Smithsonian Folkways Recordings of Clifton Chenier
“Clifton Chenier is one of the artists featured in Roberta Cantow’s film “Accordions Rising”. There is an excellent collection of his performances on Smithsonian Folkways described as follows...
Chifton Chenier (1925–1987) is universally recognized as the creator of zydeco music, a blend of French and Cajun two-steps and waltzes with New Orleans R&B, Texas blues, and big-band jazz. This collection of 17 songs is drawn from his extensive catalogue with Arhoolie Records and features a previously unreleased live version of “Zydeco Sont Pas Salé” (The Snap Beans Aren’t Salty) as well as a 15-minute interview conducted by Arhoolie founder Chris Strachwitz. Allmusic.com notes that this collection is a good starting point for anyone interested in the origins of zydeco.
