Can you do the Zydeco? In this session, everyone can! Students will get the chance to learn core Zydeco instruments: the accordion, washboard, drums, and the triangle. They will also be learning songs that are sung in both French and English. Then it’s time to grab a partner to “LaLa” (which means “to dance” in Zydeco-speak) and bring culture alive in the classroom.
TEACHING ARTIST SESSION
The Zydeco Fais Do Do! (5-12)
Chubby Carrier
Third generation Zydeco musician Chubby Carrier has been playing music for more than 35 years. Chubby played his first gig on the drums with his father’s band at the age of 10 years old. At 14 years old he played his first gig on the accordion. In 1989 he formed his own band called Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band. The band toured the United States, Canada and Europe, and played festivals, fairs, and music venues all over the world. In 2010, Chubby won a Grammy award for Best Zydeco or Cajun album of the year. The next year, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Now Chubby continues his legacy by spreading the Zydeco Gospel in schools to the next generation.
