This movie was released theatrically in 1994, and most of
it covers the fall of 1993, when a special concert was held to determine which
of those two musicians would be named the new “King of Zydeco.” Both Boozoo
Chavis (whose real name is Wilson Anthony Chavis) and Beau Jocque (whose name
is Andrus Espre) are interviewed. And it’s interesting hearing the two
musicians talk about each other and about the competition, almost like two
boxers who are getting ready to step into the ring. It’s kind of strange, this
sense of competition, as is the bragging. At times it seems rather serious,
though at other times they seem to imply that it’s all for the fans’ enjoyment.
There is plenty of footage of the two bands performing,
and this footage is included throughout the documentary. I’m particularly fond
of the bass player for Boozoo Chavis (though it looks like that scarf tied to
the end of his bass would get in his way). Beau Jocque’s band is all dressed in
something resembling softball league uniforms – red T-shirts and caps with the band
name Hi-Rollers in white letters. Both bands are really good, though Beau’s
seems to be more of a party band. Listen to “Give Him Cornbread,” for example.
That song becomes a really good jam in the concert footage.
In addition to Boozoo and Beau, several other musicians
are interviewed, such as John Delafose, Nathan Williams and Mark Anthony
Williams. And there are interviews with others involved in the zydeco business,
including a record shop owner who says that Beau Jocque is the most popular
artist. “He’s the one who’s selling the
most right now,” she tells us. The crowning of the king of zydeco is a
surprisingly formal thing, as one woman with the Louisiana Hall of Fame
describes the process, which involved paperwork and so on.
The film has a nice, relaxed tone, and gives you a strong
sense of the place as well as the music, and how the two are tied together. I
love that the film presents the complete songs, rather than just snippets. And
the music itself is really good. However, for me, the choice for king is an easy one. It’s
Boozoo all the way. By the way, toward the end a title card reads, “April 1974.” It should of course read “April 1994,” as it shows the crowning of
the king of zydeco, and it’s amazing to me that an error like that would not be
caught in time.
Special Features
The Blu-ray disc includes Iguanas In The House, a short film by Robert Mugge documenting The
Iguanas in the process of recording some new material. It is approximately
twenty-six minutes, and features interviews with band members. The special
features also include The Origins Of The
Kingdom Of Zydeco, an interview with Robert Mugge about how the documentary
came about, and about the venue where the concert took place. He also mentions
all of the key figures of the film who have since died, including both Boozoo
Chavis and Beau Jocque. The Origins Of
The Kingdom Of Zydeco is approximately ten minutes. And there is a short
interview with Michael Tisserand, who wrote a book about zydeco.
The Kingdom Of
Zydeco was directed by Robert Mugge, who also directed Black Wax and Pride
And Joy: The Story Of Alligator Records. He would return to zydeco for the
2015 film Zydeco Crossroads: A Tale Of
Two Cities, which was also recently released on Blu-ray. The Kingdom Of Zydeco was released on
Blu-ray on April 8, 2016 through MVD Visual.
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