Summertime in the Belgrades

July 9, 2004Vol. 6, No. 6


Summertime in the Belgrades

July 9
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Boréal Tordu: Music of Maine's Heritage

Boréal Tordu in concert

From left to right, Steve Muise, Ron Bonnevie, Rob Sylvain, and Tom Jacques perform at the Voices of the Kennebec Festival in Waterville on June 5, 2004. Click to enlarge . . .

When the fiddle beat picks up or the words spin a story of songs learned from loving grandparents, the unique group Boréal Tordu brings to life the many influences of Maine's poignant past. There is humor and there is pathos in the music of their re-discovery of the Northeast region's rich musical traditions, but above all there is enthusiasm.

Referring to their style as a French-American mélange, they represent both the cultures that have stamped themselves so picturesquely on the Maine that is such a popular destination today. Folk songs, ballads, Cajun Swing music and French fiddle tunes — some traditional through the ages, some a heritage in the performers' families, and some original creations that have been inspired in their recognition of ancestral roots — are part of Boréal Tordu's performance, as well as songs and dances from Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and Acadia.

Fiddling in St.-Georges

Steve Muise (left) and Robert Sylvain play in St.-Georges, QC, while attending the 2003 French Immersion.

"A fresh take on familiar ground," is how Boréal Tordu describe themselves, but for so many listeners this bringing to life of traditional Canadian, American and French music is altogether new, made particularly appealing by the love of what they are doing and the contagious beat of the music.

Whether it's the lively fiddling of an Acadian tune by Steve Muise, the humorous refrain of "Quelle belle vie . . . Ma femme est partie!" (What a beautiful life . . . My wife is gone!) by vocalist Rob Sylvain, or the nostalgic songs taught by a doting mémé (grandmother), the music of Boréal Tordu is a crowd-pleaser.

For more information about Boréal Tordu, visit its web site.


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