Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers - Calling Your Name (2015)

After many years of wowing audiences around the globe with his high-energy music on stage, Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers performances are the highlight of every festival. And now he has recorded an album of the type of songs that his audiences have shown that they love. Dwayne has written 11 more songs that are filled with imagery, along with the musical power of the Zydeco Hellraisers! Adding the Rolling Stones enduring hit “Beast Of Burden” completes the list of a dozen songs with a primal enthusiasm.

With a backing band of great musicians, Dwayne leads the group with the incredible guidance of a powerful Zydeco accordion performance, the likes of which you may never hear from any other player. Dwayne digs into his genetic Zydeco roots as son of Rockin’ Dopsie, references the master Clifton Chenier, and challenges everybody else in the genre to create the “licks” played with his commanding accordion power. He comes up with exciting new ideas on every song. This album covers a range of exciting musical styles, and retains the roots and history of the early days of Zydeco.

The album title song “Calling Your Name” could have come from a dream on a Caribbean Island on one of the band’s cruises. “Hard Life” and “Tired of Living Poor” tells stories repeated by Blues artists since this music came up from the swamp. “Get Up” is pure excitement and an invitation! “I’m A Long Way From Home” puts Dwayne directly on center stage, with only his accordion and vocal power. When Zydeco “joints” were in the parking lot of bigger clubs, this is the kind of music that would filter through the thin walls, made mostly of whiskey company advertising posters.
“Do It for the Rest of My Life” seems to ask to play this music forever. “Mama’s In the Kitchen” tells a story that Dwayne must have remembered from childhood in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The hard driving instrumental “Dopsie’s Got It!” pushes the limits of the musical muscle of the entire band, and they were able to carry the weighteasily.
“You My Girl” is another of Dwayne’s odes to a pretty girl, with a pretty song.
“Rosalie” feels very close to the spirit of Clifton Chenier. Listen closely!
Ending with the crowd -pleaser “Beast Of Burden” always brings the crowd to its swaying feet, pulsating with the groove provided by Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers.

TRACKLIST

01. Calling Your Name (4:21)
02. Hard Life (3:19)
03. Hey Hey Hey (4:14)
04. I'm Tired Of Living Poor (2:23)
05. Get Up (3:43)
06. Long Way From Home (3:29)
07. Do It For The Rest Of My Life (3:15)
08. Mama's In The Kitchen (4:56)
09. Dopsie's Got It (2:39)
10. You My Girl (4:06)
11. Rosalee (3:40)
12. Beast Of Burden (6:06)