Ernest James Zydeo releases a new CD - 3 Steps from La La

I got another interesting  message from my Zydeco friend Ernest James who lives  up in Kansas City Missouri. (See my previous blog January 2010.) He wanted me to review his new CD -3 Steps from La La.
I had become interested in this band when Valcour records made their previous CD the CD of the month, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT RELEASED ON VALCOUR RECORDS! That's what got my attention in the first place.

I was checking post on the Facebook feed and saw an  interesting thing. Ernest James posted he was playing an Octoberfest gig  and I laughed to myself. Zydeco music is a far cry from German Polkas. Then a few days later Ernest posted a funny statement.  He a said a man approached him in the middle of the gig and this is what was said:  (Copied from his FB Page ....)

" Quote from Tulsa man: "Heard what chu boys was playing right dare an I said, "Them German boys been eatin' some crawfish!"
*firm handshake at Oktoberfest

I got a full belly laugh at that. I was ready for the new CD. After communicating with Ernest back and forth, he sent it to me. I have it in the car CD deck and have been digesting every note of it song by song. It is VERY GOOD.

The Zydeco influence is still strong, but this CD is very complex. Starting out with the lead cut, "Shake it Sugaree,"  each cut is strong and well thought out. As I stated in the previous review of his two previous CD's, there is an undercurrent of melodies that are California influenced, such as the guitar work on  "Sugaree."

My favorite cut, "Supposed to do" is pure blues. This is a song about evading temptation. I love it, especially when he professes to the seductress, " If you knew what I had you would understand......" 
The intro to this song starts out with clear as a bell guitar work, has a silent moment then spins into  low down gutsy groove. There are sophisticated drums and lead guitar licks that knock me out. It is hard driving, in a slow gutteral way that hits home. It slows down and then builds up suspense over and over again. You can see the mental struggle the singer faces and -SNAP- you feel his dilemma. The chorus is sung with two part harmonies which is brilliant. 

Ernest is very good at writing lyrics with some tongue in cheek witty sexual innuendo. On "Woa Sally" he sings about Sally taking him "into   into  the kitchen and turning out the lights, then "turning on the stove,"  then into the  basement, going "underground," and other two meaning phrases that are a delight. The lyrics are sung in a very catchy pleasing way. The second song with innuendo that I like is "Janitor" which starts out with a clever statement after a ringing doorbell, "Did someone call for the janitor?" followed with some clever two meaning lyrics. 

  Jaisson Taylor vocals ramps it up on "Zydeco Mother's day" with some hard core blues. If you like the Blues, you will adore this cut. 

The whole CD is filled with extremely good guitar work, well thought out lyrics and harmonies, and attention to detail.The song "Red cross People" is an example of story telling, emotional insight into the plight of  the rail riders and homeless in America, and the fact that there is little consideration for these people. It is told with a hint of humor. The mean, psychedelic guitar work at the end highlights the cluster-funk of angst these people must go through. There are layers upon layers of guitar work towards the end that express the jumbled up feelings that these people must endure. Jaisson Taylor sings one soulful  line that really hits home at the end "I didn't hurt nobody....."

Ernest ends the CD with the  Gospel standard,  "Glory Glory" ramped up with accordion that is complex, pleasing, and sure to be played over and over again if you pop it into you CD player. This is like a cross between Dixieland and Zydeco woven together in a way I have never heard before. It is delightful. 

Their CD release party will be held on November 30th, 2012 with their first live performance with their fiddler:

BB's Lawnside BBQ  
1205 E. 85th Street
Kansas V City, Mo
64131(816)

You can access this CD by going to 
http://www.cdbaby.comArtist/ErnestJamesZydeco
the band's website is www.ejzydeco.com

Patty McGehee

Music Trip to Austin -September 2012

Sam Broussard, Johnny Nicholas, and David Greely at Hilltop Cafe

Johnny Nicholas and Dave Greely at Hilltop Cafe

Starting in at the first of August, Dan and I  made a trip to Austin and Fredericksburg,  Texas to chase Golden Triangle. We caught their CD release party at Hilltop Cafe out of Fredericksburg on a Thursday night.
The Hilltop Cafe is a small gem in the middle of nowhere owned by Johnny Nicholas and his wife, who is the chef.




This place is an old service station from the 40's revamped and decorated with a lot of memorabilia Johnny collected when he toured with the band
 Asleep at The Wheel. (Dan and I followed Asleep at the Wheel around for a few years over 30 years ago.)  This was a unique dining experience, paired up with the incredible show performed by Johnny Nicholas, David Greely, and Sam Broussard, also known as the Band Golden Triangle. Previously, I posted a song performed by two of the performers at Chickie Wa Wa. Check it out to see what you think. Sam was unable to make that Chickie Wa Wa show show, but the performance  still stands up extremely well. Dan and I were the first to purchase their CD that night at The Hilltop and they autographed it on the spot.

Patty at Luckenbach

The next day  kicked around the countryside and visited Lukenbach Texas and then caught Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys  and Golden Triangle on a double bill at Antone's in Austin. C C Adcock sat in with Steve's band. That was a very good show. Dan and I started dancing and got the whole place up and going.







After the show, C C told us that Jimmy Vaughn was at The Continental Club Upstairs and we went there when we left. We were able to catch most of a set Jimmy Vaughn  put on, which was sort of a Jazzy Blues mix.

Steve Riley At Antone's

Patty and Jimmy Vaughn

C C Adcock At Antone's

We went back to The Hilltop that Saturday  night for another spectacular dinner and show by Steve Riley and his band, of whom one of the members is Sam Broussard. Sam is an exceptional guitarist, I might add. 



After visiting with Jimmy Vaughn after the show Friday night, CC also  invited us to go to the Fuck Cancer benefit held the next day (a Sunday) at The Continental Club , which was a benefit  for guitarist Nick Curran, who was riddled with cancer at the time. (Nick passed away two weeks ago-RIP.)

Patty and Dale Watson

The list of performers that played that day were:
Dale Watson
Dave Gonzales and Stepahnie Marlar
The Wyldwood Four
The Horton Brothers
The Bellfuries
The Sniffs
The Modern Don Juan
C C Adcock and The Lafayette Marquis and of course
Nick Curran and The Flashboys




Nick was very sick, could not speak, yet he played a blistering set of high powered punk. Dan got a poster and had all of the performers autograph it. I don't think I will hang it with the "F" word on it, but we will treasure it anyway.
I am posting  a photo I took of Nick's hands. I will not post a photo of him the way he looked that day  out of respect. He looked terrible and I don't want anyone to re-post a photo of him in that state and take it out of context.

Nick Curran's hands at the Fuck Cancer Benefit

The concert ended at 7:15 that evening and I had to jump in the car and drive back to Louisiana to be at work the next day at 7:00 am. I was an hour late to work, getting there at 8:00, after making a hellish ride back though the night which included getting lost in Houston due to a badly marked detour. It was worth it.
I went to work the next day  with the stamp on my hand in red  ink that read "Fuck Cancer." I wore it proudly. After all, I lost both my parents to cancer and it just did not seem right to wash it off.

Patty and Nick Curran in 2009  at The Blue Moon-Lafayette LA