ZigaZag! Band Bios

• Phil Underwood: accordeon and vocals
   
• "Not bad for an Englishman" - Marc Savoy, Eunice, Louisiana.
  The band's leader and manager, Phil has been playing and singing Cajun since 1991.
  "Soulful vocals in Cajun French complemented by  skillful and emotional button accordion" - Creole Arts, Virginia, USA.
  He has written several songs in Cajun French, including the waltz Rainbow in the Night, often played on Louisiana Radio, and the two step Les Cajuns et Les Anglais, which tells how music has brought the Cajuns and the English together. He has been influenced and taught accordeon playing by some of the top players in Louisiana. Phil has played all over England, Ireland, Europe and as far afield as Israel and Louisiana, where he has appeared in the 'Rendezvous des Cajuns' Radio show at the Liberty Theatre, Eunice. Phil also appeared with the late Eddie LeJeune at the Morse Festival, Louisiana, July 1998 and now appears regularly at Cajun events in Louisiana. Go to our Sounds page to hear Phil playing Cajun accordeon. Check out his Zydeco technique, too.
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• Jim Beard: fiddle
  Despite his name, the only hair anywhere near Jim's chin is on the bow of his fiddle, which he can play to make your hair curl. Jim's background is in British folk and American roots music and he has studied and been influenced by the playing of Dennis McGee. Don't be fooled by that unassuming demeanour - he plays with a quiet passion that shines out on stage, or anywhere.
  

• Carol Wilson: percussion and vocals
   "Carol Wilson's high harmony parts border on the angelic" (Dan Willging) ZigaZag's percussionist and wearer of the wackiest pigtail this side of the Bayou country, Carol counts many of the best known players and personalities in Cajun music and life among her friends. Years of visiting Louisiana and eating the food have turned this girl almost completely Cajun! Carol has been complimented by visiting US Cajun players on her drumming. Her singing evokes a deep Cajun emotion that can literally reduce strong men to tears. She is so pretty she was once painted by Renoir (see left and Photos page).
  

• Simon Hopkins: guitar and vocals
  Simon has over thirty years' experience of R&B, Country and British traditional music and has taken to Cajun like a crawfish to mud. He has exactly the right temperament to enable him to put out a solid Cajun rhythm all night, with a powerful stage energy. Utterly professional, he is the backbone of ZigaZag and he makes fine quality guitars, too - Black Dog Guitars
  

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Issued 28 March 2002