Includes liner notes by Chris Strachwith and Michael Goodwin.

Personnel: Clifton Chenier (vocals, accordion).

Liner Note Authors: Chris Strachwitz; Mike Goodwin.

Recording information: Face To Face Studio, Southfield, MI; Studio A, Recording, Inc., Dearborn Heights, MI.

Editor: Chris Strachwitz.

Photographer: Heather Hafleigh.

This album's self-explanatory title, 60 MINUTES WITH THE KING OF ZYDECO, is precisely what listeners get. In the 1950s, Clifton Chenier put together a high-octane mixture of Arcadian two-step and R&B that defined the genre with which he would always be associated, and that earned him the well-deserved "King of Zydeco" moniker.

60 MINUTES collects some of the best work Chenier put out on Arhoolie (and there has been quite a bit of it). All of it bears the hallmarks of Chenier's style, a soulful, high-energy party music that boogies as fiercely as any New Orleans R&B, yet flaunts its regional, Creole-centric hallmarks via clattering washboards, pumping accordion, and French-language singing. Since 60 MINUTES covers a large chunk of Chenier's recording career, it serves as an excellent retrospective of the zydeco legend.

This album is Arhoolie's attempt to create a posthumous greatest hits compilation for the king of zydeco, presenting the 15 best-sellers from their catalog. As such, all of the best songs from Chenier's days are available together here, ranging from slower blues to high speed party-based zydeco. Any fan of Chenier (or zydeco in general) should look into this album for its breadth over the years. Aside from that, single albums are probably better suited for most purposes. If someone just wants one comprehensive Clifton Chenier album in their collection, however, this is the one to have. ~ Adam Greenberg