Los Blancos is a band that can do it all--Zydeco, funk, soul, roots and good old-fashioned rock 'n roll. The four-man group not only plays multi-instruments but writes its own material, which is one reason everything sounds so fresh and appealing on its latest release, LOS BLANCOS--JUST THIS ONCE (casablancos.com).

The ten cuts reflect the band's versatility, beginning with Backbeat Rhythm, which was composed by bassist Steven T. Winston and comes off as pure Cajun, thanks largely to Mark Nanni's rollicking accordion work. Nanni and Winston team up on the lyrics, backed by Colin Aberdeen on guitar.
    

    
Aberdeen sings lead on the next cut, I'll Be Waiting, a love song which he wrote himself, along with the playful, bluesy Get Along. He also arranged the band's bawdy rendition of the traditional number, Biscuit Roller.

Nanni, who plays piano and organ in addition to squeezebox, wrote three of the songs on the CD: Changes, Again It Was You and Luck Today, another catchy Cajun tune that really makes your feet start to twitch. No doubt it'll be a humongous hit in discos across the country.

Mark Tiffault thumps away on drums and percussion for Los Blancos, a job he learned playing for the likes of John Lee Hooker and Carey Bell. That alone explains why the quartet bills itself as "the band yo mama warned you about!"