Performance Times
7.15pm, Saturday
Berry
9.45pm, Saturday
Torraca
Overview
SqueezeBox Boogaloo plays upbeat Zydeco and Cajun blues and folk from the bayous of South West Louisiana to the bars of Bourbon Street. Get your feet tapping and be ready to dance. The band features Geoff Tofler (piano accordion and button accordions), who became enamoured with the music from 13 years in the US and numerous trips to Louisiana, David Hoffman (fiddle and rubboard) with strong cajun traditions from his native USA, Raoul Hawkins (saxophone, rubboard and triangle), Oleh Luckyj (guitar) Michele Bruet (bass,) and Rob Coady (drums) all steeped in blues and world music traditions.
Visit their Facebook page.
Reviews
“Most of the material is original and they're damned good themes too, memorable, genuinely melodic and with a lived-in feel.. excellent vocal harmonies thrown in for good measure while brawling sax and the occasionally stinging guitar break are also surprisingly effective”. - Diaspora Magazine
"Anybody that thinks that great zydeco music only emanates from Louisiana only has to listen to Squeezebox Boogaloo…. outstanding original material peppered with rhythmic influences of Buckwheat Zydeco ..and Beau Jocque.” - Zydeco Road
"It is heartening to find a group like SqueezeBox Boogaloo, that is not only keen to continue the venerable Zydeco musical tradition, but to also have it address some of the serious issues of life.
The first track that I listened to was “Eyes Wide Open”, it is a confronting and timely message, which for me related to how easily religious or ideological intolerance can override human decency and morality; when it comes to preventing the ‘infection’ of the chosen with new or heretical ideas. This track is strong stuff indeed. Other tracks explore how many of our most salient memories are concerned with experiences of loss or dark misfortune, and how we process these. (Gospel Truth, You’re Gone, Rosie, Father Of Mine, Blue Skies Blue Dreams).
But there are also songs about the sheer delight of simple pleasures experienced to their fullest, such as Cream Buns, Black Mirror, Fortunate Man, and Rites Of Spring.
A well performed and classy album that is a valuable addition to the Australian iteration of Zydeco music, with tight and accurate instrumental work, and such meaningful lyrics!" - Alan Edwards (Musical Australiana) 104.7 Gippsland FM
