Beau Jocque (1957-1999), his real name was Andrus Espre) was one of the biggest New Zydeco stars in the 1990s. Jocque worked for years as an electrician, but when he became temporarily incapacitated for work due to an accident, he picked up the accordion and immersed himself in the zydeco, the folk music of his native Louisiana. However, he thought the traditional zydeco music was old-fashioned, so
… he transformed this genre by adding elements from rock, soul, hip-hop and reggae. He founded the eight-member band The Zydeco Hi-Rollers and conquered a large audience with his danceable, very rhythmic funky music. Striking about Jocque was his enormous height, his rough, unpolished voice and his unquenchable energy. Jocque's successful life was cut short by a fatal heart attack. The album The Best Of Beau Jocque And The Zydeco Hi-Rollers by Rounder Records gives an impression of the stormy career of this giant who has changed zydeco music forever for eight years. In addition to the big hit Give Him Cornbread, it includes Jocques 'raw blues version of Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door. (SvdP) _more
