• GRAMMY Nominated album “King Cake” on Billboard World chart #15.
• Pollstar Box Office sellouts on US & European dates.
• Voted “Zydeco Band of the Year” 2009 by Bay Area Blues Society
• New album 2009 “Absolutely Live!”
The most joyful Americana/Cajun/Zydeco act on tour today!
Lisa’s boundless energy and blue violin "Louie" bring modern Louisiana-roots music to a wide audience. Her All-Star band tours in more than 20 countries and the US with strong vocals and boundless energy, spreading her infectious "Zydecosis" to all.
The ultimate complement: "That girl plays as good as a man!" - Clifton Chenier, "The King of Zydeco."
2 reviews
Rick B.
August 16, 2016This is an extremely belated review. My wife and I had a surprise wedding in San Diego with 100 unsuspecting friends back in October. I wanted music that would be as unique as the event they were attending. As the two of us cruised and chatted everyone saying how refreshing and fun the band was. Lisa & the Zydekats are gourmet food for the ears, they get your ears and brains out of the same old sludge. Great fun and great people to work with. I highly recommend seeing them if you ever get the chance and even better higher them for your event.
If you are considering a nice get our to town drive this weekend, go to the Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines and check them out! 08/21/16 French Quarter at 12:15
Hired as: Zydeco Band
Lisa Haley & the Zydekats
Thank you so much Rick!
Your wedding was truly a memorable night.
Or best to you and Beth for a long and blessed marriage.
Regards, Lisa & the Kats
Mary E. M.
November 14, 2013Lisa Haley and the Zydekats were the perfect addition to my mother's surprise 90th birthday party. What fun they were. Everyone loved them! We will definitely use them again. Thanks again Lisa and the Kats!!
Hired as: Zydeco Band
Price range: Contact for rates
Gig length: 45 - 180 minutes
A Spirit-filled “cornbread” voice.
An electric-blue violin named “Louie”.
When Lisa holds court in the "One World Swamp", worlds collide!
Even those who claim no ear for any musical style are on the floor, smiling, forgetting themselves, forgetting they don't know how to dance, dancing anyway and finding the joy of life!
Lisa’s music strikes listeners square at their emotional roots. Irresistable beats, boundless energy, and Southern charm
- prepare to catch "ZYDECOSIS!" - There is no cure!
LISA HALEY - BIOGRAPHY
GRAMMY Nominee Americana/Cajun/Zydeco
When Lisa Haley’s soaring, compelling “cornbread” voice
holds court in the "One World Swamp", worlds collide!
"Joyful, exotic... a la the bluesy moans of Janis Joplin..." - Los Angeles Times
• GRAMMY Nominated album “King Cake,” "Joy Ride," "Absolutely Live!" on Billboard World chart
• Tours in over 20 countries - World, Folk, Jazz, R&B, Blues, Country, Bluegrass, Rock, Pop, Cajun/Zydeco Festivals; Fine Arts Centers, Concert series, Family Entertainment, Film Industry & Corporate events.
• National touring act, representing modern Zydeco for U.S. & International Programs / GRAMMY Museum / Hollywood Bowl Summersounds / Sir George Martin (Beatles producer) film “Rhythm of Life.”
• One of Lisa's videos featured on Nickelodeon, AOL, ESPN, BBC, 679,000 hits on YouTube!
• Pollstar Box Office sellouts US & European dates.
The most joyful Americana/Cajun/Zydeco act on tour today! A Blue Fiddle Records recording artist, Lisa’s strong vocals, boundless energy and blue violin "Louie" have spread her infectious "Zydecosis" to more than 20 countries and the US.
Bringing modern Louisiana-roots music to a wide audience reaches far beyond a career playing solely traditional genre. Lisa's passion combines multi-faceted Louisiana French, Irish Celtic, Blues and Jazz genres, in which she is well-versed. The power of family songs and stories convey our shared human emotion - a cultural journey transforming over time.
With her All-Star band, Lisa performs for millions of fans in concerts and festivals, films, TV, commercials radio and educational shows worldwide, to all ages in genres including Americana, Cajun/Zydeco, Jazz, Folk, World, Rock, Pop, Blues, and Bluegrass.
A fourth-generation fiddler, Lisa was born to expatriate Southern parents, relatives of immigrants who arrived in Roddy Bayou, Louisiana in 1718. Descendant of Francis Scott Key, and kin to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bill Haley, the LeBoeufs, Broussards, Lamberts and Thibodaux, Lisa began performing at age four.
Soon after, the family moved near Hollywood, California for her mother’s health, where Mickey Mouse Show producer Bob Holoboff offered to make Lisa a Mousekateer. Her parents politely declined, thinking it no life for a young lady.
Influenced by the surrounding Louisiana-expatriate community, Lisa flourished under the mentorship of several Cajun/Zydeco accordion legends:
• Queen Ida - GRAMMY Winner (grew up in Daly City, CA,)
• Danny Poulard (40 year resident of San Francisco, CA.) and
• Joe Simien (50 year resident of South Los Angeles, CA.)
The protégé and “adopted daughter” of Joe Simien, Lisa performed the “Cajun Way” with his band for 15 years. With Queen Ida, Lisa toured the US, Canada and Europe to favorable reviews. She also toured with GRAMMY Winner Rockin' Sydney ("Don't Mess with My Toot-toot") and Al Rapone, and learned her share of fiddle secrets from Cajun Fiddle master Canray Fontenot.
Springboarding to her own "Lisa Haley & the Zydekats" in 1994, performing a world-class show for the “One World Swamp,” Lisa performs for millions of fans in concerts and festivals, films, TV, commercials radio and educational shows worldwide.
• Representing Cajun/Zydeco in Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin’s film,
“The Rhythm of Life.”
