Review: Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band

From the plains of southwest Louisiana sweeps down a sound that is hot, fresh and trad, too. Keith Frank and his family puts it together once again. Their zydeco features all the diverse currents that make today's zydeco exciting, vibrant and compelling. When Keith takes to a stage, your feet have to move and you sweat until you're soaked. He takes you from Boozoo to the year 2 triple O without a pause and mixes and covers the whole world from there. His accordion is smooth and lyrical one moment and then the fireworks of staccato sixteenths take over as he unleashes a torrent of hyper powered French rocking. Frank writes his own dance floor magic as well as borrowing from a plethora of influences including a boozy version of Peppermint Harris' "I Got Loaded" and a doo-wop zydeco song collage called "Back To The 50s." Keith’s sis, Jennifer sings "Walking On Sunshine" (yes, that one) with a church revival fervor and Bob Marley's "No Need To Worry" hybridizes reggae roots with its kin music, zydeco. The band features deep pedally throbbing five string bass c/o Jennifer, cranking skin work with bro Brad and Chocolate Ned's rubbing. This lion is roaring out of the prairies of Soileau and, word up, "Ready or Not," you better listen.—Mark Gresser