Buckwheat Zydeco - Buckwheat's Zydeco Party (1987)

Raucous, rowdy, and rambunctious in the best possible light, Buckwheat's Zydeco Party presents nimble-fingered, showstopping accordionist and band-leader Buckwheat Zydeco pulling the listener in for a Louisiana-styled throw down. 

The rhythms are hot and crazy, the band is tight, and the party is an explosion of two-steps and R&B flavored melodies. Included are the regional hit "Ya-Ya," a fiery take on Zydeco granddaddy Clifton Chenier's "Hot Tamale Baby," and a mix of traditional and original tunes. 

A smart, and with seventeen tracks, generous, collection culled from Buckwheat's two Rounder albums. ZYDECO PARTY includes a previously unreleased and absolutely blistering version of "Hot Tamale Baby" that's actually even more exciting than the slick remake done for Island the same year (1987).

As usual, Zydeco and his crack band avoid purism. There's lots of authentic zydeco ("Madame Pitre," "Lache Pas La Patate") to be sure, but there are also cover versions of two '50s rock standards (Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" and Fats Domino's "Walking to New Orleans," both of which sound fresh as paint here), a pulsating big band blues ("Someone Else is Steppin' In"), and even a reggae version of Lee Dorsey's "Ya Ya." Great stuff, brilliantly played.

1.  Hot Tamale Baby - 4:41  

2.  Ya Ya - 3:34  

3.  Someone Else Is Steppin' In - 3:58  

4.  Lache Pas La Patate - 2:53  

5.  Turning Point - 6:03  

6.  Walkin' To New Orleans - 4:35  

7.  Zydeco Boogaloo - 3:53  

8.  This Must Be Love - 4:04  

9.  Your Man Is Home Tonight - 5:04  

10.  Buck's Boogie - 3:05  

11.  Madame Pitre - 2:38  

12.  Help Me Understand You - 3:18  

13.  Tutti Frutti - 2:30  

14.  My Feet Can't Fail Me Now - 3:07  

15.  Tee Nah Nah - 4:44  

16.  Let The Good Times Roll - 4:59  

17.  Warm And Tender Love  - 5:01  

18.  Zydeco La Louisianne - 5:08 

Label -Rounder Records