JOIN US IN FOR OUR VERY OWN
VILLAGES BLUES MARDI GRAS 
Throw on some beads and your Mardi Gras costume or come in your comfy blues attire
However you come
Let's Party like it's 1999
For over 40 years, two-time GRAMMY award winning, the 8th generation Louisiana Creole, Terrance Simien (born September 3, 1965), has been shattering the myths and often misinformation, about what his traditional Zydeco roots music is – and is not. It most certainly is American roots music and it is music born of the black and mixed race French speaking Creoles of South Louisiana. It’s exhilarating and as complex and diverse as the Creoles. It’s also more than just one rhythm and one tempo. Sure it’s about dancing; “less dancing please”, said no-one ever! But, it’s also about grooving in place and dancing freely. It’s definitely about the vocal performance as well. Terrance’s lead vocals and the stunning three part harmonies of he, Danny and Stan – are proof positive that vocal performances matter – a lot! Zydeco is dynamic and evolving – remaining relevant to allow its artists to express themselves within their genre without constraints.
The late, Dr. John and Terrance’s friend/hero, once told him “if the music ain’t changin, it’s dyin.” We couldn’t agree with you more, Mac!
Simien leads a highly skilled Zydeco Experience band with long time member and creative collaborator Danny Williams (30+ years, two-GRAMMY award winning), keyboards, vocals; Stan Chambers (10+ years, GRAMMY award winning), bass, vocals; Ian Molinaro – Thompson, drums; Revon Andrews, trombone and Orlando Gilbert, saxophone. Michael Christie also lends a hand on tour. Both Ian and Orlando are Berklee College graduates. Another Berklee College grad, Ethan Santos, trombone, also joins us on tour at times. Three Berklee grads in one zydeco band is definitely a first for this genre and we could not be more honored they chose this music, and our group. Not only is the group multicultural and multi racial, it’s also now intergenerational! Three OG’s and three Gen Z’s.
Simien has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today. He and his band mates have performed nearly 10,000 concerts, toured millions of miles to over 45 countries during their eventful career. Their music has been placed in multiple theatre release films, including a Disney film, TV and radio commercials. They’ve shared studio and stage with legends the Meters, Art Neville, Los Lobos, Marcia Ball, the late Robert Palmer and Dave Matthews Band to name a few. They’ve been cultural ambassadors for their country since the mid 1980’s as part of the U.S,. State Department ongoing cultural diplomacy tours. They performed in Ukraine twice with the U.S. Embassy in Kiev and toured Russia for two weeks in 2015.
Simien has near expert knowledgable about his music genre. He’s only one of a handful from a generation with a direct link to the pioneers of contemporary zydeco, who with the exception of the Queen, Ida Guillory (born in 1929), have all passed away. When Simien started his band in high school in 1981, he was one of only 3 young zydeco artists performing this traditional music. All of the others at time were 20+ years older than he was. Simien counts himself fortunate to have been supported by mentored by John Delafose and encouraged by Clifton Chenier “to do his own thing, like me”, Cliff told him. Simien applied that seasoned advice, done and done, Cliff!
Another little known fact for those not as knowledgeable about the history of zydeco, Simien is one of those young emerging artists who was also responsible for the 1990’s renaissance of zydeco music. The three GRAMMY wins in the early-mid 80’s by Queen Ida, Clifton Chenier and Rockin Sidney Simien were a huge boost to the national visibility of the genre, but in the early 1990’s there still only a handful young, emerging artists stepping into the music to breathe new life and energy, like Terrance was.
THIS GUY CAN PAR-TEEEE (Bring your dancin shoes)