Clayton Joseph Thompson

b. September 28th, 1957 in Port Arthur (Texas)

LET ME IN YOUR HEART

Arhoolie

MY BABY DON'T WEAR NO SHOES

Arhoolie

March 1988

Fils du roi du Zydeco Clifton Chenier, C.J. s'est toujours beaucoup intéressé à la musique. Il apprend d'abord le saxophone et joue dans l'orchestre paternel dès 1978 en remplacement de John Hart. Quand la santé de son père se détériore au milieu des années 80, il se met à l'accordéon et devient progressivement le leader de la formation. En 1986, C.J. enregistre un simple avec le guitariste Sonny Landreth pour Arhoolie. Pour le même label, il grave, deux ans plus tard, ce premier album - co-produit par Christ Strachwitz et lui-même - avec les musiciens de son père (Cleveland Chenier, Harry Hypolite). La tracklist est variée et intense avec "My baby don't wear no shoes", "I'm coming home", "She's my woman", "Harry's big mama blues" (uniquement dans la version CD), "I'm all shook up".

Son of Zydeco king Clifton Chenier, C.J. has always been very interested in music. He first learned the saxophone and played in his father's orchestra since 1978 replacing John Hart. When his father's health deteriorated in the mid-80's, he took up the accordion and gradually became the band's leader. In 1986, C.J. records a single with guitarist Sonny Landreth for Arhoolie. For the same label, two years later, he recorded this first album - co-produced by Christ Strachwitz and himself - with his father's musicians (Cleveland Chenier, Harry Hypolite). The tracklist is varied and intense with "My baby don't wear no shoes", "I'm coming home", "She's my woman", "Harry's big mama blues" (only in the CD version), "I'm all shook up".

HOT ROD

Slash

London

June - November 1989

Curieusement, ce second album toujours produit par Chris Strachwitz et C.J. Chenier parut sur Slash et non Arhoolie. Aux côtés de C.J. Chenier - brillant au chant et à l'accordéon - on trouve quasiment les mêmes musiciens que précédemment. Il faut souligner la présence de Roy Carrier au washboard. Un excellent programme avec "I feel all right", "It's a shame", "Zydeco express", "You're still the king to me" (en hommage à son père), "Harmonica zydeco", "Hot rod", "Just the beginning".

Curiously, this second album, still produced by Chris Strachwitz and C.J. Chenier, appeared on Slash and not Arhoolie. Alongside C.J. Chenier - brilliant on vocals and accordion - we find almost the same musicians as before. It is worth noting the presence of Roy Carrier playing washboard. An excellent program with "I feel all right", "It's a shame", "Zydeco express", "You're still the king to me" (in homage to his father), "Harmonica zydeco", "Hot rod", "Just the beginning".

LOUISIANA : LIVE FROM MOUNTAIN STAGE

Blue Plate

Early 1990's

Dans ce recueil consacré à cette célèbre émission de radio, on trouve une version live de "Lousiana two step".

In this collection dedicated to this famous radio show, we find a live version of "Lousiana two step".

LOUISIANA 2 : LIVE FROM MOUNTAIN STAGE

Blue Plate

Early 1990's

Dans cet autre recueil, on trouve une belle version live de son "Bow legged woman".

In this other collection, we find a nice live version of his "Bow legged woman".

I AIN'T NO PLAYBOY

Slash

London

1992

Sous l'impulsion du producteur Joe Hardy, C.J. Chenier ouvre sa musique aux sonorités Rock avec "I ain't no playboy", "Don't you break my heart" ou encore la reprise du "Sharp dressed man" de ZZ Top. Il en résulte un album inégal possédant quelques bons moments mais décevant dans l'ensemble.

Under the leadership of producer Joe Hardy, C.J. Chenier opens his music to Rock sounds with "I ain't no playboy", "Don't you break my heart" or the cover of ZZ Top's “Sharp dressed man”. The result is an uneven album with some good moments but disappointing overall.

