This program is made possible in part by grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts, The Summerlee Foundation; the Strake Foundation; The Texas Historical Foundation; and Humanities Texas, the State Affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Houston History Alliance’s 2016 conference partner the Houston Blues Museum is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houson Arts Alliance.
Documentary screening, talkback with the filmmakers, a party featuring a performance by Fred Rusk & The Zydeco Hi-Steppers, and dance lessons by Anytime Swing’line and Dance Production.
According to the Handbook of Texas Online, Zydeco dates back to the 1920s and was originally referred to as “la-la.” It emerged within the community of black creoles in southwestern Louisiana who then brought the music form with them while seeking economic opportunity in East Texas, specifically Beaumont and our own fair city, Houston.
In its new urban ecosystem, la-la began to shape shift, merging with urban blues and R&B, and developed into a rich, unique sound, like a delicious pot of creole stew. The key to this sound: the accordion. The special cadence of Zydeco came from spoons and the scratching against washboards.
There’s much more about the form available in the article about Zydeco in Handbook of Texas Online. The article, by the way, was written by Roger Wood, the very-same musicologist who helped with this documentary and who helped curate HHA’s History of Houston’s Musical Soul history conference.
All attendees to Texas Zydeco will receive their own specially packaged DVD, courtesy of Houston Community College, the film’s backer. Thanks HCC!
Stick around afterwards for a big Zydeco party featuring Fred Rusk & The Zydeco Hi-Steppers and dancing lessons by Anytime Swing’Line and Dance Productions!
A big thank you to our food sponsors for their generous support of this event. YOU ROCK!
HECK YEAH – Writers wanted! Take a look at how HHA is working with TSHA to create the Handbook of Houston, the first metro-centric handbook within the larger Handbook of Texas. Don’t spectate – PARTICIPATE!