How are Michael Jackson and Ray Charles related to Clifton Chenier and the new DVD From La La to Zydeco -- Creole and Zydeco Music From Louisiana?

One of the biggest obstacles in making From La La to Zydeco was obtaining the rights for Chenier's performance of "What'd I Say." Originally a Ray Charles song, it -- and the entire Charles catalog -- belongs to Jackson.

History should be thankful for The King of Pop and his Warner Bros. mouthpiece eventual release of the King of Zydeco footage. Whatever the obstacles producer Robert Willey had to overcome, they were worth it to bring the public one of the Chenier's last performances.

The DVD begins with a young Chenier sitting on a porch wearing a white shirt and a tie, black slacks and tan socks playing the accordion the way only he could. It's from houses like this the film takes its name: In the early days of zydeco, rural Creoles escaping the hardships of their lives threw La La parties, where all the furniture was removed from the house so it could be filled with dancers.

A couple more scenes follow Chenier's rise in stardom, before the film arrives at the footage of him performing Charles' song at the Original Zydeco Festival in 1987. Seated on the stage with his huge accordion in his lap, Chenier appears sick and near the end of his reign. However, with his royal cape tied around his neck, he still was the king and held court with the accordion. After cranking out the Charles classic, he addresses the rumors of his death. He jokes, "I'm in the B class. I'm gonna be here."

The set would be the last Original Zydeco Festival he played.

Those clips strung together in sequence are the only narrative in the movie. The film is not about talking, pondering or lecturing on what zydeco is, but showing the masses real zydeco.

"It's not a documentary kind of thing, with a lot of interviews dubbed over the music," says Willey.

The DVD's 90-minute run-time includes 22 back-to-back complete songs by Boozoo Chavis & His Magic Sounds Band, Nathan Williams & The Zydeco Cha Chas, The Creole Zydeco Farmers, Carlton & Preston Frank (playing fiddle and accordion in the country), Thomas "Big Hat" Fields & His Foot Stompin' Zydeco Band, Rosie Ledet & The Zydeco Playboys, Zydeco Joe, Corey "Lil Pop" Ledet & His Zydeco Band, Double Clutchin', Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, Beausoliel, Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble, Jude Taylor, Keith Frank, Dexter Ardoin and the Frank Family Band.

Only in the DVD extras are there the usual documentary interviews. Among others, Bois Sec Ardoin displays his beautiful Creole French, Chavis talks about zydeco and playing house dances at 15, Canray Fontenot talks about old La La dances being so packed people had to take turns dancing and Chris Strachwitz of Arhoolie Records recalls how he recorded Chenier and coined the term Louisiana Blues.

In 2001, when Willey arrived in Lafayette -- where he is now an assistant professor at the University of Louisiana, teaching music media, plus a Pro Tools class at SLCC -- he knew very little of zydeco. Growing up in California, he had heard Buckwheat Zydeco through his extensive touring but did not realize the music was a huge part of the South Louisiana culture that crossed multiple generations of families and spawned numerous festivals.

Willey wanted to start filming festivals, but then he discovered Karl Fontenot's treasure trove of Zydeco Festival footage, shot for Acadiana Open Channel. When Fontenot left the station in 1998 to work at KRVS, Willey says his spot behind the camera at festivals was not filled. For a year and a half, Willey and his students lent a hand to create new footage -- taping Festivals Acadiens, Festival International and a Downtown Alive! -- while Willey worked to preserve what Fontenot and others had shot. Calling it a labor of love, Willey says the rights and publishing took more time than the actual production.

"The Creole and zydeco music is such a thriving and unique asset to the area, and I just didn't feel like it had enough ... there are all these great videos that were starting to decay in the library that were on old video tapes. (We wanted) to get a way to preserve them and make them available."

From La La To Zydeco's initial pressing is 2,000 copies, which will only be available to libraries. Because the performers donated their rights to the footage, Willey can't sell the DVD. But he hopes one day a commercial distribution will be possible because it would bring the DVD to more audiences.

"It's just our way to share the culture," says Willey. "It's a source of pride for the community."

Nick Pittman is entertainment editor for The Times. Phone him at 289-6300, ext. 610, or e-mail him at nick.pittman@times-ofacadiana.com.