Zydeco Party Band

The Zydeco Party Band is exactly that, a party band of wannabe Louisiana two-steppers headed up by East Texan accordion player Doug Legacy, and the group's blend of zydeco, Cajun, blues, funk, R&B, swamp pop, and country explodes out of the speakers like a bayou banshee. Arranged chronologically, this best-of sampler opens with five tracks from the Zydeco Party Band's 1994 debut, King Cake Party, which featured guest shots from Ry Cooder, David Lindley, Jim Keltner, and Syd Straw, and moves through highlights from Dancin' on the Levee (1996), Mardi Gras Mambo (1999), and the unreleased studio album Party Is Our Middle Name, and concludes with two tracks from Live in Schaffhausen (2003). Except for a short breather to deliver a stately version of Rockin' Sidney's "Alligator Waltz," the pace never slackens, and antes up from there, including a version of Clifton Chenier's "Hot Tamale Baby" that is absolutely blistering. Other highlights include covers of Taj Mahal's "Cakewalk into Town" and Leiber & Stoller's "Young Blood," originally done by the Coasters. Nothing is too subtle here, as Legacy keeps the pedal to the floor, making this a marvelous party album, true to the name. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide