Acadian Music And Musicians

Subject: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 09:21 PM

Beer started a BS thread on Acadian Descent recently, but it has gone all strange, so I thought, why not get back to the music.
I had the good fortune to spend a few weeks in Acadie this summer. For a while we were camped just up the road from the Jamboree Atlantique des Violoneux in Abram-Village. For $7.50 we got three hours and nine acts, including dean of Acadian fiddling Eddy Arsenault. One fiddler, Elmo Leblanc, was a stand-out--during his set Buddy MacMaster came and sat on stage, apparently to get a closer look at Elmo's chops.
I bought a book called Acadian Legends, Folktales, and Songs by Georges Arsenault, which contains some of the songs he collected from people in his mother's home village, including several orally-transmitted songs about local events which happened as long ago as 1862.
In Cheticamp I went into Charlie's Music where they stock all things Acadian including Un Suete musical en Acadie, a CD of local musicians produced by Cheticamp co-op radio CKJM; and trad-style a-capella Chansons traditionelles acadiennes by Leo Aucoin.
But my musical find of the decade has got to be the incomparable songsmith Cayouche. The guy in the shopping mall music store in Moncton said he wouldn't recognize Cayouche's music if he heard it but the guy was a local phenom whose CDs sold well. So I took a chance and bought Last Call. Now I want ALL my bluegrass to be in French. Cayouche should be famous, he should be inducted, hell, he should be Governor General. "Ma bicycle pis ma musique, c'est ca ma vie"--words to live by.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 09:31 PM

I was at that festival, too - I've got the feeling you're the guy who stepped on my toe and I'm still waiting for an apology - anyway, it was a great festival, and always has been, any time I've attended. Great fiddling, great people, great fun.

And you're right; Elmo was top of the shelf.

There's music in PEI every night all summer, but another terrific fiddle festival is in Rollo Bay, on the east end of the island ...

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 10:09 PM

Oops. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 10:29 PM

That's more like it. Now we can be friends.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Beer
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 11:36 PM

Thanks Postman. Your right about the post I put up. This one will probably go the same way. It really is to bad that it does but little can be done I guess. I haven't even bothered looking back on my post once the crap started. Thurg, a question?, I'm from P.E.I., where are you referring to when you say music every night? Just wondering.
Beer

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: GUEST,thurg
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 12:26 AM

Well, all over the place. There are all kinds of little concerts variously advertised as "ceilidhs" or "kitchen parties" or sometimes even as "concerts", held regularly one night a week in a number of the smaller places, especially along the north shore; the College of Piping in Summerside has events a few nights every week; the town of Summerside has music on the waterfront most evenings; the Sun & Shade Campground in Borden puts on an Old-Time/Bluegrass concert every night; the Benevolent Irish Society has events two or three nights a week; Orwell Corners has events two or three nights a week; going a little more up-market, there are soft-seat concerts one or more nights a week in the Jubilee in Summerside, the Victoria Playhouse, the Georgetown Theatre, not to mention Charlottetown; then there are the festivals - besides the two we mentioned, there's the Larry Gorman Festival in Tyne Valley, a big do in Rustico, usually with hometown boy Lenny Gallant as the big star - this summer it was on the same weekend as the one in Abram Village ... and then there's me at the cottage sitting down with my mother to have a few tunes after the dishes are done ... I'm not sure how much action there is up-west; I don't pay much attention to that area because it's just too far from my base of operations (BOO). Almost all the concert/ceilidh-type events take place sometime between 7 and 11 in the evening - after that, as I'm sure you know, it's go home, have a lunch, then hit the hay - those cows aren't going to milk themselves tomorrow morning!

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: number 6
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 08:28 AM

All lot of good bluegrass pickers (in fact probably some of the finest in Canada) up on the north shore N.B. .. also a pretty good annual bluegrass festival up in Rogersville.

biLL

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 09:29 AM

The Bluegrass Diamonds, for instance--Francis Cormier, Vincent Cormier, Louis Cormier, Roger Gauvin, and Richard Bourque.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Beer
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 11:46 AM

Isn't there a pretty good bluegrass festival called "Virgin Hill" around St. Paul / Bouctouche N.B. ?

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: number 6
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 11:52 AM

The Bluegrass Diamonds are fine artists for sure.

