"Surf Zydeco"'s 13 fun and creative tracks prove that California's coast isn't really that far from the Louisiana Bayou. Stong Zydeco accordion, with flavors of Tex-Mex, jug band, Beach Boys, Rockabilly. Listen, you'll like it.

13 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Americana, FOLK: Folk-Rock



Details:
SWAMP MEETS SURF IN NEW MUSIC RELEASE
Cachagua Playboys Deliver Something New in Much Anticipated
âSurf Zydecoâ CD

The Cachagua Playboysâ new CD, âSurf Zydeco, signals a creative leap for the band, featuring a diversity of styles and original material from all five members.

The Cachagua Playboys have been playing their own brand of Louisiana-flavored music for over a decade, well-steeped in Cajun, Zydeco, and New Orleans Mardi Gras boogie. But their roots are unmistakably the Central California coast, where the sounds of the ocean mix with the great musical traditions from San Francisco psychedelic blues to Southern California surf rock. What happens when such a diversity of sounds are given free rein to influence a bandâs music? The Cachagua Playboys are calling it âSurf Zydecoâ, the name of their brand new CD.

Not surprisingly, one can hear, side by side with the obvious Zydeco tunes, a wide array of genres in the various tracks. âCrush on Youâ, with its four-part harmonies, is a definite nod to the Beach Boys. There is swamp-funk (complete with hip-hop style scratch and rapping) on drummer John Tallonâs celebratory opening track, âLetâs Zydecoâ, a jug band feel to guitarist/fiddler Pat Clarkâs humorous yet touching ode to the temporary nature of life, âTill Death Do Us Partâ, and a Tex-Mex flavor to guitarist Mike Eckstromâs colorful ballad âBefore the Sunriseâ.

Their version of Sam Cookeâs âBring it on Home to Meâ features an accordion solo which suggests how Zydeco great Clifton Chenier might have approached it. And the title track is a droning instrumental jam, complete with ocean waves and jaw harp twang.

What ties it all together is the Playboysâ âsoundâ, which has a cohesiveness that can only come from people who have been playing together for a long time. The vocal harmonies (all members sing) contribute a lot to the bandâs tonal character, as does the instrumentation, particularly Kevin Gouldâs funky and eloquent accordion, which is present on every track.

When the Five Cachagua Playboys went into Gary Souzaâs Real-to-Reel Studio to make a new record, they had very few pre-conceptions. Someone would introduce a tune, lyric, or song idea, and in many cases, the band learned, arranged, and recorded it right on the spot, resulting in a fresh if somewhat unrefined sound.

âNo computers were used in the making of this record, from recording right through mixing all the way to the mastering lab. No Pro Tools fixes. Itâs totally analog, old school. Warts and all. There is a kind of warmth and intimacy with analog you just canât get in the digital realm,â says the CDâs producer and bassist Rick Chelew, whose production credits include T Bone Burnett, Pentangle, and Bert Jansch.

Mac McDonald, of The Monterey Herald, said "This new album, only the second from the Cachagua Playboys, is a toe-tapping, head-bobbing, finger-popping romp through the swamps and backroads of Lousiana and Texas fueled by jalapeno-hot zydeco and liberally spiced with Tex-Mex, soul, rockabilly and even ragtime. It proves the 'boys are no one-trick pony, but a diverse and talented group (10 out of the 13 tunes are band originals) who not only can play their respective instruments, but can all write and sing as well. And have a hell of a lot of fun doing it. You'll have a blast just listening. In fact, if you can sit still while listening to this album, you may want to have your pulse checked pronto."

The Cachagua Playboys consist of:
Rick Chelew: Producer/electric and upright bass, baritone ukelele, electric slide guitar, acoustic rhythm guitar, djembe and conga drums, vocals
Pat Clark: Electric lead, acoustic, and resonator guitars, mandolin, fiddle, vocals
Mike Eckstrom: Acoustic guitar, rub board, triangle, jaw harp, vocals
Kevin Gould: Accordion, vocals
John Tallon: Drums, tambourine, cowbell, chair, shaker, gourd, vocals