"Influenced by the birth of jazz in New Orleans, as well as early blues, rock'n'roll and French colonial legacy, this largely African American folk music of the 1950s to the 1980s veers from poignant lyricism to rollicking, full-throated celebration. The dancefloor-focused side of the archival material features several infectious songs from bandleader Clifton Chenier. Known as the founder of Creole folk genre zydeco, Chenier's arrangements incorporate bluesy guitar riffs alongside scraping washboard rhythms and the metallic twang of piano accordion."
"The contemporary recordings are equally upbeat, meandering from rap verses to techno bass and industrial distortion, but prove too wide-ranging to cohere. Instead, it's in the more minimal, vocal-led arrangements that the album truly shines. Singer Alma Barthelemy's recording of Ma Bonne Creole aches in its tender vibrato, while Caesar Vincent's nasal tone lends a searching feel to the a cappella ballad Travailler C'est Trop Dur."
European archival label Flee reissues out-of-print rarities and commissions new interpretations from contemporary artists. Past releases include a 2017 exploration of Kenyan Benga, a 2021 recording of Gulf pearl divers' oral traditions and a catalogue of Greek Orthodox singing from Mount Athos. The latest edition compiles archival and contemporary French-language Creole music from Louisiana. Influenced by New Orleans jazz, early blues, rock'n'roll and French colonial legacy, the music spans 1950s–1980s African American folk, ranging from poignant lyricism to rollicking celebration. Archival tracks highlight Clifton Chenier's zydeco with washboard rhythms and piano accordion; contemporary pieces mix rap, techno and intimate vocal-led ballads.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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