In
Concert "Live from the Skylands"
in the Whitney Chapel at Centenary College
400 Jefferson Street, Hackettstown, NJ
Tickets $18.00 in advance / $20.00 at the door
For tickets and information call Toll-Free 1-877-595-2637
Tickets are also available at:
GREENE
BROTHERS Specialty Coffee Roasters - TWO LOCATIONS
313 High St., Hackettstown, NJ 07840 Phone 908-979-0022
and 31 Theatre Centre, Sparta, NJ 07871 973-726-8800 www.mokaman.com
BARACHOIS (bara-shwa')
Acadian word for - shallow pools of water separated from the sea by sand dunes
Barachois plays Acadian traditional music - a rhythmic, high-voltage style born in the heart of a culture kept alive through two and a half centuries on tiny Prince Edward Island, Canada. The songs were brought over from France with some of the first settlers in North America, and have been infused with other influences - most recognizably, the Scottish and Irish fiddling styles.
The heartbeat of Barachois' music is what one writer calls the "bedevilled rhythms"
inherent in the tunes. The voice is an energetic fiddle with a driving piano foundation. The music has been passed down through generation after
generation by way of kitchen parties and community dances and gatherings. It is a musical genre all its own, filled with passion and life.
Throw in some driving foot rhythms, piano, a plethora of home made
percussion instruments, close harmonies and the occasional brass instrument and you have the spicy Acadian stew that Barachois puts on
the boil for every performance.
It's a stew well seasoned with laughter. Acadian parties are known for
their warmth and humour - a welcome reward and a much needed respite from the daily business of raising a large family. The wit, charm,
and even the antics that Barachois brings onstage is as much a part of their heritage as the songs they sing and the tunes they play.
The group's first recording, simply entitled BARACHOIS, picks up where
the party trails off. Pulling its material and inspiration from the collective memory of the Acadian people, the album received three nominations at
the 1997 East Coast Music Awards and was awarded Francophone Recording of the Year. The band has just released its second recording
(in Canada) entitled ENCORE. They are very pleased with this record and feel that it succeeds in capturing the band's energy
and spirit.
On stage, their music is dished up with equal portions of dance, humour
and innovation, all delivered with a sincerity and confidence that comes from knowing the recipe for having one heck of a good time.
The members of Barachois are:
Albert Arsenault - vocals, dance, fiddle, bass, assorted percussion
Hélène Arsenault-Bergeron (Albert's sister) - piano, vocals, dance,
reed (pump) organ, guitar, foot percussion
Louise Arsenault - fiddle, vocals, dance, harmonica, guitar, foot
percussion
Chuck Arsenault - vocals, guitar, harmonica, dance, sousaphone,
trumpet