• Friday, February 3, 2012 – Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole 
• Thursday, February 16th, 2012 -- Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys 
• Sunday, February 19, 2012 – MARDI GRAS Party with C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band
• Friday, March 2, 2012 – The Lustre Kings
• Friday, March 23, 2012 – Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners
• Saturday, April 21, 2012 - Rosie Ledet and the Zydeco Playboys

FRiday, February 3, 2012

GRAMMY-NOMINATED
"Enormous Talent & Seemingly Unlimited Potential"

One of the most noted young talents to emerge in Cajun or Creole music in the past few years, Cedric Watson is a fiddler, vocalist, accordionist and songwriter of enormous talent and seemingly unlimited potential. Cedric has been making quite a name for himself reviving old Creole fiddling styles and injecting a healthy dose of his own personality and ingenuity. All 3 of his CD releases since going on his own have been Grammy-nominated, an indication
of the excitement around his emergence as a band leader.

"To propel our Louisiana culture into the future seems to be quite a task, but if one lives for the music as Cedric does, the path seems effortless. These songs may well be early brushstrokes of a life's worth of possibilities, not only for himself, but also for the identity survival of a culture." — Michael Doucet/BeauSoleil

Connolly's has a tasty, varied, and reasonably priced dinner menu, a full bar, a beautiful sprung wooden dance floor and a recording studio level sound system. A complimentary dance workshop is provided prior to the music for those interested in learning the basic dance steps. You do not need a partner to participate.

The popular LETS ZYDECO shows are friendly community events, set up for dancing, socializing or listening. We welcome all people who enjoy Live Louisiana Music. Advance tickets not needed - pay at the door, everyone will get in.

Connolly's on 45th, 121 West 45th (between 6th & Broadway)
Doors Open 6:30 PM for dinner, drinks or socializing
Zydeco dance lesson 7:30PM
Show 8:30 - 12:00 MN
Admission $22

Connollys is 1/2 block east of Times Square.
There is  6 hour metered parking on Friday and Saturday evenings. There is an inexpensive garage - the Edison / Hippodrome Garage on 44th street between 5th and 6th Ave. Rates are $17 for the entire evening (up to 12 hours) on Fridays/Saturdays and only $12 on Sundays.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012
Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
20 YEARS OF GREAT CAJUN MUSIC!!
POST VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY --
Bring Your Sweetheart or Meet Your Sweetheart
www.mamouplayboys.com

Matching their uncompromising respect for tradition with a forward-looking vision, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys have set the standard for modern Cajun music.

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys began over twenty years ago with a reputation for excellence. Their stunningly clean and cohesive performance of Cajun French music from the backwaters of Southwest Louisiana propelled them into the world music limelight early on, and by their third release had garnered them a Grammy nomination in the worldwide field of traditional folk music, another in 2004, and then another in 2009.

Connolly's has a tasty, varied, and reasonably priced dinner menu, a full bar, a beautiful sprung wooden dance floor and a recording studio level sound system. A complimentary dance workshop is provided prior to the music for those interested in learning the basic dance steps. You do not need a partner to participate.

The popular LETS ZYDECO shows are friendly community events, set up for dancing, socializing or listening. We welcome all people who enjoy Live Louisiana Music. Advance tickets are not needed – pay at the door, everyone will get in.

Connolly's on 45th,  121 West 45th (between 6th & Broadway)
Doors Open 5:30 PM for dinner, drinks or socializing
Zydeco dance lesson 6 PM   
Show  7-10:30 PM
Admission  $24

Connollys is 1/2 block east of Times Square. There is  metered  street parking and an inexpensive garage - the Edison / Hippodrome Garage on 44th street between 5th and 6th ave.

Sunday, February 19, 2012
MARDI GRAS Party
with C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band
C.J. Chenier's site

As the Chicago Defender aptly stated, "Complex, driving rhythms force you to dance. A powerful, soulful vocal delivery forces you to listen".

The Boston Globe calls him "The Crown Prince of Zydeco."

Living Blues magazine hails him as "The best living zydeco singer and accordionist."

To his legions of fans, he's the man whose music moves them deep in their souls, and to those who love to dance he's the man who makes holes in the soles of their shoes. He is the source of the infectious, rhythmic music fueling the wild dance parties that erupt whenever he plays. He is Clayton Joseph (C.J.) Chenier, son of legendary zydeco master and pioneer, Clifton Chenier.

