Zydeco Crossroads
WXPN, University of Pennsylvania
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Creole United performs at a Zydeco Crossroads event for WXPN. Photo by John Vettese.
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WXPN’s Zydeco Crossroads. Photo by Matthew Shaver, courtesy of WXPN.
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WXPN’s Zydeco Crossroads. Photo by Matthew Shaver, courtesy of WXPN.
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WXPN’s Zydeco Crossroads. Photo by Hope Helmuth, courtesy of WXPN.
WXPN's yearlong project explores the origins and evolution of zydeco, a form of African-American roots music that blends Creole traditions, blues, and R&B. Handed down through generations, zydeco continues to change as it intersects with other American musical forms, including hip-hop, rock, and soul. Zydeco Crossroads aims to capture the vitality of contemporary zydeco music, with project highlights that include free concerts at World Cafe Live; Philadelphia Folk Festival performances; community events with local music and dance group Allons Danser; and the premiere of a newly commissioned zydeco documentary by filmmaker Robert Mugge. The content-rich Zydeco Crossroads website will become a permanent archive for performance recordings, and will host weekly posts by guest commentators. Throughout the project period, WXPN will air a series of zydeco vignettes, narrated by NPR's World Cafe host David Dye, and a series of 13 one-hour shows produced by Louisiana-based zydeco expert Herman Fusilier.
Additional unrestricted funds are added to each grant for general operating support.