Music
VJ Boulet, Lil’ Bit O’ Dis Lil’ Bit O’Dat (Jin Records)
When you got 67 years in the music biz, chances are you pretty much done it all. VJ Boulet, a.k.a. “Boo” to his circle of buddies and associates, can certainly make that claim. He’s been a piano-pounding sideman and an esteemed songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Jim Olivier, Jimmy C. Newman, Clarence “Frogman Henry,” Freddie Fender, and Jamie Bergeron, not to mention featured in an occasional movie or two.
Smithfield Fair, A Place In Your Heart – 50th Anniversary Celebration Collection (Stevenson Productions)
Move over, Ray Benson. Asleep at the Wheel isn’t the only band celebrating half a hundred years. East of the Sabine, Baton Rouge’s Smithfield Fair also reached the semi-centurion mark recently. To commemorate this special occasion, the longstanding folk-rock group boiled its 35-album discography to 14 songs core to its repertoire and reprised them to show how they sound today.
Travis Matte and The Kingpins, Rockin the Town (Mhat Productions)
With its cover depicting a dance party of gyrating ’60s hipsters, one might initially think Matte is attempting to recycle his 2011 release Old School. While Old School was a reworking of rock ’n’ roll classics, Rockin the Town features eight Matte originals showcasing The Kingpins’ versatility that straddles various South Louisiana genres.
Zydeco’s Luckiest Man: Nathan Williams with his sons, Lil’ Nate and Naylan, continue a musical legacy
Every night when things are steamrolling for Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, the group’s accordionist and vocalist Nathan Williams will gaze into his audience, smile, and say, “I’m like […]
Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas, Lucky Man (Cha Cha Records)
It’s nice to know some things never change in this constantly evolving world where technology seemingly moves faster than the speed of light. After 37 years in in the music […]
T Marie & Bayou Juju, Bayou Rearview (Independent)
Good friendships can lead to many things, especially when making music. T Marie & Bayou Juju were just friends gathering together for weekly supper jams during COVID. They enjoyed each […]
Dustin Dale Gaspard, Hoping Heaven Got a Kitchen (Independent)
Dustin Dale Gaspard, under various configurations, is no stranger to Lafayette’s robust roots-centric music scene. The funky soul sextet DG & The Freetown Sound comes to mind. But for his […]
Zachary Richard, Danser Le Ciel (Martin LeClerc)
Just when you think singer-songwriter, poet, cultural activist Zachary Richard has done it all, along comes Danser le Ciel, where he reprises deep, career-spanning material with a chamber orchestra. The […]
Big Al and the Heavyweights, Love One Another (Vizztone Records)
With the colorful life he’s lived, Big Al Lauro would be an excellent subject for one of those steamy, tell-all rock ’n’ roll-style autobiographies. Among the stories he could share, […]
Michael Juan Nunez, Rouxsta (Parish Line Records)
The inspiration for singer-songwriter-guitarist Michael Juan Nunez’s sixth album, Rouxsta, resulted from spending time with Paul “Lil Buck” Sinegal towards the end of his life. Though Nunez always considered his […]
