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The
Cajun Company - Traditional Cajun Music
by Bas van der Poll (The Netherlands)
(published
in Gary Hayman's ZydE-zine 9 dec.2001)
Cajun Music Dance music from Louisiana -- The roots of this music reach
far back in history; to France in the sixteenth century, when settlers
from the Northern part of the country went West in search of a better life,
then to the Atlantic coast of Canada, where those Acadian settlers thrived
for almost two hundred years, and lastly to southwest Louisiana where
Acadians exiled by the English finally found the permanent home for which
they had been searching. There, along the isolated bayous of the
Mississippi delta, they preserved their musical heritage. To this day, the
music remains a particular and important ingredient of Cajun culture.
The Cajun Company, a internationally known Dutch group, plays this music
the old time way, in the spirit of early Cajun tradition with all the raw
edges and emotions right up front. They maintain the basic instrumental
setup of the 20's and 30's accordion, fiddle, acoustic guitar and 'tit fer.
The group doesn't incorporate modem styles nor instruments into their
sound. They're digging for the roots of Cajun music and as such they delve
back through dancehall classics, rare fiddle tunes and old Creole songs.
Led by Bas van der Poll, one of the most acclaimed accordion players
outside of Louisiana, the Cajun Company's solid acoustic sound has earned
them a place at the top of the European Cajun scene. Over the years they
have performed at every Cajun festival in Europe, toured in Louisiana many
times to perform at the Cajun Awards Festival in the Blackham Coliseum,
Lafayette, in the Liberty Theatre, Eunice and at the Festivals Acadiens,
Lafayette. They are the only European band recognized with an award by the
Cajun French Music Association for their first CD "Testing one one".
Their second CD, "La Robe de Rosalie", was recorded at the
MaxTrax Studio's in Crowley, Louisiana and produced by Dirk Powell of
Balfa Toujours, who also plays back up fiddle.
- This unique
CD, which is a collectors item, was produced by Dirk Powell (Balfa
Toujours) [He also plays back-up fiddle on the CD] and recorded in
Crowley, Louisiana. It is an excellent eighteen song compilation and
execution of traditional Cajun music such as Acadian Two-Step,
Bonsoir Moreau, Madame Sostène, Cankton Two-Step, La Robe de
Rosalie, etc. The CD itself has the appearance of an old 78rpm
miniature black Decca record of the 30's or 40's. Liner notes are
extensive and informative and have an old sepia-tone appearance.
Look for a REAL CZ display (#447) with photo of The Cajun Company
group on the ZydE-Magic WEB site (http//users.erols.com/ghayman). --
Gary Hayman
The musicians Bas van
der Poll (Cajun accordion and lead vocals) formed the group in 1992.
Pauline Groenendijk (lead fiddle) used to play drums in a hard rock band.
Vera van Heeringen (acoustic guitar and back up fiddle) the band's secret
weapon. Herman van Rijn ('tit fer and back up vocals) blacksmith and
rhythm machine in one.
E-mail info@cajuncompany.net
Mail THE CAJUN COMPANY
Offemweg 12
2201 H D Noordwijk
The Netherlands
Tel+31.71.3611161
Fax+31.71.3611035
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