Zydeco Zip and Brass-band Boogie Hit Town

New Orleans is 21 hours drive time from my house, five hours by air via Albany Airport.

Music erases travel: Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas play Friday at Universal Preservation Hall 39 minutes from my house, and the Soggy Po’ Boys play Saturday at Caffe Lena, 37 minutes away.

The Zydeco Cha Chas are mostly family; and Williams named the band after a tune by 1960s zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier, an early inspiration. Williams first recorded for his brother Sid’s label at 21 and played weekly at El Sido’s Zydeco & Blues Club in their hometown of Lafayette, ground zero of zydeco and Cajun music. Williams bought his first accordion from mentor Buckwheat Zydeco, who also recommended his young protege to Rounder Records.

Nathan Williams Squeezes Big Fun from his Accordion, with the Zydeco Cha Chas. Photo Provided.

Since Williams and his Zydeco Cha Chas first played the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1988, they became regulars at New Orleans’ Rock ’N’ Bowl in 1988, recorded their live album “I’m A Zydeco Hog” there in 1997 and helped celebrate the venue’s 30th anniversary in 2018. They’ve also played Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the Grand Ole Opry, top European venues and Jazz Fest after Jazz Fest. 

On record, they earned a 2023 Grammy nomination for “Lucky Man” after collaborating with Cajun superstar Michael Doucet on “Creole Crossroads” (1995).

Zydeco – zippy, blues-deep but happy dance music – works best onstage. Its two-steps and waltzes aim beats at the feet, vocals and solos for the roof. The Zydeco Cha Chas feature accordionist-singer Nathan’s guitarist-brother Dennis Paul and bassist-cousin Alan Williams, plus rub-board player Jaston George and drummer Keith Sonnier. Pedigree is no guarantee of quality; but this band’s proof is in their swing.

Show time for Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas Friday, Feb. 7 at Universal Preservation Hall (25 Washington St., Saratoga Springs – 39 minutes from my place) is 7:30 p.m. 518-346-6204 www.proctors.org. Like Michael Doucet back in the fall, this is a Proctors Passport Series presentation

Geography is no barrier to love and mastery of music from elsewhere.

The Soggy Po’ Boys formed in Dover, New Hampshire for a Mardi Gras party in 2012. You can get a po’ boy* at NaNola and other places, and a muffuletta at Perreca’s – and good music travels just as well. 

The Soggy Po’ Boys. Photo Provided.

Zydeco pumps down-home flavors, Creole country music; the Soggy Po’ Boys play more urban traditional jazz and street parade chants.

A brass-band, Soggy Po’ Boys echo Second Line struts, vintage jazz and late-night funk ala the Meters. New Orleans is the northernmost Caribbean city, and these guys play a distinctive island bounce.

The Soggy Po’ Boys pack more brass-band boogie than Nathan and the smaller Zydeco Cha Chas, with reeds (Eric Klaxon), trombone (Josh Gagnon) and tenor sax (Nick Mainella) plus Stu Dias, vocals and guitar; Mike Effenberger; piano; Brian Waterhouse, drums; and Scott Kiefner, bass. Their seventh album “Leave the Light On” hit in October.

Show time for Soggy Po’ Boys Saturday, Feb. 8 at Caffe Lena (47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs – 37 minutes from my place) is 8 p.m., doors at 7:30. Tickets $27.12, members $23.86, students and children $13.56. 518-583-0022. http://www.caffelena.org. It’s part of the Peak Jazz Series, supported by Joseph & Luann Conlon in memory of Corrine Simonds.

They return hereabouts on March 2, playing the cozy Parlor Room in Northampton.

CUISINE AND HAPPINESS NOTES

* A po’ boy is an iconic New Orleans sandwich on crusty French bread with shrimp or meat and cheese; topped with mayo, lettuce, pickles and tomato, it’s “full dressed.”

Sympathetic food purveyors reputedly developed it to support an early 20th century labor action, to feed “those po’ boys out on strike.”

Once at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, I ordered a sausage and shrimp po’ boy at a food stand I hit at every Jazz Fest I can get to. “I see the sausage, but where’s the shrimp?” I asked, confused. “Yeah, that’s IN the sausage.” And OMG.

Another warm spring Jazz Fest day, I was walking from one stage to another. There are 12, but I don’t remember now and didn’t care then who I was going to see next; it was enough that I was among unanimously happy multitudes. A cold Pilsener Urquell in one hand and a Cajun duck po’boy in the other, I realized this is one of the happiest moments of my life.

That’s why I’m going back this spring, my first return since Covid, and to Louisiana in Saratoga Springs Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8.

Dancing at the Fais-do-do Stage. Michael Hochanadel Photo