Set Me Free

Dwayne Dopsie is the son of the late Rockin’ Dopsie, a Louisiana Creole accordionist who, via recording several albums for Sweden’s Sonet Records, helped popularise zydeco in Europe. Dwayne follows in his father’s footsteps by creating uptempo, good time zydeco party music – this album is a high-energy rush!

Across 12 tracks, Dwayne and band pump out the groove, making music that those who can dance the two-step will enjoy moving to. There’s a cover of Guitar Slim’s ‘The Things I Used to Do’ – early Louisiana electric blues that quickly became a standard – and blues/R&B influences feature strongly in his sound. But Dwayne’s at his best when playing deep roots zydeco, ‘DD’s Zydeco Two-Step’ is an excellent example. I enjoyed this album, it captured the lively good humour and light touch Rockin’ Dopsie also specialised in. If there’s anything lacking here it’s a willingness to step outside the bar band whoop-it-up that many of these numbers represent – songs like ‘Take It Higher’ and ‘Louisiana Girl’ are enjoyable but formulaic. A little more imagination and reflection would have made Set Me Free more compelling.