Beau Jocque (born Andrus Espre; November 1, 1953 – September 10, 1999) was a Louisiana French Creole zydeco musician and songwriter active in the 1990s.
Beau Jocque is known for his gruff vocals, his fusion of many musical styles into zydeco, and above all, for the powerful energy of his rhythm and sound. Backed by the Hi-Rollers, he became one of the top dance-hall acts of his musical decade. He wrote, recorded and performed many songs in both Louisiana French and Louisiana Creole languages, as well as in English, primarily on the Rounder Records label.
Early life
Beau Jocque was born Andrus Espre in Duralde, Louisiana, Andrus played guitar in a high school band after high school, and eventually made it to the rank of sergeant, had a top security clearance and was stationed in London and Germany. Espre had his first near-death experience while in the Air Force, when an explosion left him in the hospital with amnesia. then came home to work as an electrician and welder. He was a long time resident of Kinder, Louisiana. He was also known to write poetry, and preach about respecting nature.
Career
Working in an oil refinery after leaving the Air Force, During his recuperation, as part of his therapy he began playing his father's button accordion. After a year of practice and gaining proficiency on the accordion, Espre and his wife Michelle (AKA Shelly) began to study the styles of the successful groups on the zydeco circuit. "We checked out C. J. Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco, Boozoo Chavis, John Delafose and I'd watch the crowd. When they got real excited, I'd try to feel what was happening at that point. Was it the rhythm guitar? The drums? The accordion style? I realized that when you get the whole thing just right, it's going to move the crowd." His major zydeco influence was Boozoo Chavis who also played the button accordion, with hypnotic riffs and two-step stomps that were favorites with south Louisiana dancers.
Beau Jocque and the Zydeco Hi-Rollers won the Big Easy Music Awards three times as Best Zydeco Artist.
It was a friendly rivalry. The two musicians often traded insults in public
Personal life
Espre and his wife Michelle ("Shelly") had two sons, Andrus Adrian and Justin Travis.
- Chuck Bush (bass)
- Steve Charlot (drums)
- Russell "Sly" Dorion (guitar)
- Ray Johnson (guitar)
- Mike Lockett (keyboard)
- Wilfred Pierre (rubboard)
Discography
Studio and live albums
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Album title
! scope="col" | Record label
! scope="col" | Stock number
! scope="col" | Release year
|-
|Beau Jocque Boogie
|Rounder
|CD 2120
|1993
|-
|Pick Up on This!
|Rounder
|CD 2129
|1994
|-
|My Name is Beau Jocque
|Paula Records
|PCD-1031
|1994
|-
|Nursery Rhyme
|Beau Jocques Music
|1001
|1995
|-
|Git It, Beau Jocque!
|Rounder
|CD 2134
|1995
|-
|Gonna Take You Downtown
|Rounder
|CD 2150
|1996
|-
|Check It Out, Lock It In, Crank It Up!
|Rounder
|11661-2158-2
|1998
|-
|Zydeco Giant
|Mardi Gras Records
|MG 1043
|1999
|-
|I'm Coming Home
|Mardi Gras
|1046
|2000
|-
|Give Him Cornbread, Live!
|Rounder
|11661-2160-2
|2000
|-
|}
Singles and EPs
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Song title(s)
! scope="col" | Album title
! scope="col" | Record label
! scope="col" | Stock number
! scope="col" | Release year
! scope="col" | Note(s)
|-
|"Pop That Coochie" / "My Name Is Beau Jocque"
|My Name Is Beau Jocque
|Paula Records
|461
|<unknown>
|7", 45 RPM
|-
|"Don't Sell That Monkey" / "Maria" (performed by Roy Carrier)
|<unknown>
|Paula
|P-463
|<unknown>
|7", 45 RPM
|-
|"Make It Stank (Special Aromatic Dance Mix)" / "Make It Stank (Special Aromatic Dance Mix with Spoken Intro)"
|Gonna Take You Downtown
|Rounder
|PR 1077
|<unknown>
|12", 33 1/3 RPM, Promotional single
|-
|}
Various artist compilation albums
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Album title
! scope="col" | Record label
! scope="col" | Stock number
! scope="col" | Release year
! scope="col" | Song title(s)
|-
|-
|Feet: A Global Dance Party
|Ellipsis Arts
|CD 1010
|1993 (reissued in 2004)
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|Roundup The Unusual Suspects: The Roundup Records CD Sampler, Summer 1994