Carrying on the legacy of his late father, "The King of Zydeco" Clifton Chenier, C.J. has been fronting the famous Red Hot Louisiana Band for almost 2 decades, reinvigorating the genre with his exceptional musicianship. C.J. Chenier records on the Alligator Label. He has garnered several "Zydeco Album of The Year" awards, consecutive Living Blues Critics awards, and a 1997 NAIRD Indie Award.

Connolly's has a tasty, varied, and reasonably priced dinner menu, a full bar, a beautiful sprung wooden dance floor and a recording studio level sound system. A complimentary dance workshop is provided prior to the music for those interested in learning the basic dance steps. You do not need a partner to participate.

The popular LETS ZYDECO shows are friendly community events, set up for dancing, socializing or listening. We welcome all people who enjoy Live Louisiana Music. Advance tickets not needed - pay at the door, everyone will get in.

Connolly's on 45th, 121 West 45th (between 6th & Broadway)
Doors Open 5:30 PM for dinner, drinks or socializing
Zydeco dance lesson 6 PM
Show 7-10:30 PM
Admission $24

Connolly's is 1/2 block east of Times Square.
There is free street parking on Sundays, and an inexpensive garage (only $12 for any 12 hours) on 44th street between 5th and 6th ave(Edison - Hippodrome Garage) Also easy subway/taxi accessibility (only 1/2 block from Times Square & a few blocks from Grand Central Station)

Friday, March 2, 2012
The Lustre Kings
ROCKABILLY ... At It's BEST
www.lustrekings.com

This is a bit of a departure for LETS ZYDECO, but we're thrilled to be welcoming one of the top Rockabilly Dance Bands to Connollys, for their secondLET'S ZYDECO event. You may have heard THE LUSTRE KINGS at Arn & Gerry's danceathon party a few years ago (I loved them), or at some of the Zydeco Festivals... They have accompanied Wanda Jackson for over five years, and frequently work with other seasoned artists like Bill Kirchen, Eddie Angel and Robert Gordon.

Wanda Jackson says, "I have worked with many bands around the world through the years, and none are better than Mark Gamsjager and the Lustre Kings. Their fine showmanship and musical ability make them the greatest in my book. THEY ROCK!!"

The Lustre Kings have a devoted international fan base and they continue to tear up the road every year, performing over 150 dates annually and appearing regularly at events like the Viva Las Vegas Festival (Las Vegas NV), the Heritage Folk Festival (Bangor ME) and the Rockin 50s Fest (Green Bay WI) as well as at famed haunts like the Continental Club (Austin TX), The Sutler (Nashville TN), The Starr Bar (Atlanta GA), The Hi-Tone (Memphis TN), Johnny D's (Somerville MA), The Big C Jamboree at Martyr's (Chicago IL) and, of course, the Mid-City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl (New Orleans LA).

Connolly's on 45th,  121 West 45th (between 6th & Broadway)
Doors Open 6:30 PM for dinner, drinks or socializing
Dance lesson 7:30PM
Show   8:30 - 12:00 MN
Admission  $22

Connollys is 1/2 block east of Times Square.
There is  6 hour metered parking on Friday and Saturday evenings. There is an inexpensive garage - the Edison / Hippodrome Garage on 44th street between 5th and 6th Ave. Rates are $17 for the entire evening (up to 12 hours) on Fridays/Saturdays and only $12 on Sundays.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Leroy Thomas, "the Jewel of the Bayou", is one of the most gifted, versatile, and dynamic musicians on the zydeco scene. Born in Lake Charles, LA into a very musical family, Leroy picked up the drums at age 8, soon progressed to the accordion, and he has barely stopped since. Leroy is a real showman, and puts on a high level show. With an unmatched repertoire of Zydeco, Cajun, Blues, R&B, and Country music he mixes an ideal combination of traditional zydeco with his own innovative, funky, hard-driving sound. Zydeco's infectious accordion and rubboard driven-party-all-night sound that was born in the bayou and dance halls of SW Louiaiana can now be heard in NYC at Connollys.

