Bois Sec Ardoin

Blending lyrical French singing, fresh, danceable accordion and a touch of R&B rhythm, Ardoin's performances are key links to the roots of Zydeco and Cajun music. The cousin of legendary squeezebox-pumper Amede Ardoin, Bois Sec's music (meaning "dry wood") is a link to old "la-la" music, Zydeco's precursor, which was similar to Cajun music though more rhythmic. The most important of his many collaborations was with fiddler Canray Fontenot: the two had a musical relationship that spanned many decades and produced some of the finest Creole albums ever recorded, including Les Blues du Bayou. More recently Ardoin has brought his rich vocals and rhythmic playing to recordings with younger stars, including Balfa Toujours.