• On NBC-TV’s “Las Vegas - Mardi Gras Episode” playing her Zydeco and with Little Richard.
• Work with multi-Grammy winner/producer KebMo', Queen Ida, Brian Setzer, John Hiatt, Randy Newman, Lyle Lovett, Taj Mahal, Dave Koz, Al Rapone, Rockin' Sydney, Joe Simien, producer Sylvia Massy.
• Music director, Emmy-winning "Late Mr Pete Show."
• In films Beverly Hillbillies Movie, Man in the Moon, Red Dragon, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and more, soundtrack on film “The Waterboy.”
• Featured in Hollywood Bowl Summersounds, presented by the L.A. Philharmonic Assn, a theatrical production based on 10 of Lisa’s songs.
Discography:
• Joy Ride on Blue Fiddle Records
• Absolutely Live! on Blue Fiddle Records
• King Cake – GRAMMY Nominated album on Blue Fiddle Records
• All the Way Live! on Blue Fiddle Records
• Reggie Alligator single on Blue Fiddle Records
• Talking to the Sun on Ryko/Warner
• Louisiana on Corazong Records Europe
• The Music of Joe Simien on Blue Fiddle Records
• Waiting for the Sky on Blue Fiddle Records
• Lisa Haley & the Zydekats on Blue Fiddle Records
Endorsers: Yamaha, Barcus-Berry, Peavey, JBL, Fender/SWR, Korg, DW, Paiste,
QSC, BBE, ProTec cases, ProCo cables, Thomastik.
Please see our stage plot / backline rider at our website,
(link hidden)
Wednesday
Too many to list! Please visit (link hidden) for show info
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Sunday
Wedding Ceremony
6:00pm - 10:30pm
•
San Diego, CA
Saturday
Birthday Party
4:30pm - 8:00pm
•
Long Beach, CA
Hundreds of uplifting songs - six solid hours of material to choose from.
Show length generally from 1 hour to 4 hours.
High-energy, Americana/Louisiana/Celtic/Pop/Folk music instantly recognizable.
Easy to dance to, easy to sing along with.
Rich history of Louisiana/Americana migration.
Repertoire from Contemporary Louisiana music to 120-year-old Traditional Cajun and Zydeco songs!
World-class acts from Little Richard to Queen Ida, New Orleans Jazz to Keb'Mo', John Hiatt, Randy Newman, Lyle Lovett, Taj Mahal, Al Rapone, Rockin' Sydney, Joe Simien - all musicians with whom Lisa has played.
(link hidden)
Lisa Haley, the girl with the blue fiddle, has put together a band of outstanding musicians all focused on bringing on some zyde-cosis fever. Zyde-cosis has some symptoms and here they are: An infectious rhythmic affliction resulting from direct exposure to Zydeco music. The ailment first attacks the toe-bones, causing them to twitch uncontrollably, then spreads rapidly throughout the entire torso, resulting in uncontrollable fits of dancing. In extreme cases may result in "Dance-us on the Table-itus". Warning: Very Contagious! Lisa Haley is a fourth generation fiddler who has studied under masters of the "Cajun Way", Queen Ida and Joe Simien. She is looking to bring Cajun/Zydeco music into the twenty-first century, with the traditional and original music that only Lisa Haley can put out. Lisa Haley's list of credits is extensive having recorded with top groups like John Hyatt, Toad the Wet Sprocket and Dramarama to name a few. She has performed with Randy Newman, Lyle Lovett, and Queen Ida. Lisa Haley can be heard playing her fiddle on the Adam Sandler movie, The Waterboy. She has been on the Tonight Show, Good Morning America, the Family Channel, and European TV Shows.
– Larry Belanger
"Lisa has the Spirit in her big time... Her music just plain grabs you and takes you over!"
– Keb'Mo', multi-Grammy winning artist, co-producer
Dear Lisa Haley & the Zydekats: On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of Friends of the Levitt Pavilion, we would like to extend a big thank you for your exciting performance this summer at Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts. Lisa Haley & the Zydekats contributed greatly to the success of the 2008 concert season. Over 34,000 attended the concerts throughout the summer and all enjoyed the thrilling entertainment. The evening of your performance will always be a memorable night for the Levitt and the community. Thank you for bringing the communiity together, celebrating culture and diversity through the performing arts!
– Bonita Pietilla, Levitt Pavilion Programming Chair
Ahoy Lisa, The World Premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest at Disneyland was a night to be treasured by everyone who attended, and your extraordinary efforts helped to make it absolutely sensational. Thanks to your care and incredible hard word, Pirates of the Caribbean received a phenomenal launch. We couldn't have done it without your hands-on-deck and the dedication you showed. As "Pirates" sets sail into history box office, please take great pride and satisfaction in knowing that you gave it a great send-off, Best Regards, LB, Disneyland Entertainment
– Disneyland Entertainment
“The ‘Mick Jagger’ of Zydeco – Swamp-Rock ala Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams”
– Jake Bacon
“A world-class show – all the way to the top! We need more like Lisa Haley!”
– Promoter, Bastille Days Festival , Milwaukee
- The ultimate complement: "That girl plays as good as a man!"
– Clifton Chenier, "The King of Zydeco."
Dear Lisa and the Zydekats: Thank you for being a high point of our summer concert series. Your presentation was the favorite show by far for the young people. Your musicality and professionalism were a pleasure to work with. We wish you well in your future endeavors.
– Producer, Hollywood Bowl Summersounds
"...enormous fun... makes people want to get up and enjoy!"
– Sir George Martin (Beatles' producer)
Joyful, exotic... a Pop approach to Louisiana's sound... one-of-a-kind cornbread voice... a la the bluesy moans of Janis Joplin..."
– Michael Lucas
Zydeco Band
