Renowned music documentarian Robert Mugge dives into the black Creole music scene of Southwest Louisiana and documents the attempts, in the mid-1990s, to name a new “king of zydeco.” The original self-proclaimed “king” was the great Clifton Chenier who did more than anyone to develop zydeco’s musical form and to promote it around the world. After Chenier’s death, his good friend and former “crown prince” of zydeco Rockin’ Dopsie was crowned king by the mayor of Lafayette under somewhat controversial circumstances. Then, with Dopsie’s death, a new struggle to crown either veteran accordion player Boozoo Chavis (a zydeco founding father) or the younger Beau Jocque (Southwest Louisiana’s most popular musical artist) comes down to one final concert showdown.
“A cunning little comedy of manners and a sweet-tempered celebration of American roots music... The Chavis-Jocque tussle is prototypical American status buffoonery painted in folk-miniature. Both these men kick out the jams in thrilling performances filmed with blissful authority by Mugge.” –Newsday
DIRECTED BY ROBERT MUGGE
UNITED STATES | 1994 | ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Acclaimed “King of the Music Documentary” Robert Mugge takes his audience on a rollicking ride through Louisiana’s musical backwater bayous. Regional experts guide this trip from historic concert halls to po’boy joints, blues dives, zydeco clubs, gospel churches and intimate family gatherings, a ...
Renowned music documentarian Robert Mugge explores the fading traditions of juke joints where the blues was born a century ago and where regional musicians still practice their craft and entertain their fans. The film focuses, in particular, on two well-known Mississippi venues: Jimmy King’s lege...
Like their neighbors, members of the legendary New Orleans music community were devastated by Hurricane Katrina and its tragic aftermath. Renowned music documentarian Robert Mugge creates an emotional portrait of horror, heartbreak, and hope as the musicians who lived through the disaster pick up...