Haven't heard of that festival Beer .... I know some diehard bluegrass guys here in SJ ... I will check with them.

biLL

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Bee
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 12:10 PM

I'll vouch for great bluegrass in NB. The Poirier family come to mind, I've seen them often. The son, Terry, has the most spine tingling voice I've heard in a long time, very sweet and can hold a note forever. He is hosting a bluegrass web radio site, don't have the URL as I can't listen on my computer.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: ToulouseCruise
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 06:58 PM

while I am not a bluegrass fan, I have loved reading these threads, being from PEI. Born in Summerside, my relatives are all from the Evangeline Area which includes Abram-Village, Georges Arsenault being one of my cousins (though I have never met him personally)... Of course, I am of Acadian descent.

Living now in Moncton, not far away!

Brian Cormier.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: GUEST,len
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 07:45 PM

dont know when this was put on but l think virgin hill doesn't exist anymore.live right close.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 10:19 PM

Now remember that parts of Maine and perhaps adjacent states..I don't know..were parts of Acadia according to National Geographic. French is the main language up north in Maine..at least it was when I was there..could have changed..some great music there too..was a St. Pierre if I recall who was a fiddler. Oh, and an absolutely great instructor or professor at UMO who sang. mg

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 11:37 PM

Acadia

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: ollaimh
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 12:35 AM

the folk music s\ene in nouveau brunswick is greatly enriched by acadien music. most of the best is from acadie.

the fete acadien in the summer always has lots of music with a mix of local bluegrass and old traditional singers--although the traditional singers are getting rarer, unfortunately.

i still play several songs i heard as a kid, but i paly them on harp. i heard them usually with fiddle and spoons in arachat.

cape breton has two acadien areas, isle madame and cheticamp--for thos who don't know. the far south shore of nova scotia also has a french area called the french shore when i was young but now countyb claire.

my favourite stuff is the old medieval french fiddle tunes that have survived here. some are haunting and thrilling.

the best band i have heard recently was blou. tye are from cheticamp but i saw them at fete acadien in new brunswick. then a year later they were on a great tv special visiting corsica and playing with traditional corsican musicians.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: meself
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 09:38 AM

When you say harp, do you mean harmonica, or - harp?

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 06:48 PM

I have returned to Acadie once since I started this thread. On our way back to B. C. from a long long road trip to Newfoundland, we detoured through northern New Brunswick just for the privilege of breathing some Acadian air. My favorite CD from that trip was Party Acadien, recorded live in Eddy Arsenault's kitchen and now permanently lodged on my mp3 player.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Beer
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 08:19 PM

Thanks for that c/d reminder Bob. I've just started it. I'm proud to say that I am a distant cousin of Eddy. My grandmother was an Arsenault and I think they were either brother and sisters or first cousins. I'm have to check.
Ad.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 08:31 AM

When we speak of Acadian musicians Cheticamp's JP Cormier should be mentioned. His guitar playing is among the worlds best and he plays a mean fiddle as well!

JP Cormier

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: maeve
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 08:36 AM

Let's also remember Ken Perlman's work with the traditional music of PEI:
The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island: Celtic and Acadian Tunes in Living Tradition as well as "The Old Time Fiddlers of P.E.I." (Marimac), "The Fiddle Music of P.E.I." companion CD , and a two-CD set called "The P.E.I. Style of Fiddling" (Rounder).

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 12:25 PM

i play the harp the angels play not the harp the devils play.

some of the best mandolin playing i have ever heard anywhere is right here in acadie--amazing.blou has a great mando player

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: GUEST,julia L
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 10:02 PM

I was recently given a wonderful book called "Grandes Chansons Francaises d'Acadie" collected and self-published by Donald Boudreau and Lew Alpaugh c 1997
It has 76 songs all from Cape Breton with music lyrics and chords.Not sure where it is available commercially.

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: ollaimh
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 07:44 PM

hey julia where do you live?i'd love to see that book.

how many musicians are here in moncton and would like to start a local folk hight?

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: maeve
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 07:47 PM

This one, Julia? http://api.bonanzle.com/booths/esesbooks/items/GRANDE_CHANSONS_FRANCAISES_D_ACADIE_French_Acadian_Song

Maeve

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: gnu
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 08:37 PM

JP is one of my favs,

Subject: RE: Acadian Music And Musicians
From: gnu
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 08:48 PM

ollaimh.. there are lots of them in Moncton and the area. And of the calibre of JP. There is one that Kendall Morse has called the best guitar player he has ever seen and you have seen him too if you have been aboust. Ya just gotta get out into the music scene. It's there for you. Get into it and enjoy.