Louisiana Music: A Journey From R&b To Zydeco, Jazz To Country, Blues To Gospel, Cajun Music To Swamp Pop To Carnival Music And Beyond

by Rick Koster

What is it about Louisiana that breeds and attracts musicians? There are literally hundreds of them -- Dr. John, Harry Connick, Jr., Randy Newman, Trent Reznor, the Neville family, the Marsalis family -- all part of a tradition going back to Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Jelly Roll Morton, Buddy Bolden, and Mahalia Jackson. Tackling the monumental task of surveying the lush musical landscape of the state, Rick Koster examines all of the ingredients that went into creating this hotbed of talent -- the social influences, the musical traditions, the food, the drink, the heat -- and introduces us to the stars, both local and national, who have emerged. Discover the past and present of jazz, rock, zydeco, R&B, gospel, blues, country, and straight-up rock 'n' roll; learn too about the styles unique to Louisiana, like voodoo music, swamp pop, second-line brass bands, and Mardi Gras Indian tribes. With the laid-back charm and easy appeal that defines the state, Koster has created a survey as uniquely and teemingly rich with sound and story as the place itself.

Genres: Music

344 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2002

Reviews

[Amanda Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author's voice is occasionally irksome but it's certainly jam packed with history and important figures across basically all styles (including ones not immediately associated with NO and LA like classical). If you're a fan of the music you'll want to read with a pen and paper nearby for jotting down names to follow up. Not surprisingly the blues/r&b/soul/funk/Cajun/creole/zydeco sections are the best, finding enough material for the rock and country -excluding swamp pop- is obviously a stretch (Kix Brooks insights: do not want). A little dated now at 10 years old, and I found myself wondering what the author thinks of folks like (hot young Creole fiddler) Cedric Watson, the effect of Katrina and the show Treme so it was overall very engaging and informative.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can't cite the distinctions among Creole, Cajun and Zydeco music, or you believe them to be interchangeable monikers for the same thing, this book is for you. I cant think of another state that has given this country the variety of musical styles. This read will have you building killer internet radio stations on Pandora and perusing the iTunes store to hear for yourself what is being discussed in the various chapters. You might even run out and buy a button accordion in a fit of irrational exuberance.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this encyclopedic overview of music of my state. Rather than a try list of entries, there is an enthusiastic zing to the overviews of artists and groups in their genres. This includes first-hand interview and concert recollections from the music enthusiast author and mention of key recordings. This is great for reference and reading.