Live Music: Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas

Nathan Williams began his professional music career at 21, recording for his brother Sid's El Sid label and performing at Sid's venue, El-Sid-O’s. His big break came when Buckwheat Zydeco recommended him to Rounder Records, leading to a contract and the 1985 formation of Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas, a band inspired by Chenier and featuring family members like his brother Dennis Paul and cousin Mark Anthony "Chukka" Williams. Debuting at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1988, the band became a fixture at the New Orleans Rock 'n' Bowl, captured in their 1997 live album, I’m a Zydeco Hog. Williams, who took up the accordion while recovering from an illness, blends zydeco with jazz, blues, and R&B, and he's been noted for his role in revitalizing the genre; his 1995 album, Creole Crossroads, also featured a rare fusion with Cajun fiddler Michael Doucet. For over three decades, the Zydeco Cha-Chas, managed by Sid, have toured extensively, bringing their music from local Louisiana spots to international stages, even becoming the first zydeco band to play in Poland.