Some old friends dropped by last night just as we were finishing dinner. (beer can chicken, with a little creole jambalaya, and baked beans on the side). They couldn't resist a plate, so they ate and I put on a little Clifton Chenier music and opened the nice bottle of wine that they brought. These were two of my oldest and dearest friends in the world that I went to college with. We went through everything together back then and continue to go through everything together now.In college, we used to go to a honky- tonk dancehall, out in the country on the weekends called Jay's Lounge, in nearby Cankton, Louisiana. It was a dump, but nobody cared because there was a very special band that played there on Saturday nights, Clifton Chenier and His Red Hot Louisiana Band. Boy, did we ever have a blast at Jay's!
Clifton could move a crowd like no other musician I've ever seen. The nitty-gritty dancing that used to go on in that place was as hot as his highly seasoned , pulsating music. The big wooden dancefloor would vibrate and at times, I thought we would cave it in.
He became better known as "The King of Zydeco" and to this day, long after his death, no one can hold a candle to his spicy, soulful, bluesie, Cajun/ Zydeco moves. He was one of the best accordion players that ever lived and captured the very essence of the Louisiana gumbo and multi-cultural spirit that has evolved in Cajun Country over the past 250 years.
My favorite album is "Clifton Chenier Out West w/ Steve Miller & and Elvin Bishop". Now that was one hot gig! Here he is shown playing at Jazz Fest in New Orleans, in 1977 , playing one of my favorites, "I'm a Hog For You Baby"! More videos at the end of the clip. Let the good times roll. cher!
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13 comments:
My wife's American with family in Georgia; we've never made it to Cajun country, but the food and the music is a growing attraction.
Beer can chicken is my absolute favorite way to eat chicken. I make often. Isn't it nice to have life long friends who have known you through thick and thin?
I just love listening to Zydeco whenever I am down in the dumps...it always has a magical way of cheering me up.
Beer can chicken...I must make that this weekend. Yummy.
great post!
that's amazing...
for years, i've enjoyed a song by Paul Simon called That Was Your Mother. he mentions Clifton - and there he is on your blog!
awesome!
you know how to have FUN!
xo~
Thanks for that little snippet of home. It reminds me of my dad rocking on his back porch in Houma, drinking a beer and watching the rain fall. Good times. Can you send me that beer chicken recipe or did you post it somewhere? Sounds deevine.
Good friends, great food, fantastic music...makes wonder what the poor folks are doing tonight! ;-)
My brother makes us chicken on the bbq cooked atop a beer can. He calls it "Drunken Chicken", so I was in this HUGE camping store and they had a stand that had a place to hold the beer and to steady the chicken over the grill, so I bought one. Now I can make "Drunken Chicken". Gosh you make it sound so fun, the music, the dancing. I like the description of the dance floor. Felt like I was there. I'm smiling now.
What a flashback! I got to see Clifton Chenier at Jay's in Cankton in 76 while visiting a friend stationed in Texas. I had never seen any thing like it in my young life. What a blast.!Great video by the way. Keep it coming, Marguerite!!!
Oh la la Marguerite, this guy is fantastic, and the music – you sure want to dance. That is a great video. Now, about chicken in a beer can – I have never heard of it. Isn’t a beer can a little small to place a chicken in?
John- So glad that you were awake at 2:30 a.m. to watch this video. lol This guy was the best, but we still have hundreds of other great musicians. Maybe ya'll could visit sometime. :)
Kat- I'd love to see your recipe for beer can chicken. Maybe you could post it with a video clip of it cooking? That would be a cool post! Hey, what a great idea! Nothing like forever friends.
Marlene- I sort of figured that you would like Zydeco. Glad you enjoyed it! And I would love to see your recipe for beer can chicken, too. Maybe I'll have a beer can chicken post-a-thon! Ha!
Chuck- Thanks for the nice compliment, cher! I know that Paul Simon song! And yes, I do know how to have fun! Sort of goes along with the territory, here.
Mandy- Glad you enjoyed it! Since I've had so many requests for the recipe, I will post it in the near future. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you had fun at the beach!
Katherine- Camasava, cher! So good to see you! You got that right on all three counts. I love that saying of your hubby's. :)
Elizabeth- Merci, cher! Glad to make you smile. I want a stand for beer can chicken, too and will have to look for one, soon. That is perfect, because I have had them lean over, especially once they were drunken. lol
Robert- Thanks for your sweet comment. I was probably there! It's too bad that we didn't meet back then. Check out the other Clifton videos, you'll love them.
Vagabonde- So glad that you like the music and enjoyed the video. It is fabulous dancing music. I will be posting the beer can chicken recipe soon. The chicken is placed sitting on the beer can, on the grill. Also called, Beer Butt Chicken. lol
Marguerite; don't believe the time-stamp, I was in the land of nod at 2.30 am UK time. I think there's about a 6 hour time difference between UK and Cajun country. Keep enjoying the good times.
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