TOO MUCH FUN

Alligator

1993

Après Arhoolie et Slash, C.J. Chenier arrive chez Alligator. Il co-produit ce premier album pour le label avec Bruce Iglauer. Il s'agit d'un superbe opus avec d'excellents moments comme "Man smart, woman smarter", "Give me some of that", "Louisiana down home blues", "Zydeco cha cha", "Lost in the shuffle", "I'm not guilty", "Louisiana two step". On note aussi les participations remarquées de Vasti Jackson et des Memphis Horns.

After Arhoolie and Slash, C.J. Chenier arrives at Alligator. He co-produced this first album for the label with Bruce Iglauer. This is a superb opus with excellent moments like "Man smart, woman smarter", "Give me some of that", "Louisiana down home blues", "Zydeco cha cha", "Lost in the shuffle", "I'm not guilty", "Louisiana two step ". We notice also the notable participations of Vasti Jackson and the Memphis Horns.

THE BIG SQUEEZE

Alligator

1995

Sa seconde livraison pour Alligator réalisée avec les mêmes collaborateurs est aussi bonne que la première. Un zydeco moderne et varié avec des titres intenses comme "Au contraire mon frère", "Don't you just know it", "Mixed up and confused", "No shoes zydeco", "Mon cher tite bebe" (dans lequel Clifton joue de la flûte) sans oublier le superbe blues "The moon is rising".

His second installment for Alligator made with the same collaborators is as good as the first. A modern and varied zydeco with intense titles like "Au contraire mon frère", "Don't you just know it", "Mixed up and confused", "No shoes zydeco", "Mon cher tite bebe" (in which Clifton plays flute) without forgetting the superb blues "The moon is rising".

SOUNDS OF NEW ORLEANS vol.13 : BAKER'S DOZEN

Friends of WWOZ

1999 or 2000

ROLLIN' INTO MEMPHIS

Telarc

January - June 2000

Dans cet album hommage à John Hiatt, C.J. Chenier joue le titre "Falling up".

In this tribute album to John Hiatt, C.J. Chenier plays the song "Falling up".

LABOUR OF LOVE

Telarc

January 2001

STEP IT UP

Alligator

2001

BLUES ON BLONDE ON BLONDE

Telarc

July 2002

Dans cet album hommage à un fameux album de Bob Dylan, C.J. Chenier reprend "Absolutely Sweet Marie".

In this tribute album to a famous Bob Dylan album, C.J. Chenier covers "Absolutely Sweet Marie".

THE DESPERATE KINGDOM OF LOVE

World Village

October 2005

Après sa belle collaboration avec Alligator, C.J. Chenier travaille pour le label World Village et le producteur Chris Colbourn. Il propose ici un album intimiste et original avec une belle reprise de P.J. Harvey qui donne son titre à l'album. On retient aussi les morceaux écrits avec la poétesse Denise Labrie : "I've been good to you baby", "Learning to live", "Who's cheatin' who". Mais le reste du programme vaut également une écoute attentive ("Black snake blues", "Ain't no need in cryin'", "Bogalousa boogie").

After his great collaboration with Alligator, C.J. Chenier works for the World Village label and producer Chris Colbourn. He offers here an intimate and original album with a beautiful cover of P.J. Harvey which gives its title to the album. We also point out the tracks written with the poet Denise Labrie : "I've been good to you baby", “Learning to live”, “Who’s cheatin’ who”. But the rest of the program is also worth attentive listening ("Black snake blues", "Ain't no need in cryin'", "Bogalousa boogie").

CAN'T SIT DOWN

World Village

September 2010

Pour ce second album pour World Village, on apprécie encore un programme dense et inspiré avec de superbes morceaux comme "Can't sit down", "Baby please don't go", "Ridin' with uncle Cleveland" (écrit avec la poétesse Denise Labrie), "Red shack zydeco", "Zydeco boogie" et une belle reprise du "Paper in my shoe" de Boozoo Chavis.

For this second album for World Village, we once again appreciate a dense and inspired program with superb tracks like "Can't sit down", "Baby please don't go", "Ridin' with uncle Cleveland" (written with the poet Denise Labrie), "Red shack zydeco", "Zydeco boogie" and a beautiful cover of "Paper in my shoe" by Boozoo Chavis.