A vest frottoir or rubboard is a percussion instrument used in zydeco music similar to a washboard. It is usually made from pressed, corrugated stainless steel and is worn over the shoulders.
It is played as a rhythm instrument by stroking either bottle openers or spoons down it. [1] Many of these instruments are home-made, but Don Landry of Louisiana is one professional maker, making them for Clifton Chenier's band and Elvis Fontenot and the Sugar Bees, amongst others.
In The Amazing Race 32 , racers played the vest frottoir during the season's final leg in New Orleans. [2]
The washboard and frottoir are used as a percussion instrument, employing the ribbed metal surface of the cleaning device as a rhythm instrument. As traditionally used in jazz, zydeco, skiffle, jug band, and old-time music, the washboard remained in its wooden frame and is played primarily by tapping, but also scraping the washboard with thimbles. Often the washboard has additional traps, such as a wood block, a cowbell, and even small cymbals. Conversely, the frottoir dispenses with the frame and consists simply of the metal ribbing hung around the neck. It is played primarily with spoon handles or bottle openers in a combination of strumming, scratching, tapping and rolling. The frottoir or vest frottoir is played as a stroked percussion instrument, often in a band with a drummer, while the washboard generally is a replacement for drums. In Zydeco bands, the frottoir is usually played with bottle openers, to make a louder sound. It tends to play counter-rhythms to the drummer. In a jug band, the washboard can also be stroked with a single whisk broom and functions as the drums for the band, playing only on the back-beat for most songs, a substitute for a snare drum. In a four-beat measure, the washboard will stroke on the 2-beat and the 4-beat. Its best sound is achieved using a single steel-wire snare-brush or whisk broom. However, in a jazz setting, the washboard can also be played with thimbles on all fingers, tapping out much more complex rhythms, as in The Washboard Rhythm Kings, a full-sized band, and Newman Taylor Baker.
The güiro is a percussion instrument consisting of an open-ended, hollow gourd with parallel notches cut in one side. It is played by rubbing a stick or tines along the notches to produce a ratchet sound.
The bones, also known as rhythm bones, are a folk instrument that, in their original form, consists of a pair of animal bones, but may also be played on pieces of wood or similar material. Sections of large rib bones and lower leg bones are the most commonly used bones, although wooden sticks shaped like true bones are now more often used. Metal spoons may be used instead, as is common in the United States, known as "playing the spoons". The technique probably arrived in the U.S. via Irish and other European immigrants, and has a history stretching back to ancient China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. They have contributed to many music genres, including 19th century minstrel shows, traditional Irish and Scottish music, the blues, bluegrass, zydeco, French-Canadian music, and music from Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. The clacking of the loose rib bones produces a much sharper sound than the zydeco washboard or frottoir, which mimics rattling a bone up and down a fixed ribcage.
Zydeco is a music genre that evolved in southwest Louisiana by French Creole speakers which blends blues, rhythm and blues, and music indigenous to the Louisiana Creoles and the Native American people of Louisiana. Although it is distinct in origin from the Cajun music of Louisiana, the two forms influenced each other, forming a complex of genres native to the region.
Clifton Chenier, was an American Creole musician known as a pioneer of zydeco, a style of music which arose from Creole music, with R&B, blues, and Cajun influences. He sang and played the accordion and won a Grammy Award in 1983.
The Amazing Race is an adventure reality game show franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. The Race is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in foreign areas, interact with locals, and perform physical and mental challenges that often highlight aspects of a location's culture, history, or economy. Over the course of the Race, teams travel by airplanes, helicopters, trucks, bicycles, taxicabs, cars, trains, buses, boats and by foot. Teams are progressively eliminated at the end of most legs for being the last to arrive at designated Pit Stops, until only three remain. The first team to arrive at the finish line is awarded the grand prize.
Robert Carlo Mariano, known by the nickname Boston Rob, is an American television personality, known for appearing in the CBS reality show Survivor. He placed 10th in the show's 4th season Survivor: Marquesas, finished as the runner up to his eventual wife Amber Brkich in the show's 8th season Survivor: All-Stars, came in 13th place in the show's 20th season Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, won the show's 22nd season Survivor: Redemption Island, returned for the show's 39th season Survivor: Island of the Idols as a mentor for the new players alongside Sandra Diaz-Twine, and came in 17th place in the show's 40th season Survivor: Winners at War. He is the first contestant to appear on Survivor 6 times, and play 5 times. He also competed on The Amazing Race twice alongside his wife, where they placed 2nd and 8th.
Andrew Weber is an American soccer player who currently plays for Sporting Arizona FC.
The Amazing Race is an American adventure reality game show in which 11 or 12 teams of two race around the world. The race is split into legs, with each leg requiring teams to deduce clues, navigate themselves in foreign areas, interact with locals, perform physical and mental challenges, and travel by airplane, boat, taxi, and other public transportation options on a limited budget provided by the show. Teams are progressively eliminated at the end of most legs, while the first team to arrive at the end of the final leg wins the grand prize of US$1 million. As the original version of the Amazing Race franchise, the CBS program has been running since September 5, 2001. Numerous international versions have been developed following the same core structure, while the American version is also broadcast to several other countries.
Jerry Lee Eaves is an American head college basketball coach and athletic director at Simmons College of Kentucky in Louisville. He is the former head men's basketball coach at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Prior to the start of his coaching career, Eaves played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for parts of four seasons.
The Amazing Race 13 is the thirteenth season of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. It featured eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world.
Gary Michael Barnidge is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. He has also played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns.
The 2009 Grand National was the 162nd running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 2009.
Marijana Rajčić is a retired soccer and Australian rules football player. She played soccer professionally for Adelaide United in the W-League and Australian rules football for Adelaide Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW).
Kellie Wells-Brinkley is an American track and field athlete who specialises in the 100 metres hurdles. She won an Olympic bronze medal at the London 2012, setting a personal best in the process. She is an alumna of Hampton University.
Natalie Anderson and Nadiya Anderson are American television personalities and twins, most commonly known as "The Twinnies". They appeared on The Amazing Race and Survivor: San Juan del Sur. Nadiya was the first contestant to be voted out, while Natalie was crowned Sole Survivor, winning the show's $1 million prize. Natalie also competed on Survivor: Winners at War, an all winners season. After being voted out first, she battled her way back into the game from the Edge of Extinction and finished runner-up on the season.
Meghan Camarena, known by her online pseudonym Strawburry17, is an American YouTube personality, television host, actress and comic book writer. She has worked on a number of videos, web series, and films, gaining popularity as a YouTube star, and participating as a contestant with fellow YouTuber Joey Graceffa on The Amazing Race 22 and The Amazing Race: All-Stars. She was an on-screen host for video content at Teen.com and was the backstage correspondent for season 2 of the TruTV talent contest Fake Off. In 2017, she and fellow YouTuber Jimmy Wong co-hosted the video game themed variety show Polaris Primetime which was part of Disney's inaugural "D | XP" summer programming block on Disney XD. She’s also the co-writer of the Radiant Pink miniseries.
The Amazing Race 32 is the thirty-second season of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. It featured eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world.
The Amazing Race 33 is the thirty-third season of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. It featured eleven teams of two competing in a race around the world.
The Amazing Race 34 is the thirty-fourth season of the American reality television show The Amazing Race. It featured twelve teams of two competing in a race around the world.