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By Miriam Raftery
March 10, 2014 (Santee)—“The musicianship is top notch and the music is infectious. I’m loving every minute of it!” says bass player Danny Perez of Santee, the newest member of the popular Bayou Brothers band. The Bayou Brothers will bring their rollicking, foot-stomping, musical gumbo style to Santee’s Pinnacle Peak restaurant on Wednesday, March 12 for East County Magazine’s own Mardi Gars party from 6-10 p.m.
It’s a sound straight out of New Orleans’ dance clubs, Louisiana blues festivals and backyard crawfish boils complete with drums, accordion, keyboard, guitar, rub-board and three-part harmony. The styles range from blues to R&B to zydeco.
Rick Lee, a drummer who founded the Bayou Brothers back in 1996 with friends who had toured through the South and picked up the flavor of zyedco music, calls it “Louisiana party music.”
John Chambers, accordionist, says zydeco is a mixture of Cajun, soul, and a little bit of blues. It includes several dances and the term means “Pick it up a notch or put a little more salt in the snap beans!” he quips.
The beat is so catchy that while the group was performing recently at the San Diego Zoo, a zookeeper urged them to look over their shoulders. “A baby rhino was actually dancing to our music,” Rick says.
“Dug the zydeco,” quips John, who wrote a song called “Zydeco Rhino” as a result that will also be the title of their soon-to-be-released CD.
Jack Stevens, a guitarist from El Cajon, is another recent addition to the band. “Their guitar player was in Europe playing the blues,“ he recalls. Invited to fill in, he soon became an official Bayous Brother.
J
ohn's zippy accordion riffs are lively and upbeat. This is not your father's accordion music. "We don't do polkas in zydeco," he grins.
The band won the San Diego Music Awards last year for best blues band, though they play a range of styles including original music such as Zydeco Shoes and Cajun Casserole, traditional tunes and favorites written by others, from Jambalaya to Cupid’s Shuffle to Ramblin’ Man.
It all started with a gig at Sistah Judy’s house on Mt. Helix. Since that housewarming party, the band has had bookings as far away as England, including two tours through the United Kingdom, one with legendary Blues Hall of Famer Lazy Lester.
“Now we’ve come full circle,” says Rick. Sistah Judy is a member of the band too, playing the rub-board. She has a rubboard club on the band’s website (www.bayoubrothers.net) with photos of audience members she’s invited on stage to play. “It brings out a fun side in people,” she says. “It always puts a smile on their faces.” Famous folks, including a San Diego mayor and the mayor of Gloucester, England have played rub board with the band. Locally, the band has entertained at Gator by the Bay and the San Diego Blues Festivals and next up, East County Magazine’s Mardi Gras Party.
At East County Magazine’s Mardi Gras Party on Wednesday, March 12, in addition to the Bayou Brothers, guests will be given free masks and beads, a Cajun/Creole dinner feast by Pinnacle Peak, King’s cake cooked up by the Grove Pastry Shop, and have a chance to win over $6,000 in prizes in drawings and a silent auction. Prizes include some unique items including a $3800 Taylor SolidBody Guitar, a tour of a zebra ranch at Hearts & Hands in Ramona, tickets to Wild in the Country at Lions Tigers and Bears, a daycation at Santee Lakes, lodging in Hawaii, dinner at Mediterraneo, wines from wine judge Bradford Bruce, more wines and tastings from local wineries, books by local and national authors, golf at Cottonwood Golf and Carlton Oaks, Bayou Brothers CDs, Viejas buffet and bowling gift certificates and more.
There’s also a “Crazy Tie” contest and the winner can win a gift certificate to Viejas Outlet Centers.
For tickets to the Mardi Gras party and more information, visit http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/15048 .
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