Whatever else 2024 will be remembered for in zydeco, it will also be known as the year of the Dopsies, with a pair of albums by Dopsie brothers Dwayne and Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and The Zydeco Twisters, sons of venerable zydeco pioneer Rockin’ Dopsie, Sr. (1932-1993). Earlier this summer, youngest bro Dwayne fired the first shot with his blockbuster Now is the Time. Roughly a month later, his three brothers, Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. (rubboard/vocals), Anthony (accordion/organ) and Tiger (drums), countered with their first post-pandemic outing, More Fun With Rockin Dopsie Jr. and The Zydeco Twisters, a fatherly dedication featuring stellar interpretations of the senior Dopsie’s favorite covers and originals. It’s not the first time Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters (RDJZT) dedicated a recording to Dopsie, Sr. Its 1995 debut, Feet Don’t Fail Me Now, was a similar tribute but, according to Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr., it never received proper distribution.
The seeds of this project were planted in 2023 when RDJZT recorded three songs for the Road House flick remake for producer Randall Poster, who curated the soundtrack. The session went so well that Poster inquired if the group would be up for a tribute to the family patriarch.
In the course of these dozen tracks, you get a sense of Senior Dopsie’s musical DNA. The accordionist was a bluesman at heart, and RDJZT plays these selections reverently and authentically, staying true to Dopsie, Sr.’s unfaltering dance tempos. RDJZT would easily fit into the blues-zydeco era of the ’60s, especially with the added arsenal of saxophonist Julius Handy and harp howler Patrick Williams. There are selections from Dopsie, Sr.’s contemporaries Clifton Chenier and Rockin’ Sidney, Beaumont’s Barbara Lynn’s crawling R&B tearjerker “You’ll Lose a Good Thing,” and Memphis singer-songwriter and pianist Rosco Gordon’s clever twist-ending “I Found a New Love.” No matter the blues idiom, RDJZT consistently glides with a groove.
The other part of the tribute concept showcases Dopsie Sr.’s originals, something for which he’s never been given enough credit. There is the rousing, swinging instrumental “Dopsie’s Boogie,” and “I Can’t Lose With the Stuff I Use,” which he concocted on the spot while recording for Maison de Soul. Dopsie, Jr. remembers his father saying, “Y’all follow me,” before launching into something totally unexpected. The groove caught on, rendering it irresistible, which translates well here too.
“Ma ‘Tit Fille” was something Buckwheat Zydeco waxed on his Island Records debut, On a Night Like This, but, originally, it was Dopsie Sr.’s tune from decades earlier titled “Ma Negress.” Energy-wise, it’s over the top and the proceedings’ best, as RDJZT does a serious throw-down and pounds the jaunty rhythms to smithereens.
Also featured here is Paul Simon’s “That Was Your Mother” from his ’87 Grammy Award-winning Graceland. One of Dopsie Sr.’s career highlights was playing accordion on “Mother,” after auditioning an instrumental melody Simon crafted into his song. Indeed, it was a massive honor for Dopsie, Sr. since contemporaries Buckwheat Zydeco and Terrance Simien also auditioned.
Yet, the most blistering bluesy number of the lot is “My Little Girl,” another Dopsie, Sr. original. Anthony nails a killer organ ride, while guest accordionist Dwayne amazes with his cloud-scraping high notes on this track, where all four brothers unite again, a rarity in their respective careers. Dwayne also pumps away on the madcap instrumental “Dopsie’s Boogie,” which sounds as if the Glen Miller Orchestra had attempted zydeco.
Just in time for Grammy consideration, it’s conceivable that Dwayne and RDJZT could both be in competition for their respective efforts, possibly stirring up a little family controversy. If that should happen and one takes home the gold, everyone wins since everyone played on both albums. Given the superior level of interactive playing on both affairs, Dopsie Sr.’s legacy is well represented by his highly-skilled, banner-carrying sons. For Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters, the title has it right.
From L to R Anthony Rubin, Lee Allen Zeno, Tiger Rubin, David Rubin, Dwayne Rubin. Photo by Lily Keber