|Rounder
|RUP-1
|1994
|"Don't Tell Your Mama, Don't Tell Your Papa"
|-
|WWOZ on CD
|Friends of WWOZ
|<unknown>
|1994
|"Beau's Mardi Gras"
|-
|Alligator Stomp: Cajun & Zydeco, The Next Generation, Vol. 5
|Rhino
|R2 71846
|1995
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|The Lanor Records Story, 1960-1992
|Zane Records (UK)
|ZNCD 1009
|1995
|"My Name Is Beau Jocque"
|-
|Louisiana Spice: 25 Years of Louisiana Music on Rounder Records
|Rounder
|CD AN 18/19
|1995
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|The Real Music Box: 25 Years of Rounder Records
|Rounder
|CD AN 25
|1995
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|rowspan="3"|The Royal Family of Zydeco
|rowspan="3"|Rock 'n Bowl (Rounder Records)
|rowspan="3"|CD 1001
|rowspan="3"|1995
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|"Brownskin Woman"
|-
|"Beau Jocque Boogie"
|-
|rowspan="3"|Young Zydeco Desperadoes: Black Creole Sounds of Today
|rowspan="3"|Trikont (Germany)
|rowspan="3"|US - 0204
|rowspan="3"|1995
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|"Ma Brunette"
|-
|"Beau Jocque Shuffle"
|-
|All Over The Map
|Rounder
|CD AN 26
|1996
|"Nonc Adam"
|-
|Bayou Dance Party
|EasyDisc
|ED CD 7014
|1996
|"Richard's Club"
|-
|Planet Music Sampler: Vol. 7 Louisiana Fest
|Planet Music
|<unknown>
|1996
|"Git It, Beau Jocque"
|-
|The Real Louisiana
|EasyDisc
|ED 9002
|1996
|"Nonc Adam"
|-
|Roll Up The Rug: Triple Swing Time, volume 2
|Living Traditions Music
|<unknown>
|1996
|<unknown>
|-
|The Very Best of Cajun
|Dino Entertainment (UK)
|DINCD 127
|1996
|"My Name Is Beau Jocque"
|-
|Zydeco's Greatest Hits
|EasyDisc
|ED CD 7025
|1996
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|Bayou Beat
|EasyDisc
|EDCD 7053
|1997
|"Beau's Cajun Two Step"
|-
|CMJ New Music Monthly, Volume 41 January 1997
|College Music Journal
|<unknown>
|1997
|"Gonna Take You Down"
|-
|Discover the Rhythms of Cajun/Zydeco
|EMI
|LC0542
|1997
|"Brownskin Woman"
|-
|Hey Mardi Gras!
|EasyDisc
|ED CD 7015
|1997
|"Beau's Mardi Gras"
|-
|Rounder Essentials: A Baker's Dozen
|Rounder
|CD 9902
|1997
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|Southern Gumbo: The Best of New Orleans R&B, Soul and Zydeco on Rounder Records
|Rounder (German release)
|BR1
|1997
|"Make It Stank"
|-
|rowspan="2"|Zydeco Dance Hall
|rowspan="2"|EasyDisc
|rowspan="2"|ED CD 7035
|rowspan="2"|1997
|"Git It, Beau Jocque!"
|-
|"Couché Dehors Ce Soir"
|-
|Cajun & Zydeco Festival
|EasyDisc
|ED CD 7067
|1998
|"A Little Love Always Make it Bettah"
|-
|Crescent City Songbook
|Rounder
|VS-1
|1998
|"Gonna Take You Downtown"
|-
|Mardi Gras Time
|EasyDisc
|CD 9004
|1998
|"Mardi Gras Blues"
|-
|Zydeco Barnyard
|EasyDisc
|12136-7070-2
|1998
|"Shaggy Dog 2-Step"
|-
|rowspan="3"|Zydeco Fever!: A Sizzling Hot Louisiana Combo of Cajun and R&B
|rowspan="3"|Nascente (UK)
|rowspan="3"|NSCD 029
|rowspan="3"|1998
|"Make It Stank (Aromatic Dance Mix)"
|-
|"Baby Please Don't Go"
|-
|"Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
|-
|Zydeco Party
|EasyDisc
|ED CD 7045
|1998
|"Comin' In"
|-
|Zydeco Stomp: All Instrumental
|Rounder
|ED CD 7065
|1998
|"Kinder 2-Step"
|-
|Allons en Louisiane
|Rounder
|11161-60993-2
|1999
|"Going To The Country"
|-
|Cajun & Zydeco Jamboree
|EasyDisc
|ED 12136-7076-2
|1999
|"Just One Kiss"
|-
|Cajun Heat Zydeco Beat
|EasyDisc
|ED 1213670772
|1999
|<unknown>
|-
|rowspan="2"|Gaga for Ya-Ya: Zydeco Madness
|rowspan="2"|Winter & Winter (Germany)
|rowspan="2"|910 041-2
|rowspan="2"|1999
|"Tequila"
|-
|"Come Go With Me"
|-
|Let's Party, It's Mardi Gras!
|Mardi Gras Records
|JS 1305
|1999
|"The Second Line/The Back Door"
|-
|The Oxford American Southern Sampler: 1999
|Oxford American
|<unknown>
|1999
|"Don't Tell Your Mama, Don't Tell Your Papa"
|-
|WWOZ on CD: Roll Wid It!
|Friends of WWOZ
|<unknown>
|1999
|"Get It Beau Jocque"
|-
|Zydeco Essentials
|Hip-O Records
|767 440161 2
|1999
|"Low Rider"
|-
|Absolutely The Best Of Cajun & Zydeco, vol. II
|Fuel 2000; Varèse Sarabande
|302 061 114 2
|2000
|"Ma Brunette"
|-
|Putumayo Presents Zydeco
|Putumayo World Music
|PUTU 160-2
|2000
|"What You Gonna Do?"
