C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band

In a nice trick of synergy, the Dakota managed to book two of zydeco's leading lights in less than a week. Like Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural Jr., who was in town last week, C.J. Chenier became infatuated with zydeco and started playing the accordion relatively late, and both were mentored by the undisputed king of zydeco himself, Clifton Chenier, C. J.'s father. When Clifton died, C.J. assumed the leadership of the Red Hot Louisiana Band, maintaining Clifton's legacy as well as taking it in new directions. Like Buck, C.J. has expanded on zydeco tradition, adding elements of jazz, R&B, pop, and rock. He can play a mean alto sax and is also arguably zydeco's finest singer. Chenier's rich, blues-saturated voice was front and center on much of his last album, The Desperate Kingdom of Love, a collaboration with the Tarbox Ramblers and largely his response to Katrina. Like Buck, C.J. will likely crank up the squeezebox and party hearty at the Dakota. $20 at 7 p.m.; $12 at 9:30 p.m. (photo by George Balthazar)
Sun., Sept. 6, 2009