Connolly's on 45th,  121 West 45th (between 6th & Broadway)
Doors Open 6:30 PM for dinner, drinks or socializing
Zydeco dance lesson 7:30PM   
Show   8:30 - 12:00 MN
Admission  $22

Connollys is 1/2 block east of Times Square.
There is  6 hour metered parking on Friday and Saturday evenings. There is an inexpensive garage - the Edison / Hippodrome Garage on 44th street between 5th and 6th Ave. Rates are $17 for the entire evening (up to 12 hours) on Fridays/Saturdays and only $12 on Sundays.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

"The ZYDECO SWEETHEART returns to NYC" – Offbeats Best of the Best

"Today's premier female artist is Rosie Ledet, whose soulful voice kicks her male counterparts right out of the club"... Wall Street Journal

Rosie Ledet, "The Zydeco Sweetheart" from Church Point, Louisiana, has made quite a name for herself....having captured three of the "Best Of The Best" awards from Offbeat Magazine, including "Best Zydeco Band or Performer", "Best New Zydeco Group or Performer", and "Best Vocalist". She is one of the few younger Zydeco musicians who still writes and sings some of her material in Creole French. One of a handful of women in Zydeco, her warm stage presence combined with the infectious Zydeco beat, makes her irresistible to audiences.

Connolly's on 45th,  121 West 45th (between 6th & Broadway)
Doors Open 6:30 PM for dinner, drinks or socializing
Zydeco dance lesson 7:30PM   
Show   8:30 - 12:00 MN
Admission  $23

Connollys is 1/2 block east of Times Square.
There is  6 hour metered parking on Friday and Saturday   evenings. There is an inexpensive garage - the Edison / Hippodrome Garage on 44th street between 5th and 6th Ave. Rates are $17 for the entire evening (up to 12 hours) on Fridays/Saturdays and only $12 on Sundays.

Sunday, January 22, 2012
THE REVELERS
(The Red Stick Ramblers Minus OnE)
www.redstickramblers.com


Connollys will be morphed into a wild and wonderful Honky Tonk in South West Louisiana with the rich sounds and rhythms of The Revelers.

The Revelers, founding members of the Red Stick Ramblers and The Pine Leaf Boys... "unquestionably the two groups at the vanguard of the Louisiana cultural renaissance" have joined together on their newest project which combines Swamp-pop, Cajun, Country, Blues and Zydeco into a powerful tonic of roots music straight from southwest Louisiana. As individuals, they are each in high demand having performed and recorded with Natalie Merchant, Linda Ronstadt, Preston Frank, Walter Mouton, Mamadou Diabate, Dirk Powell, Cedric Watson and Tim O'Brien to name a few. As a group they play with a sense of empathy and depth that can only be fostered after years of making music together.

The Red Stick Ramblers, Featured Band at Ninigret and Ashogan:
"Quality Musicianship" .. from Lafayette, Louisiana.
"A vibrant mixture of Cajun, Zydeco, Western Swing, Blues and Old School Jazz"  
"Contagious approach and danceable rhythms prove as tangy and as tasty As crawfish etoufee..."

Saturday, January 14, 2012
Li'l Mo & the Monicats
A Classic Country, Rockabilly Swing,
Honky Tonk Good Time
www.reverbnation.com/lilmothemonicats

Monica Passin (Li'l Mo), a regular attendee at Lets Zydeco events, brings her Li'l Mo & the Monicats to Connollys for our opening event of the Year. A previous show was highlighted in The New Yorker.

"Monica Passin, whose stage name is Li'l Mo, is one of New York's most committed and undiluted country singer-songwriters..her second albumboasts superior writing in a variety of country sub-genres, great taste in cover songs, inspired playing, and vocals that are skilled, sincere, and transporting. Her talent deserves national recognition."- Jim Steinblatt, ASCAP News, Performing Songwriter Magazine

On her latest album, as well as the rockabilly and country influenced songs there are now hints of jazz, Cajun, soul, pop and R&B. Guests include Louisiana musician and Mamou Playboy Steve Riley who adds some accordion and fiddle to the song "Dance Crazed", while Bones delivers some bluesy cornet to the old time tone of "Why Don't You Live With Me?"

Sign up for email updates by emailing zydecolaura@hotmail.com, or for more info, call (212) 685-7597.

VIEW EVEN MORE LISTINGS OF PAST SHOWS HERE!!!