Multi-Grammy Award Winning Band BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet to Bring Special Blend of Cajun Music to the Triad

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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