Traditional meets musical
innovation in sampler of group's varied musical offerings,
Fri., Feb. 26
"High Point, NC – Multi-Grammy award winning band, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, has a deep connection with,
and dedication to, the music of the sacred French-Cajun culture. With a
distinctive sound derived from the distilled spirits of traditional Creole, New
Orleans’ jazz, blues, rock, folk, swamp pop, Zydeco, country and bluegrass,
Triad listeners can expect a raucous good time when the band hits the stage at
the High Point Theatre on Fri., Feb. 26, at 8 pm.
Since the band’s
inception in 1975, this Lafayette-based group - brothers
Michael Doucet (fiddle, vocals) and David Doucet (guitar, vocals), Billy Ware
(percussion), Tommy Alesi (percussion), and Mitchell Reed (bass, fiddle) - has played a
vital role in the revival of Cajun and Southern Louisiana-Creole culture
through its music. In 1998, BeauSoleil became the first Cajun band to earn a
Grammy Award when "L'amour ou la Folie" clinched the Traditional Folk
Album title, earning a second Grammy in 2010 with its live New Orleans Jazz
Fest album.
Born out of the
rich Acadian ancestry of its
members, and driven by Michael
Doucet’s mesmerizing fiddle playing and expressive, soulful
vocals, the band’s unique blend of musical innovation and tradition is
reflective of Doucet’s own intuition and past experiences. He credits his
apprenticeships with Dennis McGee, a Cajun fiddler heavily influenced by French
musical traditions, and Canray Fontenot, a Creole musician who integrated elements
of Afro-Caribbean culture, as especially influential. Doucet also found musical
traditions to be dynamic rather than static; accepting and embracing that folk
music had actually absorbed multiple influences over the centuries and,
furthermore, believing it must continue to do so, in order to remain relevant.
While
BeauSoleil’s repertoire includes traditional Louisiana-Cajun folk and Zydeco,
concert goers can expect to hear music as varied as sedate waltzes,
no-holds-barred two-steps, propulsive reels, and western swing-infused swamp
pop. From The Grand Ole Opry to Newport Folk to the set of the hit HBO series Treme,
and from concert hall to dance floor, the music of BeauSoleil continues to
captivate audiences the world over.
“Our season would not be complete without a salute
to Mardi Gras and a re-visit to this rich and fun-filled Southern Louisiana
culture,” says High Point Theatre Director David Briggs. “Notorious
for bringing even the most reserved audiences to their feet, chances are the
audience at this show won’t remain sitting for very long!” Tickets
are $25-$30, available online at www.highpointtheatre.com
or by calling (336) 887-3001."
- A Press Release
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