Search - Queen Ida :: Cookin' With Queen Ida

A Nothing Fancy that keeps you moving...

Andrasta VanGaea | Texas, USA | 03/14/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There is nothing extraordinary about this album. It lays down pretty traditional Zydeco tunes, but if that's your bag, you'll probably appreciate this as an addition to your collection. Queen Ida's scratchy old cat vocals make the Zydeco swinging even more playful and lively. The band combines well with her voice. The rhythm is quick and terrific to dance to. The tracks aren't remarkable, but they're quite a bit of fun."

Hot and spicy!

Brianna Neal | USA | 09/29/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Spirited good-time music by the "Queen of Zydeco" and her son. "Cookin' With Queen Ida" features Ida Guillory and Myrick "Freeze" Guillory on vocals and accordions, ably backed up by Ida's brother, "Chilly Willy" Lewis, Bernard Anderson on sax, violinist James Hurley, and others. Zydeco is a mid-twentieth century fusion of Louisiana Creole and Cajun dance music with elements of blues and R&B. Queen Ida and Freeze (who, himself, wrote half the songs on the album) add their own distintive blend of rock, latin and Caribbean elements to the blend, producing a spicy pot of gumbo sure to bring any audience to its feet. Freeze's smooth, mellow voice provides a nice contrast to his mother's smoky vocals. The additions of violin and sax are a nice touch in some of the songs, and the complex, ever-present rhythms of the metal rub-board (frottoire) give a delightful, sparkling energy to their music. I was fortunate enough to see this program live on tour; it was a great show and makes for great listening on CD too! I never tire of it. Queen Ida has at least eight other albums out too. And for more Louisiana spirit and soul, try the Cajun stylings of Michael Doucet and Beausoleil, and also the Bayou Bandits--a lively group dedicated to keeping the Cajun spirit alive and well in the northeast (visit their website!).

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