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Concert Review
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Washington Post, Concert Review >>
Geno Delafose
Some danced with the ease of the Louisiana expats they almost certainly were. Others stumbled about, finding the beat only by accident. It mattered not. Everyone in the crowd that filled the Birchmere's bandstand Thursday night had cast aside winter coats and the gloom of a misty, gray day to revel in the warmth of authentic zydeco beats from the marvelous Geno Delafose and his tireless four-piece band, French Rockin' Boogie.
Delafose is a big dude. When he's not performing, the Eunice, La., native-and son of the late zydeco great John Delafose-is a horse rancher. He stands well over six feet, and the large white cowboy hat he wore made him look taller still. In his giant hands, the accordion he plays looks no bigger than a six-pack.
For more than two hours, Delafose led his band in a high-spirited concert of two-steps, waltzes and traditional zydeco tunes. The herky-jerky beat was given little rest. With his washboard player providing the insistent shh-shh-shh rhythm and the rest of the band fleshing out the entrancing and infectious sound, Delafose moved quickly from song to song, the music stopping just long enough for dancers to change partners.
Singing in English, French and Creole, Delafose was as likely to respond to applause with "merci beaucoup" as "thank you." He has a rich voice and perpetual smile that makes you believe there is nothing he'd rather be doing. "Everybody's Dancin', the title track to his most recent album, sounded like a grittier, zydeco version of Sam Cooke's "Having Party." There was also the ridiculously sexy "Cherokee Waltz" and "What Do You Want With His Love?," probably the saddest song any dumped boyfriend could ever stand to hear. At show's end, the cold and fog awaited the dancers outside. But for couple of hours anyway, they enjoyed a warm Bayou reprieve.
JoeHeim
01/08/05
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