Blues Online,
Album Review
>>
CJ Chenier is the son of the famous King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier. His latest album - Can't Sit Down - released by World Village, a division no less famous than Harmonia Mundi.
New CD accordionist - Can not Sit Down-bomb is offered to the next energy by 54-year-old musician associated for years with Alligator Records.
Plate was created by the old rules. Alligator was recorded live during one recording session at Rock Romano's Red Shack Studio in Houston. Because capturing the extraordinary energy of Zydeco is the most important task for such a good producer of the disc. And that is why this album was produced by CJ himself.
I can not imagine anyone better than me to know how to make it better - says Chenier. No one, except myself, knows better how my accordion and my team should sound and that is why I decided not to entrust this role to a foreign ear and I began producing himself.
Can not Sit Down opens with the record title and the composition of Clifton Chenier. I played it with pleasure at a time when I performed with my father - admits CJ - I really like it and found it worthwhile to try to play it again and the team accepted me from the place. All were surprised. It is a sign that he is really good when everyone gets involved in making music and is probably going on.
"Hot Tamale Baby" is a recording that Clifton Chenier put on disc in 1979. And it is next on the new album cover. CJ is a lot more. Though "Paper in My Shoe" - considered the first great hit Zydeco music, was recorded in 1954 by Boozoo Chavis.
Some surprise may be placed almost at the beginning of the disc with song "Clap Hands". This somewhat dark song came from the pen of Tom Waits. -From the beginning I did not understand Waits at all - says Chenier. -One day the guitarist from my band, which is a total Freak on his point, brought me a video of the Waits concert. Then I learned to accept what he does and when I heard "Clap Hands" I told myself that this song can be something of odd tricks.
Can't Sit Down has no shortage of interpretations of classic blues hits. First of all, an extremely energetic, "Baby Please Do not Go" by Joe Williams, no less spirited, "Dusty Road" by John Lee Hooker, and rocking "Trouble In Mind" - played and sung sensationally.
You have to give the board a variety of flavors - CJ Chenier says. And once again refers to his father. -At every concert, he used different kinds of music. He played the blues, a little boogie, even walcei all mingled. Good blues energizes each plate.
The album closes with an unusual version of the Curtis Mayfield song - "We Gotta Have Piece". This version sounds a bit odd asZydeco, but the style he chose was a Texas-born accordionist.
On Can't Sit Down, CJ Chenier has prepared a number of copyright works. They are "Red Shack Zydeco," "Zydeco Boogie," and "Ridin 'With Uncle Cleveland." Mentioned in the title, known by uncle, father, and older brother as a master accordionist playing the greats. -It's almost the godfather of this instrument in the world of Zydeco - CJ believes. As I mentioned, his uncle took him on Sundays for tours from club to club, where he drank beer and Chenier could accompany him.
For CJ Chenier, this album is in part a sentimental journey, and partly recuperated lesson in maturing as an artist. Zydeco fans around the world will buy it in the dark, and a few non-obvious covers will only add luster to an outstanding musician. But still - the most important is in the music concerts.
09/10/11
>> go there