Taylor, Singers Spread Musical Wings at ‘Soul Survival’
“Soul Survival” To Showcase Gospel, Soul and Zydeco
May 17, 2016
by Herman Fusilier
The Advertiser
With recent gigs in San Diego and New York City in his rearview mirror, zydeco musician Curley Taylor will soon head to gigs in Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, Texas and beyond. Gigs near Taylor’s hometown of Grand Coteau are hardly ever on his GPS.
But that’s how Taylor likes it. The road gigs are also why Taylor’s gigs can include as much classic soul from James Brown, Ray Charles and Sam Cooke as his homegrown zydeco.
“I’m trying to give something that’s going to appeal to everybody,” said Taylor. “Michael Jackson didn’t make it as big as he was because he was the biggest thing in Gary, Indiana. If he would have just been the biggest thing in Gary, Indiana, we would have never heard of him.
“I never put my band together to be the king of playing trail rides, or playing Richard’s Club. That was never my goal. My goal was the spread my music and that’s what’s happening.”
Taylor spreads his musical wings even more when he performs in “Soul Survival,” a gospel, soul and zydeco showcase Thursday and Friday at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. This Louisiana Crossroads concert, the AcA’s season finale, also includes Roddie Romero and Eric Adcock of the Hub City All Stars, Melody Guillory and singers from the Destiny of Faith and Progressive Baptist Church choirs.
These singers and musicians were part of “Lafayette Strong: Unite. Honor. Heal,” a music, art and prayer event held in Blackham Coliseum the week after the July 23 Grand Theater shooting. The shooting took two lives and injured nine.
Gerd Wuestemann, the AcA’s executive director, was inspired by how the community came together through music. Wuestemann hopes to continue that spirit with "Soul Survival.”
“The Louisiana Crossroads series is all about exploring musical connections,” said Wuestemann. “We are fortunate to live in an area that connects our local Cajun and zydeco traditions with blues, jazz and Caribbean influences to create an amalgam of styles. This show brings this to a point.
“It’ll be an exciting night of music: hearing Roddie collaborating with the incredible soul voice of Melody Guillory, hearing Curley Taylor playing a traditional zydeco tune backed by a gospel choir, experiencing an intimate a capella version of a class swamp-pop ballad or seeing all of these artists coming together in a joyous finale of 60 performers raising the roof of AcA."
“Soul Survival” continues a 13-year solo career for Taylor, son of zydeco and blues legend Jude Taylor. Before starting his own band, Zydeco Trouble, Taylor was a drummer with Geno Delafose, Lil Bob and the Lollipops, C.C. Adcock, C.J. Chenier and other musicians.
Since going solo in 2003, Taylor has toured coast to coast and produced five CDs, including his 2014 release, “Zydeco Confessions.” Taylor has said his next CD, which he has already started, will include his usual gumbo of zydeco, soul and more.
“I’m going to be all over the place on my next record. It’s not like every song has an accordion or a zydeco beat.
“I’ve been out there enough now where people are looking at me just as an artist. I’m spreading out and moving around now.”
Want to go?
"Soul Survival"
7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Acadiana Center for the Arts, 101 W. Vermilion St.
Tickets: $35, $30, $25 ($33, $28 and $23 for AcA members)
Information: acadianacenterforthearts.org
“Soul Survival” To Showcase Gospel, Soul and Zydeco
May 17, 2016
by Herman Fusilier
The Advertiser
 |
| Curley Taylor is among the entertainers at "Soul Survival" Thursday and Friday at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. (Photo Credit: David Simpson) |
But that’s how Taylor likes it. The road gigs are also why Taylor’s gigs can include as much classic soul from James Brown, Ray Charles and Sam Cooke as his homegrown zydeco.
“I’m trying to give something that’s going to appeal to everybody,” said Taylor. “Michael Jackson didn’t make it as big as he was because he was the biggest thing in Gary, Indiana. If he would have just been the biggest thing in Gary, Indiana, we would have never heard of him.
“I never put my band together to be the king of playing trail rides, or playing Richard’s Club. That was never my goal. My goal was the spread my music and that’s what’s happening.”
Taylor spreads his musical wings even more when he performs in “Soul Survival,” a gospel, soul and zydeco showcase Thursday and Friday at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. This Louisiana Crossroads concert, the AcA’s season finale, also includes Roddie Romero and Eric Adcock of the Hub City All Stars, Melody Guillory and singers from the Destiny of Faith and Progressive Baptist Church choirs.
These singers and musicians were part of “Lafayette Strong: Unite. Honor. Heal,” a music, art and prayer event held in Blackham Coliseum the week after the July 23 Grand Theater shooting. The shooting took two lives and injured nine.
 |
| Photo Credit: Lee Celano |
“The Louisiana Crossroads series is all about exploring musical connections,” said Wuestemann. “We are fortunate to live in an area that connects our local Cajun and zydeco traditions with blues, jazz and Caribbean influences to create an amalgam of styles. This show brings this to a point.
“It’ll be an exciting night of music: hearing Roddie collaborating with the incredible soul voice of Melody Guillory, hearing Curley Taylor playing a traditional zydeco tune backed by a gospel choir, experiencing an intimate a capella version of a class swamp-pop ballad or seeing all of these artists coming together in a joyous finale of 60 performers raising the roof of AcA."
“Soul Survival” continues a 13-year solo career for Taylor, son of zydeco and blues legend Jude Taylor. Before starting his own band, Zydeco Trouble, Taylor was a drummer with Geno Delafose, Lil Bob and the Lollipops, C.C. Adcock, C.J. Chenier and other musicians.
Since going solo in 2003, Taylor has toured coast to coast and produced five CDs, including his 2014 release, “Zydeco Confessions.” Taylor has said his next CD, which he has already started, will include his usual gumbo of zydeco, soul and more.
“I’m going to be all over the place on my next record. It’s not like every song has an accordion or a zydeco beat.
“I’ve been out there enough now where people are looking at me just as an artist. I’m spreading out and moving around now.”
Want to go?
"Soul Survival"
7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Acadiana Center for the Arts, 101 W. Vermilion St.
Tickets: $35, $30, $25 ($33, $28 and $23 for AcA members)
Information: acadianacenterforthearts.org
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