Here's a definition of Zydeco music that is from the link posted above:

"Zydeco is a popular accordion-based musical genre hailing from the prairies of south-central and southwest Louisiana. Contrary to popular belief, it is not Cajun in origin; rather, zydeco is the music of south Louisiana's Creoles of Color, who borrowed many of zydeco's defining elements from Cajun music. (In turn, Cajun music borrowed many of its traits from Creole music.) The word zydeco (also rendered zarico, zodico, zordico, and zologo) derives from the French expression les haricots, meaning "beans." Folk etymology holds that the genre obtained this name from the common Creole expression "Les haricots sont pas salés" ("The beans aren't salty"). This phrase has appeared in many Creole songs, and serves as the title of a popular zydeco recording (also called "Zydeco est pas salé")."

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That definition also answers the question that was asked in 1999: "What does the term 'Zydeco' mean?"

Here's another definition of Zydeco music from http://www.zydecoevents.com/History.html

"For the uninitiated, zydeco is most simply (if somewhat simplistically) described as a combination of Louisiana French accordion, Afro-Caribbean rhythms, and African American urban blues, performed by, and primarily for, the black Creoles of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas. Notwithstanding its roots in older rural traditions, the genre as currently recognized and popularly acclaimed represents a relatively recent folk/popular syncretism forged in urban, semi-professional performance venues such as the neighborhood taverns and Catholic halls of Houston's French town district, an enclave attesting to the ongoing rural-to-urban migration of twentieth century Creoles.'"

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Also, see this description of Zydeco music from http://encarta.msn.com/media_461567966_761560280_-1_1/Zydeco_Music_of_Louisiana.html :

"...zydeco music is the accordion-driven music of Creoles living in southeastern Louisiana and eastern Texas. Early zydeco featured a one-row button accordion and a "rub board," or frottoir (a washboard played with spoons or beer-can openers). Contemporary zydeco now features drums, rhythm guitar, bass, and a larger piano-style accordion."

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http://www.cajunradio.org/listenold.html includes this information about the history of Zydeco music:

"The first known recording containing the word "Zydeco" was the recording by "Jimmy Peters and The Ring Dance Singers" in 1934 as part of the historic Alan Lomax recordings. The word "Zydeco" is actually the words "Les Haricots". Phonetically speaking, the "S" from "Les" gets rolled over to the beginning of the word "Haricots" giving a pronounciation of "Zharicots". In french, you don't hardly hear the ending "ts" resulting in Zharico. The emphasis is on the 1st and 3rd parts of the word, hence ZHAR- i -CO. The "i" in the middle is pronounced like and "e", not like a long "I". When the phonetic "Zhareco" was translated into the written version it then was easily mispelled as "zydeco". Thus, the phrase "Les Haricots" which is french for " the snapbeans" is equivalent to the present day spelling of the word "zydeco".

"The first known recording containing the word "zydeco" was the song called "J'ai fait tout Le tour du pays" and was done in a Jure' (bluesy) style of chanting. The phrase "les haricots sont pas sale' " is repeated often. This translates into the phrase "the snapbeans they are not salty". This is an old phrase that implies that times are so tough that the person could not afford any salt meat to put in their beans. Thus, the meaning that times are rough. This song is on a CD recording on the Rounder label called "J'ai Été Au Bal, Vol. 2" (I Went to the Dance, Vol. 2) Various Artists CD/CASS 332 (p.s.) The song on this CD is the same exact song, but rounder labeled the song as "Zydeco Sont Pas Sales" by Jimmy Peters and The Ring Dance Singers..."

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That last excerpt ended with mention of a website that contained a sound clip of that song. Unfortunately, that URL no longer works.