C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band • Too Much Fun

 

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C. J. Chenier • Can't Sit Down

It's not easy to be the son of a famous musician, especially when that musician was the pinnacle of a genre. But C.J. Chenier, son of the great Clifton Chenier (the King of Zydeco), does a great job of following in his father's footsteps. He rocks up the zydeco a little more, and spreads the field a little wider, covering Tom Waits and Curtis Mayfield, as well connecting the short space between zydeco and blues with versions of "Baby Please Don't Go" and John Lee Hooker's "Dusty Road." There's a nod to history in a Boozoo Chavis classic, "Paper in My Shoe," and fiery versions of two songs by Clifton Chenier, where he exorcizes his ghost even as he pays homage. There are three of his own compositions, where he shows himself very much in the zydeco historical line, but on this album, at least, it's about the songs as much as the dance music, laying out his territory and establishing himself in his own right, away from the famous shadow. He's an excellent instrumentalist, one who knows how to use the accordion to the best effect in the music, and he has a crack band (including a guitar player who takes some sizzling, concise solos). Even on disc he works up a sweat -- live he must be quite something. This is an album that fully establishes him as a mature artist, with plenty to say, and the expression to say it. ~Chris Nickson

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No es fácil ser el hijo de un músico famoso, especialmente cuando ese músico era el pináculo de un género. Pero C.J. Chenier, hijo del gran Clifton Chenier (el Rey de Zydeco), hace un gran trabajo siguiendo los pasos de su padre. Sube un poco más el zydeco, y extiende el campo un poco más, cubriendo a Tom Waits y Curtis Mayfield, así como conectando el corto espacio entre el zydeco y el blues con versiones de "Baby Please Don't Go" y "Dusty Road" de John Lee Hooker. Hay un guiño a la historia en un clásico de Boozoo Chavis, "Paper in My Shoe", y versiones ardientes de dos canciones de Clifton Chenier, donde exorciza a su fantasma mientras rinde homenaje. Hay tres de sus propias composiciones, en las que se muestra mucho en la línea histórica del zydeco, pero en este disco, al menos, se trata tanto de las canciones como de la música bailable, trazando su territorio y estableciéndose por derecho propio, lejos de la famosa sombra. Es un excelente instrumentista, uno que sabe cómo usar el acordeón con el mejor efecto en la música, y tiene una banda de crack (incluyendo un guitarrista que toma algunos solos chispeantes y concisos). Incluso en el disco trabaja duro, en directo debe ser algo especial. Este es un disco que lo establece plenamente como un artista maduro, con mucho que decir, y la expresión para decirlo. ~Chris Nickson

 

 

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C.J. Chenier • Hot Rod

Biography by Craig Harris
The son of late zydeco music pioneer Clifton Chenier, C.J. Chenier (born Clayton Joseph Chenier) has been dubbed "the crown prince of zydeco." Since inheriting leadership of his father's group, the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Chenier has continued to pay tribute to his father's sound and to expand the zydeco tradition. Chenier's interests in zydeco were sparked in his early twenties. Although he studied piano in the third grade, switched to the saxophone a year later, and received a scholarship to study music at Texas Southern University, he was drawn to the funky sounds of R&B and modern jazz. Chenier played saxophone, keyboards, flute, and sang backup vocals in a Top 40 cover band, Hot Ice. In 1978, Chenier was invited to replace saxophonist "Blind" John Hart in his father's band. Although he had little experience with zydeco music, he accepted the invitation. Over the next decade, he apprenticed with his father, assuming his role as accordion player and bandleader following his father's death in 1987. Chenier has remained active in a variety of outside projects. In addition to playing on Paul Simon's Rhythm of the Saints, he participated in Simon's Born at the Right Time tour. Chenier was a guest performer on Gin Blossoms' New Miserable Experience. In 1997, Chenier was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. Chenier's own albums include 1988's My Baby Don't Wear No Shoes from Arhoolie Records, 1990's Hot Rod. and 1992's I Ain't No Playboy, both from Slash Records, and 1995's Too Much Fun, 1996's Big Squeeze, and 2001's Step It Up from Alligator Records. The more meditative The Desperate Kingdom of Love, recorded a month or so after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region, was released in 2006 on World Village Records. Recorded live in a single session at Rock Romano's Red Shack Studio in Houston, Texas, the high-energy Can’t Sit Down appeared in 2011, also from World Village.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cj-chenier-mn0000532312#biography

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Biografía de Craig Harris
Hijo del fallecido pionero de la música zydeco Clifton Chenier, C.J. Chenier (nacido Clayton Joseph Chenier) ha sido apodado "el príncipe heredero del zydeco". Desde que heredó el liderazgo del grupo de su padre, la Red Hot Louisiana Band, Chenier ha seguido rindiendo homenaje al sonido de su padre y ampliando la tradición del zydeco. El interés de Chenier por el zydeco se despertó a los veinte años. Aunque estudió piano en tercer curso, cambió al saxofón un año después y recibió una beca para estudiar música en la Texas Southern University, se sintió atraído por los sonidos funky del R&B y el jazz moderno. Chenier tocaba el saxofón, los teclados, la flauta y hacía coros en un grupo de versiones de los 40 Principales, Hot Ice. En 1978, Chenier fue invitado a sustituir al saxofonista "Blind" John Hart en la banda de su padre. Aunque tenía poca experiencia con la música zydeco, aceptó la invitación. Durante la década siguiente, fue aprendiz de su padre, asumiendo su papel de acordeonista y director de la banda tras la muerte de éste en 1987. Chenier se ha mantenido activo en diversos proyectos externos. Además de tocar en Rhythm of the Saints de Paul Simon, participó en la gira Born at the Right Time de Simon. Chenier actuó como artista invitado en el disco New Miserable Experience de Gin Blossoms. En 1997, Chenier fue nominado al premio W.C. Handy. Los álbumes de Chenier incluyen My Baby Don't Wear No Shoes (1988) de Arhoolie Records, Hot Rod (1990) y I Ain't No Playboy (1992), ambos de Slash Records, y Too Much Fun (1995), Big Squeeze (1996) y Step It Up (2001) de Alligator Records. El más meditativo The Desperate Kingdom of Love, grabado aproximadamente un mes después de que el huracán Katrina devastara la región de la costa del Golfo, se publicó en 2006 en World Village Records. Grabado en directo en una única sesión en el estudio Red Shack de Rock Romano en Houston (Texas), el enérgico Can't Sit Down apareció en 2011, también de World Village.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cj-chenier-mn0000532312#biography

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