November 2, 2012 7:30 p.m.- Tickets $24 (Subscribers $20)
C.J,‘s 1995 appearances on the Jon Stewart Show and CNN brought C.J.’s music to his widest audiences yet. But all this attention didn’t change his philosophy toward his music. “You go to a gig by a jazz band,” he says, “and everybody's sitting down, sipping drinks. You play zydeco and you see shoes flying off. You can’t come to my show and stay unhappy all night long. You’re going to break a smile and stomp your foot before too long. This is happy music, and it makes you dance.”
Nowhere was this more evident than the band’s 1996 appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where their raucous performance caught the attention of VH1, which featured Chenier in a segment on the event. Entertainment Weekly followed with a piece of their own. And a 1996 showcase at Austin’s SxSW Music Conference (as part of the Alligator Records 25th Anniversary event) swept the overflow crowd of music writers and fans at Antone’s into a massive dancing frenzy.
When Paul Simon recorded his 1990 album Rhythm of the Saints, he handpicked C.J. Chenier to play accordion (alongside Ringo Starr on drums) then asked him to join his “Born at the Right Time Tour”. A few years later C.J. showed up as a guest on the Gin Blossom’s “New Miserable Experience” album.
The Boston Globe has called C.J. "the crown prince of Zydeco," and Living Blues magazine hails him as "the best living Zydeco singer and accordionist." His musical style ranges from the traditional Zydeco of Clifton Chenier right on up to modern funk with healthy doses of blues, R&B, swamp pop and even country. C.J.'s total mastery of the accordion combined with his rich, satisfying voice are the driving forces behind this power-house Zydeco band.
C.J. Chenier and The Red Hot Louisiana Band Reviews
"C.J. takes Zydeco into the R&B mainstream" -- Washington Post
"The heir to the Zydeco throne, an unparalleled party starter" -- Billboard
"The crown prince of Zydeco" -- Boston Globe
"The best living Zydeco singer and accordionist" -- Living Blues
"Rocked-out, infectious energy...rollicking Zydesoul from a Zydeco master" -- Chicago Tribune
Zydeco Band I Chicago Blues I Louisiana Band I CJ Chenier
Freedom Hall Nathan Manilow Theatre has patrons in the following towns as well as other areas; Chicago, Naperville, Matteson, Homewood, Downers Grove, Mokena, Park Forest, Frankfort, LaGrange, Dyer, Lansing, Joliet, Lemont, Lockport, Bolingbrook, Homer Glen, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Orland Park, Woodridge, Burr Ridge, Oak Park, Flossmoor, Tinley Park, Plainfield, Manteno, and Northwest Indiana.
Freedom Hall Nathan Manilow Theatre presents a series of music concerts, Second City comedy and theatre productions in our Nathan Manilow Theatre located in Park Forest - Chicago's southern suburbs.
