CZ and the Bon Vivants

A hot band of Cajun/Zydeco veterans under a new name, CZ & the Bon Vivants dish out classic Cajun dance tunes and originals. Along with singer and fiddler Catherine Matovich (whose day job is playing with symphony orchestras), the Bon Vivants are Lake Charles, Louisiana, native and East Bay great Andrew Carriere on accordion, bassist Elaine Herrick, drummer Timothy Orr, and guitarist Marty Jara. The band appeared frequently on the festival and outdoor event circuit over the last couple years, from downtown Oakland to Solano Stroll, the Kaiser Rooftop concert series to Bay cruises. The group was born when Matovich got home after playing in Neil Diamond’s touring band and saw a concert by Cajun/Zydeco fiddler Tom Rigney. “I loved working big shows, but seeing Tom’s band made me want to be in a group like that, that had so much fun playing together.”

The band came together to play a benefit concert in 2004, “and we’ve been busy ever since,” Matovich says. Nobody could agree on a group name, so eventually they were dubbed the Cajun Babes (after the Dixie Chicks), and through democratic process came up with the current group moniker, although there is no CZ. Just high-energy Cajun/Zydeco music.

Doors open at 7:30pm, show starts at 8:30pm. There's a pre-show Cajun/Zydeco dance lesson with Cheryl McBride at 8pm. Tickets are $10.