Swan song is essential zydeco

The last few years have not been kind to the zydeco industry. First, the groundbreaking Beau Jocque passes away, and then, on May 5 of this year, Wilson Anthony "Boozoo" Chavis died at the age of 70.\nFortunately, both Cajun legends left behind a remarkable and infectious body of work. Down Home on Dog Hill, Chavis' last studio recordings, are part of that collection.\nWhile perhaps not as innovative or experimental as Beau Jocque, Chavis helped lay the groundwork for the modern zydeco sound by mining the rich Louisiana musical traditions and remaining on a strong, steady course throughout his career.\nFor his last album, Chavis gathered together the Magic Sounds, a tight, racially diverse band, to back him up. The Sounds -- sons Charles and Rellis Chavis on rubboard and drums, respectively, Classie Ballou Jr. on bass, Sonny Landreth on guitar, David Greely on fiddle and Scott Billington on mouth harp -- gathered near Lake Charles, La., to practice the new material at Boozoo's home, Dog Hill.\nThe resulting songs, while somewhat predictable, are inspired nonetheless. The band runs through Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's bluesy "Rock Me Mama" and the waltz-like shuffle of "Crying Blues" with equal aplomb, and the Magic Sounds put Chubby Checker to shame with their cover of Hank Ballard's "The Twist."\nThe high points of the album come from Greely's greasy fiddle work and Boozoo's classic accordion melodies. Landreth adds some sharp, bluesy licks, while the Chavis boys provide a steady beat behind it all.\nThis year, Boozoo Chavis was honored posthumously with a National Heritage Fellowship Award, and it was certainly hard-earned and well-deserved. Few artists have been able to so consistently conjure up the soul of the swamps as Chavis. Although Down Home on Dog Hill is at times formulaic, it's a fitting, touching swan song for a zydeco legend.\nRating: 7