An Evening with the Zydeco Sweetheart: Rosie Ledet and her Zydeco Playboys Come to Town

My grandfather, Harrison Beldon, was from Pass Christian, Mississippi--a Delta town just a stone's throw from Louisiana-- so maybe that's what's been pulling me towards Zydeco over these last few years. The more I hear it, the more I like it, and in my opinion it's even better when someone highlights the Cajun rhythms and melodies that make up its core with blues, rock and jazz. As you know if you read my last post, I caught Buckwheat Zydeco and Chubby Carrier at the Blast Furnace Blues Festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania last month. I was almost a junkie for more Zydeco, and I got my fix last weekend when Rosie Ledet showed up with her Zydeco Playboys at Surf Club Live here in the D.C. area. Because I know you all want to hear the show too, I took plenty of videos (with Rosie's permission). I also talked with her about her Zydeco beginnings and her current plans, which includes work with a highly respected record label that specializes in blues and jazz, along with some upcoming overseas tours. But I know you all would rather hear music than chatter, so I'm starting with that:

Here's the group with "Swing that Thing:"

And here they are with "Take care of Your Dog:"

Here they are performing "Keep the Faith" from their newest album, Come Get Some:

They also did the Zydeco party song "Show Me Something" from her 2001 album of the same name:

And I'm throwing in this one, "You're No Good for Me" from her 1995 album "Sweet Brown Sugar:"

During a break she talked about her first experience with Zydeco:

She later talked about learning how to play the accordion and why she carried three to the concert that night. She also talked about why she likes Carlos Santana and how other styles are figuring into what she is doing now:

She then talked about record deals and upcoming tours:

Well, we got good stuff coming up. More songs from readers and an interview with an up-and-coming West Coast gospel singer who records with Larry Martin Kimpel's label (Remember him? The bassist from Frankie Beverly and Maze.) Plus, we'll have other surprises..