7/22 J’ai ete au Zydeco

Now if all my recent talk of dancing’s got you in the mood to shake a tail feather, but neither house music or b-boying gets your booty bumping, how about a dose of Zydeco? Tonight The Zydeco Flames are bringing a lil’ Cajun heat to Berkeley:

“The Bay Area’s Zydeco Flames have issued six CDs of hot zydeco dance music (the latest is 2006’s “Fire It Up”) and shared stages with most of the greats of the style at dances and festivals up and down the West Coast. Fifteen years ago accordionist Bruce Gordon teamed up with singer-rubboard player Lloyd Meadows to play at parties, including the premiere of the documentary film on Cajun and zydeco music, “J’ai ete au Bal.” Soon they expanded to a full band carrying on in the tradition of Clifton Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Queen Ida. Gordon has gone on to other bands, and the longtime core group is Lloyd Meadows with electric guitarist Frank Bohan, bassist-singer Timm Walker, and drummer William Allums Jr. Their accordion slot is often filled by Billy Wilson or Andre Thierry. The Flames have performed at just about every important event in the Bay Area, from the Black and White Ball to the San Francisco Jazz Festival, as well as countless Louisiana, Cajun, and zydeco fests.”

And if the music’s not enough to get you in the spot, how about doing it for a good cause? The night is also fund raiser for Edwin Thaxter, Ashkenaz’ doorman, whose son Courtney has been in a coma battling meningitis.-Kwan

Zydeco Flames
$10
Zydeco dance lessons at 8:00 p.m.; Show at 8:30 p.m.
Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center
1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley
http://www.ashkenaz.com