Nathan And The Zydeco Cha-Chas

Nathan Williams fronts the Zydeco Cha Chas, where his command of the piano accordion has earned him deep respect throughout the zydeco community and placed him squarely in the lineage of Clifton Chenier and Buckwheat Zydeco. Born the youngest of seven siblings in St. Martinville, Louisiana, Williams endured a difficult childhood after losing his father at age seven. He looked up to his uncle Harry Hypolite, whose guitar contributions alongside Clifton Chenier were widely recognized. Relocating to Lafayette, he joined his older brother Sid Williams and Sid’s wife, taking a job at Sid’s grocery store. There he began teaching himself the accordion, choosing the bathroom as a practice space so no one would overhear his early attempts. Encouraged by his friend Buckwheat Zydeco and sustained by persistent effort, Williams soon performed publicly. Five years after finishing high school he cut his first 45s for Sid’s independent label, El Sid. Opportunity arrived when Buckwheat Zydeco departed Rounder Records for Island Records; Rounder then needed an accordionist for an upcoming project, and Buckwheat recommended Williams, who auditioned successfully and secured the assignment. In 2000 he delivered his seventh Rounder album, Let’s Go! The Zydeco Cha Chas lineup features guitarist Dennis Paul Williams, alto and tenor saxophonist Allen “Cat Roy” Broussard, bassist Wayne Burns, rubboard player Mark Anthony Williams, and drummer Gerard St. Julien, Jr. Tenor saxophonist Derek Huston appears as a special guest on that release, while Scott Billington contributes harmonica and serves as producer. For Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, commercial success remains secondary to the music itself; the group’s goal is to expose both zydeco and traditional Louisiana Cajun music to a broader audience. They maintain that the energetic, up-tempo sound of Louisiana has stayed confined to its regional origins far too long and merits worldwide recognition. Anyone hearing their recordings will recognize that the moment has arrived for this long-hidden treasure of the music world to reach listeners everywhere.