John Delafose
John Delafose | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | John Irvin Delafose |
Born | Duralde, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, US | April 16, 1939
Died | September 17, 1994 Lawtell, Louisiana, US | (aged 55)
Genres | Zydeco |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instruments | Accordion, vocals |
Years active | 1970s–1994 |
Labels | Arhoolie, Rounder, Maison de Soul |
Associated acts | Joe Walker, Fernest Arceneaux, Geno Delafose |
John Irvin Delafose (April 16, 1939 – September 17, 1994)[1] was an American French-speaking Creole Zydeco accordionist from Louisiana.
Biography[]
Delafose was born in Duralde, Evangeline Parish, Louisiana.[1] As a child, Delafose fashioned fiddles and guitars out of old boards and cigar boxes fitted with window-screen wire. He eventually took up the harmonica, and at the age of 18 learned the button accordion. However, he soon turned to farming and did not pursue music as a career until the early 1970s. He began serving as an accordionist and harpist with a variety of local Zydeco bands.[2]
Delafose began his career playing in the fais do-do of his area, a Cajun dance party. Later, he gained public recognition with albums like Joe Pete Got Two Women (Arhoolie) and Blues Stay Away from Me (Rounder). In the mid-1970s, he formed the band The Eunice Playboys, with which he played until his death. The band continues under the direction of his son Geno Delafose.
John Delafose died in 1994.
Style[]
Delafose had a dynamic style and strong rural roots, with a strong staccato rhythm on the accordion, which has influenced almost all current Zydeco musicians.[3][4]
Discography[]
Studio and live albums[]
Album title | Record label | Stock number | Release year |
---|---|---|---|
Zydeco Man | Arhoolie | 1083 | 1981 |
Uncle Bud Zydeco | Arhoolie | 1088 | 1983 |
Zydeco Excitement | Maison de Soul | MDS-1015 | 1985 |
Zydeco Live!: Direct from Richard's Club, Lawtell, Louisiana | Rounder | CD 2070 | 1989 |
Heartaches and Hot Steps | Maison de Soul | MDS-LP-1035 | 1990 |
Joe Pete Got Two Women | Arhoolie | CD-335 | 1990 |
Père et Garçon Zydeco | Rounder | CD 2116 | 1992 |
Blues Stay Away From Me | Rounder | CD 2121 | 1993 |
Singles[]
Song title(s) | Album title | Record label | Stock number | Release year | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Blues At Midnight" / "Baby, Scratch My Back" | <unknown> | Bad Weather Records | BW 113 | 1981 | 7", 45 RPM |
"Co-Fe? (Why?)" / "Joe Pitre A Deux Femmes" | Zydeco Man | Arhoolie | 45-541 | 1981? | 7", 45 RPM |
"Joe Pete Lost His Two Women" / "Mother's Day Blues" | Uncle Bud Zydeco | Arhoolie | 45-547 | 1983? | 7", 45 RPM |
"Blues At Midnight" / "Do The Mill" | Zydeco Excitement / <unknown> | Maison de Soul | 45-1019 | 1985? | 7", 45 RPM |
"Loan Me Your Handkerchief" / "Broken Hearted" | Zydeco Excitement | Maison de Soul | 45-1034 | 1986 | 7", 45 RPM |
Various artist compilation albums[]
This list is incomplete; you can help by . (February 2017) |
Album title | Record label | Stock number | Release year | Song title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Festival de Musique Acadienne '81 Live | Swallow Records | LP-6046 | 1982 | "Nairobi Special" |
Zydeco Festival | Maison de Soul | MDS LP-1024 | 1988 | "Broken Hearted" |
Kings of Zydeco: Black Creole Music from the Deep South | Trikont (Germany) | CD-0158-2 | 1989 | "Broken Hearted" |
"Joe Pete Is Broke" | ||||
"Chokin Kind" | ||||
101 Proof Zydeco | Maison de Soul | MDS 1030-2 | 1990 | "Broken Hearted" |
J'ai Eté au Bal = I Went to the Dance: the Cajun and Zydeco Music of Louisiana | Arhoolie | CD-331 | 1990 | "Joe Pitre a Deux Femmes" |
Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 2 | Rhino | R2 70740 | 1991 | "Ka-wann" |
Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco Classics, Vol. 3 | Rhino | R2 70312 | 1992 | "Co-Fé? (Why?)" |
Cajun Music and Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11572 | 1992 | "La misère m'a fait brailler" |
Stomp Down Zydeco | Rounder | 11566 | 1992 | "Hold That Tiger" |
"Cajun Two-Step" | ||||
"I'm Gone and I Won't Be Back" | ||||
"Broken Hearted" | ||||
"Onion Town" | ||||
Zydeco Champs | Arhoolie | CD 328 | 1992 | "Joe Pete Got Two Women" |
"Mardi Gras Song" | ||||
Zydeco Party | Ace (UK) | 430 | 1992 | "Loan Me Your Handkerchief" |
Zydeco Party | K-Tel International | 60592 | 1992 | "Mardi Gras Song" |
The Best of Louisiana Music | Rounder | CD AN 08 | 1993 | "Watch That Dog" |
Passion Fish: Original Soundtrack | Daring Records | CD-3008 | 1993 | "Oh, Negresse" |
"Grand Mamou" | ||||
