Zydeco on the Bayou .....  is an exact part of our research remit. Early zydeco was a blend of Louisiana French accordion music and Afro-Caribbean beats. It was and possibly is situated at the crossroads of Creole, Cajun, gospel and the blues, over the years it has since evolved to include influences from several other genres.

Instrumentation generally includes the accordion and a frottoir ( washboard). Guitar and drums add danceable rhythms and syncopation with a 'blues' flavour. The word Zydeco gets its name from a colloquial Creole French expression 'Les haricots ne sont pas salés' meaning 'The snap beans aren’t salty' or, The times are hard.  (Don't ask) Like the blues, early zydeco offered rural, economically marginalised people a way to express their personal difficulties and to escape the hardships of life.

Download: - Boozoo-Chavis - Paper in my shoe

A bit more about Boozoo Chavis

Latest page update: 3rd June 2026