|-
|Super Mardi Gras
|Mardi Gras Records
|MG1045
|2000
|"The Second Line/The Back Door"
|-
|rowspan="4"|Authentic Zydeco Music: From Southwest Louisiana
|rowspan="4"|Jose Suescun Music Distribution
|rowspan="4"|JS 1318
|rowspan="4"|2001
|"My Name Is Beau Jocque"
|-
|"When You Think About Me"
|-
|"Grand Marais Two-Step"
|-
|"Beau Jocque Two-Step"
|-
|Mardi Gras in New Orleans
|Rounder
|1166-11600-2
|2001
|"Beau's Mardi Gras"
|-
|Roots Music: An American Journey
|Rounder
|11661-0501-2
|2001
|"Just One Kiss"
|-
|rowspan="2"|Ultimate Zydeco
|rowspan="2"|Mardi Gras Records
|rowspan="2"|MG 1056
|rowspan="2"|2001
|"Pine Point Trail Ride"
|-
|"No Good Woman"
|-
|Au Revoir
|Mambito Records
|MR003
|2002
|<unknown>
|-
|Louisiana: The Rough Guide to the Music of Louisiana
|World Music Network (UK)
|RGNET 1094 CD
|2002
|"Mardi Gras Blues"
|-
|Louisiana Legends Collection
|Mambito
|MR004
|2002
|"I'm A Lonely Boy"
|-
|The Louisiana Party Collection: Cajun & Zydeco Classics
|Time-Life Music
|M18851
|2002
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|The Louisiana Party Collection: 30 Cajun & Zydeco Classics
|Time-Life Music
|R154-36
|2002
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|Zydecajun Instrumentals
|Mambito
|MR001
|2002
|<unknown>
|-
|rowspan="2"|Zydeco: The Essential Collection
|rowspan="2"|Rounder
|rowspan="2"|1166-11605-2
|rowspan="2"|2002
|"I'm On The Wonder"
|-
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|American Routes with Nick Spitzer: Carnival
|Public Radio International
|AR 03-09
|2003
|"Mardi Gras Blues"
|-
|Boozoo Hoodoo!: The Songs of Boozoo Chavis
|Fuel 2000
|302 061 278-2
|2003
|"Boogie Woogie All Night"
|-
|Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queens: The Big Ol' Box of New Orleans
|Shout! Factory
|D4K 37441
|2004
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|Best of Louisiana Music!
|Mardi Gras Records
|MG 5102
|2005
|"Morning Train"
|-
|Rough Guide to Zydeco
|World Music Network (UK)
|RGNET 1145 CD
|2005
|"Boogie Chillun"
|-
|Down South Party Mix
|Mardi Gras Records
|MG 1092
|2006
|"I'm A Girl Watcher"
|-
|New Orleans: Rebuild, Restore, Rejoice
|Mardi Gras Records
|MG 5104
|2006
|"I'm A Girl Watcher"
|-
|Rough Guide to Zydeco: Allons Danser! Creole Accordions Dance
|World Music Network (UK)
|RGNET 1145 CD
|2006
|<unknown>
|-
|Putumayo World Party
|Putumayo World Music
|PUTU 263-2
|2007
|"Just One Kiss"
|-
|rowspan="2"|The Essential Guide to Cajun Music
|rowspan="2"|Play It Again Sam
|rowspan="2"|6891316025
|rowspan="2"|2008
|"Baby Please Don't Go"
|-
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|Absolutely The Best Of Cajun & Zydeco, vol. 3
|Fuel 2000
|302 061 778 2
|2009
|"Boogie Woogie All Nite Long"
|-
|The Rounder Records Story
|Rounder
|11661-3295-2
|2010
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|The Heart, The Soul, The Spirit
|Larrikin Entertainment (Australia)
|<unknown>
|<unknown>
|"Give Him Cornbread"
|-
|}
Filmography
- Louisiana Blues (directed by Jean-Pierre Bruneau, 1993); Beau Jocque appears as himself in a film history of Cajun and Zydeco music.
- The Kingdom of Zydeco (directed by Robert Mugge, 1994); Beau Jocque and Boozoo Chavis appear in this documentary which features their friendly rivalry while both were seeking to earn the title "King of Zydeco" following the deaths of Clifton Chenier and Rockin' Dopsie.
- By the River of Babylon: An Elegy for South Louisiana (TV documentary directed by Don Howard and Jim Shelton, 2015); includes music performances by Beau Jocque and Clifton Chenier.
Other media appearances
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien: June 26, 1995, episode 2.188
- Late Show with David Letterman: May 15, 1998; Beau Jocque & The Zydeco Hi-Rollers appeared on a special New Orleans episode
Awards
- 1994: Big Easy Music Awards, Best Zydeco Artist
- 1995: Big Easy Music Awards, Best Zydeco Artist
- 2000: Big Easy Music Awards, Best Zydeco Artist