A while back, Sean Ardoin was at the LSU-Auburn football game when divine inspiration struck. Why not take a few of his songs that would fit a marching band, like LSU’s Golden Band From Tigerland, and do a one-of-a-kind recording with his own Kreole Rock & Soul aggregation?
The Tiger alum and former drumline member pitched the idea to band director Kelvin Jones, who agreed to the partnership even though it was outside his wheelhouse. They scheduled a weekend in April with 146 band volunteers to record at LSU over three days. A band room was converted into a studio using 40 microphones and a 64-channel board. Students and assistant band directors arranged the material, making this the first time a zydeco artist and a university marching band have ever collaborated on a recording.
After the majestic fanfare of Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathrusta,” Ardoin hits the ground sprinting with his signature song, “Came Thru Pullin,” and rarely lets up on the throttle after that. It’s a mammoth sound, with the marching band keeping pace with Ardoin’s energetic tunes that are full of quick changes and arrangement shifts. Fluid guitar lines, Ardoin’s vocals and lickety-split accordion runs are amazingly clear, given the hard-rapping snares and rumbling tubas. While it was all recorded inside, the ambiance is spacious and airy, as if it took place at Tiger Stadium.
Three songs were written by Ardoin’s son, Sean David, and originally debuted on 2020’s Coronocation Relationships. “Fireworks” is particularly lovely. Towards the end, the low brass’ charging line is answered eloquently by a fleet of soaring trumpets.
One original that’s distinctly different is the “Chant Song” featuring rappin’ Cupid of the mega-selling “Cupid Shuffle” fame. Though “Chant” has tough competition for the most infectious track, it clearly is with roaring tubas and an army of background voices chanting “LSU.” It’s nothing short of epic and its companion, the action-packed YouTube video (see below) will have you watching it over and over because it’s that mesmerizing. Crown this Ardoin’s most entertaining and liveliest album yet.
