About this Event
Nathan Williams plays zydeco, the fast and furious accordion-driven dance music of the Creole people of South Louisiana, a relatively modern style that emerged after the Second World War. With its trademark rubboard percussion, electric guitars and R&B influences, zydeco is distinct from the fiddle-driven music of neighboring Cajuns. Zydeco is now a familiar sound to many, heard in commercials for mainstream companies such as Burger King and Toyota, and there are pockets of devoted zydeco dancers throughout the world. Yet, after its flush of national popularity in the late 1980s, which saw soaring sales of both zydeco and Cajun CDs, zydeco has in many ways faded from popular consciousness, retreating to the South Louisiana dance halls and festival gigs that sustained it all along.
Growing up in a Creole-speaking home in St. Martinville, Nathan eagerly sought out the music ofzydeco originators such as Clifton Chenier.When he was too young to actually attend a Clifton Chenier dance at a St. Martinville club, he hovered by the window-sized fan at the back of the building to hear his idol, only to have the bill of his baseball cap clipped off by the fan when he leaned too close. Later, while recovering from a serious illness, Nathan decided to dedicate himself to learning the accordion. That dedication blossomed into an illustrious career, encompassing seven albums and spanning close to two decades. The music of Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas is the expression ofa remarkable South Louisiana family.
Dennis Paul Williams, Nathan's brother, brings his jazz-influenced guitar chops to the band. He's also a well known painter whose work has been shown throughout the country, and who contributed the cover and tray card paintings for their album, Hang It High, Hang It Low. Rubboard player Clarence Calais is Nathan's Brother-in-law and has been with the group from the beginning -starting off as tour manager, before moving to his current role. Roundingout the Cha Chas is the exceptional rhythm section of long-time members - bass guitarist Junius J. Antione and drummer Djuan Ryan Francis.
In the world of contemporary African-American music, roots styles are easily categorized as old music, good for sampling maybe, but not music that relates to the lives of mainstream American people. Nathan and the Zydecо Cha Chas might make us think twice about this assumption, for here is uplifting, new music that remains connected to its place in history.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Join us for dinner and drinks! The Sapphire Room features a full dinner and bar menu. The Sapphire Room is all-ages and family friendly. Every person that enters must have a ticket. No babes in arms.
We make every effort to honor the table and seats selected at the time of purchase. However, due to the intimate nature of The Sapphire Room and our table-style seating, The Sapphire Room reserves the right, in rare circumstances, to move a reservation to an equivalent or upgraded table within the same seating section purchased.
To provide the best experience for our guests, we avoid seating unrelated parties together at the same table. If you select a table with more seats than the size of your party, there is a possibility that your reservation may be moved to a table that more appropriately accommodates your party size. Any such move will remain within the General or Preferred section originally selected and will be to a table of equal or greater price value. Preferred seating will not be downgraded to General seating.
Please note that general seats may have a partially obstructed view. Table locations may vary slightly from positions shown on the seating map.
With the purchase of a ticket, Sapphire guests are eligible for The Riverside Hotel's "Sapphire Getaway" for $179 + tax. This rate is available for the night of the Sapphire Room show and includes a standard hotel room (double occupancy) and breakfast for two the following morning. To reserve, please call the Riverside Hotel front desk at 208-343-1871. The Sapphire Getaway rate is subject to availability and blackout dates. It will not be available for every show.
Event venue & nearby stays
The Sapphire Room at The Riverside Hotel, 2900 Chinden Blvd, Boise, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.