"Poor Man's Two-Step" | ||||
Let's Go Zydeco! | Ace (UK) | CDCHD 543 | 1994 | "Petite Et La Grosse" |
"Crying in The Streets" | ||||
"Lonesome Road" | ||||
"Mardi Gras Song" | ||||
Rockin' Zydeco Party! | Maison de Soul | 1049 | 1994 | "John's Lonesome Waltz" |
Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco, The Next Generation, Vol. 5 | Rhino | R2 71846 | 1995 | "Slow Motion Zydeco" |
Legends of Zydeco: The Old School Strikes Back | Trikont (Germany) | US-0203 | 1995 | "Loan Me Your Handkerchief" |
"Outside Woman" | ||||
"Morning Train" | ||||
"Blues at Midnight" | ||||
"Mon Coeur Fait Mal" | ||||
"Joe Simien Special" | ||||
"John's Lonesome Waltz" | ||||
"Co-Fé?" | ||||
"Ma Femme m'a quitte" (with Geno Delafose) | ||||
Louisiana Spice: 25 Years of Louisiana Music on Rounder Records | Rounder | CD AN 25 Part 2 | 1995 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" |
More Cajun Music and Zydeco | Rounder | CD 11573 | 1995 | "Poor Man's Two-Step" |
The Real Music Box: 25 Years of Rounder Records | Rounder | CD AN 25 | 1995 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" |
The Royal Family of Zydeco | Rock 'n Bowl | 1001 | 1995 | "Watch That Dog" |
Bayou Dance Party | Rounder | CD 7014 | 1996 | "My Little Dog" |
It's What We Do, Vol. 1, 1995 | Daring Records | 3020 | 1996 | "Oh, Negresse" |
Let's Have a Blues Ball | Arhoolie | 590 | 1996 | "Rag Around Your Head" |
The Real Louisiana | EasyDisc | ED 9002 | 1996 | "La misère m'a fait brailler" |
Zydeco's Greatest Hits | EasyDisc | ED CD 7025 | 1996 | "Broken Hearted" |
15 Louisiana Zydeco Classics | Arhoolie | CD 105 | 1997 | "Rag Around Your Head" |
"Oh, Negresse" | ||||
Bayou Beat | EasyDisc | EDCD 7053 | 1997 | "Old Time Two Step" |
Bayou Hot Sauce | EasyDisc | ED 7044 | 1997 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" |
Zydeco Dance Hall | EasyDisc | ED 7035 | 1997 | "I Don't Want Nobody Here But You" |
"Gotta Find My Woman" | ||||
Rough Guide to Cajun and Zydeco | World Music Network (UK) | RGNET 1028 CD | 1998 | "La misère m'a fait brailler" |
Zydeco Barnyard | EasyDisc | 12136-7070-2 | 1998 | "Watch That Dog" |
Zydeco Party | EasyDisc | ED CD 7045 | 1998 | "Oh 'Tit Fille" |
Zydeco Stomp: All Instrumental | Rounder | ED CD 7065 | 1998 | "Two-Step Farouche" |
Cajun & Zydeco Jamboree | EasyDisc | ED 12136-7076-2 | 1999 | "Midland Two-Step" |
Kings of Cajun: 15 Stomps from the Swamps | Music Collection International (UK) | 50105 | 1999 | "Broken Hearted" |
Zydeco Essentials | Hip-O Records | 767 440161 2 | 1999 | "Joe Pete Got Two Women" |
40th Anniversary Collection, 1960–2000: The Journey of Chris Strachwitz | Arhoolie | CD 491 | 2000 | "Co-Fé?" |
Music from the Zydeco Kingdom | Rounder Select | 11579 | 2000 | "Tu M'As Fait Brailler: You Made Me Cry" |
Cajun & Zydeco: Alligator Walk | ARC Music | EUCD 1657 | 2001 | "Old Time Two Step" (with Geno Delafose) |
Roots Music: An American Journey | Rounder | 11661-0501-2 | 2001 | "Père et Garçon Zydeco" (with Geno Delafose) |
Dat's Zydeco: The Best Old-Skool Zydeco | Maison de Soul | MDS 1079 | 2002 | "Richard Two-Step" |
Louisiana | World Music Network (UK) | RGNET 1094 CD | 2002 | "Slow Motion Zydeco" |
Southern Style: Zydeco | Southern Style (Netherlands) | 641920 | 2002 | "Joe Pete Is Broke" |
"Lake Charles Two-Step" | ||||
Zydeco: The Essential Collection | Rounder | 1166-11605-2 | 2002 | "Friday Night Waltz" |
Rough Guide to Zydeco | World Music Network (UK) | RGNET 1145 CD | 2005 | "Joe Pete Got Two Women" |
Zydeco: The Essential Pulse Series | Mirana | 8502 | 2008 | "Loan Me Your Handkerchief" |
Good Music, Good Times: Spicy Bon Temps Cajun and Zydeco Music from Opelousas, Louisiana | Swallow | <unknown> | 2009 | "Broken Hearted" |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues – A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 386. ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ^ "Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ^ Herzhaft, Gérard: La gran enciclopedia del blues, Ed. RobinBook, Barcelona, 2003, ISBN 84-95601-82-6, p. 382 (Encyclopedia of the Blues, University of Arkansas Press)
- ^ This article incorporates information from the corresponding article in the Spanish Wikipedia
External links[]
- John Delafose at AllMusic
- John Delafose discography at Discogs
- John Delafose at Find a Grave
- 1939 births
- 1994 deaths
- 20th-century American musicians
- African-American musicians
- American accordionists
- Blues musicians from Louisiana
- People from Evangeline Parish, Louisiana
- Rounder Records artists
- Zydeco accordionists
- 20th-century accordionists
- Arhoolie Records artists