Definitions
of Zydeco on the Web:
- A relatively new kind of Cajun dance music that
is a combination of traditional Cajun dance music, R&B, and African
blues.
- is a highly rhythmic
music that emerged from Cajun and Creole cultures in
- A lively accordion based Creole music. The term
is derived from the word haricot, which is French for string bean.
- music of southern
- Zydeco is a form of folk
music, originated in the beginning of the 20th century among the Creole
peoples of south-west
Dictionary
zy·de·co (zī'dĭ-kō') 
n.
Popular
music of southern Louisiana that combines French dance melodies, elements of
Caribbean music, and the blues, played by small groups featuring the guitar,
the accordion, and a washboard.
[From Louisiana French, possibly alteration of Les haricots (sont pas salé),
name of a song, pl. of French haricot, bean. See haricot1.]
zydeco
Form
of dance music from southwestern
For more information on zydeco, visit Britannica.com.
zydeco (zī'dĭkō') , American musical form originating among
the African-American Creoles of Louisiana. Drawing on elements of traditional
Cajun music as well as jazz, country and western, and blues, it is
characterized by French lyrics, Creole flavor, and strong dance rhythms. The
most important and traditional instrument used in performing zydeco is the piano accordion. Other instruments often
included in a zydeco band are the guitar, electric
bass, saxophone, drums, and “rubboard” (washboard).
Among the genre's better known performers are Clifton Chenier (1925–87), zydeco's best-known musician; Wilson Anthony “Boozoo” Chavis; Rockin' Sidney; Buckwheat Zydeco;
and Queen Ida Lewis.
Note:
click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.
The
noun zydeco has one
meaning:
Meaning
#1: music of southern
zydeco
Zydeco musicians playing accordion
and washboard in front of store, near New
Iberia, Louisiana (1938).
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Zydeco |
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Stylistic
origins: |
Cajun La La, African
American blues
and jazz |
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Cultural
origins: |
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Typical instruments: |
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Mainstream
popularity: |
Little, except briefly in 1950s and mid-1980s |
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Subgenres |
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Fusion genres |
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Zydeco is a form of folk music,
originated in the beginning of the 20th century among the Francophone Creole
peoples of south-west Louisiana and influenced by the music of the French-speaking Cajuns. It is
heavily syncopated
(back-beat),
usually fast-tempo, and dominated by the button or piano accordion and a
form of a washboard
known as a rub-board or frottoir. Originating in Africa,
the vest frottoir was introduced to
Zydeco's rural beginnings and the
prevailing economic conditions at its inception are reflected in the song
titles, lyrics, and bluesy vocals. The music arose as a synthesis of traditional
Cajun music with African-American traditions that also underpinned R&B
and blues. It
was known as "la-la"; "zodico"
and various other names. Amédé Ardoin
made the first recordings of what later became known as zydeco
in 1928.
The
music was brought to the fringes of the American mainstream in the mid-1950s,
with the popularity of Clifton Chenier and Boozoo Chavis. In 1954, Boozoo Chavis recorded
"Paper in My Shoe". This is considered to be the first modern zydeco recording, though the term "zydeco"
was not in use yet (see 1954 in music). After Chavis left
the music business, Clifton Chenier became the first major zydeco
star and also led to the invention of the word zydeco
in 1965. One of his hits was "Les Haricots Sont
Pas Salés" (The Snap Beans Aren't Salty —
a reference to the singer being too poor to afford salt pork to season the
beans) and he said that "Zydeco" was a
corruption of les haricots (French
for the beans). This may have been his little joke as the term (along
with variants such as "zodico") was used
earlier to refer to African dance-forms.
In
the mid-1980s, Rockin' Sidney briefly
re-popularized zydeco music nationwide with hit
remake of the classic tune "My Toot Toot".
This led to the resurgence of Zydeco artists, and
spawned a new crop of innovators. Young zydeco
musicians, such as Chubby Carrier and Rosie Ledet began emerging in the early 1990s. Chris Ardoin, Beau Jocque, Keith Frank, and Zydeco Force added a new twist to traditional Zydeco by tying the whole sound to the bass drum rhythm to
accentuate or syncopate
the backbeat even more. This style is sometimes called "double
clutching."
Zydeco (dance)
Zydeco as a dance style has it's roots
in a form of folk
dance that corresponds to the heavily syncopated Zydeco
music, originated in the beginning of the 20th century among the Francophone Creole
peoples of Acadiana (south-west Louisiana). It
is a partner
dance that has been primarily danced socially and
sometimes in performances.
The
follower
usually mirrors the steps of the leader
however in some figures the steps may be completely different, allowing for
self-expression and improvisation. Because of the very lively music, the
overall style is small sidewise steps with relatively steady upper body and no
hip swinging, wiggling or jumping. There are exceptions to this rule, but feel
of the zydeco is very real and consistant.
Zydeco dance can be described as the opposite of
Swing or Ballroom since the direction or feel of the dance is down, not up like
Swing or Ballroom.
Basic
step
The
Basic Step in
Zydeco takes 8 beats and consists of two mirrored
parts 4 beats each. The step pattern is often memorized as "SPSS SPSS",
"S" is for "step", "P"
is for pause. In the most basic form, there are no steps at all, only weight
shifting from one foot to another. The leader starts with weight on his right
("R") foot, the left ("L") one is without weight about one
foot sideways. (The right foot of both partners points between the feet of the
opposite partner, knees are slightly bent ("softened").) On count
"1" the leader transfers his weight on the left foot, followed by
pause, then the weight is transferred on the right foot and back on the left
one. The same repeats in the opposite direction: right-pause-left-right.
Sometimes this step pattern is memorized as "LLRL RRLR",
indicating the standing foot for each beat of the music.
After
mastering the basic rhythm, one may replace simple weight transfers by very
small steps to shuffle in place or just a little sideways or the couple may
rotate in either direction, usually in the clockwise direction.
Finally,
the lively Zydeco music with its accented 2nd (and
6th) beats will force you to do something rather than simply "pause"
on counts 2 and 6. Usual "fill-ins" are kicks, toe or heel taps,
flicks, brush, etc. with the free (unweighted) foot
or a little twist on the weighted foot. These actions are commonly known as
"eat-a-beat".