Thierry Brings Zydeco Magic to Crawfish Festival
Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic Perform at
2013 Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival!
May 1, 2013
by Herman Fuselier
I’m disappointed and excited that Andre Thierry is performing this weekend at the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival. The disappointment is Thierry plays so early – 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Saturday on the Crawfish Stage. Some party people are just rolling out of bed at that time.
Yet I’m excited that many here in south Louisiana, ground zero for zydeco, will finally get to see one of the genre’s most dynamic musicians. Thierry, 33, lives in Richmond, Calif., and rarely gets to play in Louisiana, the homeland of his parents and grandparents.
But he’s keeping zydeco fans and Creole communities in California and beyond well entertained.
I’m not alone in my respect and admiration for Thierry. Search on YouTube and you’ll find him performing with rocker Sammy Hagar at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif. Thierry recorded two tracks on Hagar’s upcoming album.
Thierry has also worked with famed R&B producer Narada Michael Walden. That’s the same Narada Michael Walden who’s produced No. 1 hits for Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Al Jarreau and other stars. “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “The Bodyguard” and “Free Willy” are just a few of the soundtracks on Walden’s resume.
The first time I saw Thierry play in person was a couple of years ago at the Clifton Chenier birthday celebration in Loreauville. I’ve heard his records and played them on my radio show. But witnessing Thierry in person is a remarkable experience.
Rare is the accordion player who can capture the style, complexity and emotion of Chenier, the King of Zydeco. But Thierry’s got it and makes it look easy.
At the Chenier celebration, several people stopped dancing to watch this accordion dynamo in action.
We shouldn’t be surprised Thierry is so adept. Thierry was ordained by the Grammy-winning King of Zydeco himself.
During his West Coast tours, Chenier often played at St. Mark’s Church Hall, dances set up by Thierry’s grandparents. Legend has it that Chenier grabbed the 3-year-old Thierry by the arms and said he was going to be an accordion player.
Encouraged by his grandfather, Thierry taught himself to play by listening to Chenier’s music. Thierry was soon sitting in with California zydeco groups and visiting bands, like John and Geno Delafose.
By age 12, Thierry had his own band, Zydeco Magic. He quickly mastered the single row, double row, triple row and piano accordion, and the media began to notice.
In 2002, Eh Toi magazine said, “There is no accordion player in zydeco that uses his left hand as well as Andre Thierry.” An article in the Washington Post in 2003 complimented his fast, funky rhythms and said, “Thierry can’t be lumped into zydeco’s old-school R&B-influenced camp or its nouveau, rap-inspired one: He and his band, Zydeco Magic, lay down both soulful, traditional slow dances and bottom-end-booming kinetic groovers.”
In 2008, Thierry and band won the Best Zydeco Group award from the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame. Just last year, Thierry became a Grammy nominee with his flashy squeezebox contributions on Corey Ledet’s “Nothin’ But the Best” CD.
The Crawfish Festival is the perfect chance to see what the fuss is all about. Get there early and enjoy the young accordion wizard as he works his magic.
Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic Perform at
2013 Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival!
May 1, 2013
by Herman Fuselier
 |
Andre Thierry and Zydeco Magic
11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. This Saturday!!!
2013 Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival
|
I’m disappointed and excited that Andre Thierry is performing this weekend at the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival. The disappointment is Thierry plays so early – 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Saturday on the Crawfish Stage. Some party people are just rolling out of bed at that time.
Yet I’m excited that many here in south Louisiana, ground zero for zydeco, will finally get to see one of the genre’s most dynamic musicians. Thierry, 33, lives in Richmond, Calif., and rarely gets to play in Louisiana, the homeland of his parents and grandparents.
But he’s keeping zydeco fans and Creole communities in California and beyond well entertained.
I’m not alone in my respect and admiration for Thierry. Search on YouTube and you’ll find him performing with rocker Sammy Hagar at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, Calif. Thierry recorded two tracks on Hagar’s upcoming album.
Thierry has also worked with famed R&B producer Narada Michael Walden. That’s the same Narada Michael Walden who’s produced No. 1 hits for Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Al Jarreau and other stars. “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “The Bodyguard” and “Free Willy” are just a few of the soundtracks on Walden’s resume.
The first time I saw Thierry play in person was a couple of years ago at the Clifton Chenier birthday celebration in Loreauville. I’ve heard his records and played them on my radio show. But witnessing Thierry in person is a remarkable experience.
Rare is the accordion player who can capture the style, complexity and emotion of Chenier, the King of Zydeco. But Thierry’s got it and makes it look easy.
At the Chenier celebration, several people stopped dancing to watch this accordion dynamo in action.
We shouldn’t be surprised Thierry is so adept. Thierry was ordained by the Grammy-winning King of Zydeco himself.
During his West Coast tours, Chenier often played at St. Mark’s Church Hall, dances set up by Thierry’s grandparents. Legend has it that Chenier grabbed the 3-year-old Thierry by the arms and said he was going to be an accordion player.
Encouraged by his grandfather, Thierry taught himself to play by listening to Chenier’s music. Thierry was soon sitting in with California zydeco groups and visiting bands, like John and Geno Delafose.
By age 12, Thierry had his own band, Zydeco Magic. He quickly mastered the single row, double row, triple row and piano accordion, and the media began to notice.
In 2002, Eh Toi magazine said, “There is no accordion player in zydeco that uses his left hand as well as Andre Thierry.” An article in the Washington Post in 2003 complimented his fast, funky rhythms and said, “Thierry can’t be lumped into zydeco’s old-school R&B-influenced camp or its nouveau, rap-inspired one: He and his band, Zydeco Magic, lay down both soulful, traditional slow dances and bottom-end-booming kinetic groovers.”
In 2008, Thierry and band won the Best Zydeco Group award from the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame. Just last year, Thierry became a Grammy nominee with his flashy squeezebox contributions on Corey Ledet’s “Nothin’ But the Best” CD.
The Crawfish Festival is the perfect chance to see what the fuss is all about. Get there early and enjoy the young accordion wizard as he works his magic.
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