Featuring the fiery accordion and fiddle wizardry and soulful vocals of the front man from the legendary band, Zydeco Force, Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys delivers great, pack-the-dance-floor renditions of Creole classics as well as their own dynamic brand of contemporary zydeco.

The son of traditional Creole accordion icon Delton Broussard, Jeffery began his musical journey at the age of 8, playing the drums in his father's legendary band, the Lawtell Playboys. Later, as a leading member of "nouveau zydeco" trailblazers Zydeco Force, Jeffrey's accordion and vocals defined this new style which incorporated elements of R&B into zydeco music and dance. With his Creole Cowboys, Jeffrey continues to share his rich musical heritage with contemporary flair and expertise, inspiring new generations of Creole zydeco fans. He was named "Accordionist of the Year" in 2007 in the Zydeco Music & Creole Heritage Awards, and dubbed "one of the greatest accordion players to ever grace our beautiful Creole culture and, for that matter, the world" by Don Cravins, the mayor of Opelousas, Louisiana.

Creole music evolved among the French-speaking Louisiana Creole people in the prairie lands of Southwest Louisiana, far from the jazz, blues, and brass bands of New Orleans. Populated by descendants of free people of color, Native Americans, and French and Spanish settlers, this region's rich culture also embraces Cajuns, descendants of displaced white settlers from Acadia (now Nova Scotia in Canada). Distinct from Cajun music, the roots of zydeco (earlier called Creole music, French music, or la-la music) go back to European, African, and Caribbean musical traditions.

"I love my music and I love my culture," says Jeffery. "I am proud and honored to be a part of it. By playing traditional music, that is my way of giving back to my community, to my culture, and to get others interested in the music, in other parts of the country, and to fulfill my Daddy's dream."

Jeffery will be teaching a Creole/Zydeco Accordion workshop 1:00-2:30 pm, and a Creole Fiddle workshop 3:00-4:30 pm.

Visit Jeffery's website

Listen to a track from Jeffery Broussard: