for washing clothes) is a 
rhytm  instrument, much used in older zydeco music

The godfather of zydeco is  Clifton Chenier; he died in '87 

The word "zydeco"  is derived from "haricots" (= kind of beans)  
There is an traditional song responsible for this name:
"les haricots sont pas salees"  (= the beans aren't salted).
Caused by the local  Creole dialect  the name  "les haricots" became "zarico", 
and later  "zydeco",  and that word became synonyme for  the kind of music. 

 

this page is updated 04-11-16