La Famille Arseneault are set for Christmas
Published Thursday October 29th, 2009
Do you hear what I hear? I hear La Famille Arseneault is preparing to release a Christmas CD. If you've been good, Santa might bring you one. If you're like me, you'll have to get your own.
Well known in music circles, La Famille Arseneault is a lively group of three generations of an Acadian family that can trace their roots back to Pierre Arseneault, who was born in France around 1650 and who settled in Acadia, around Amherst, Nova Scotia, in 1671. They have toured with their kitchen party of songs, tunes and dance throughout Canada and the United States.
"The farther away we go, the bigger the crowds," said James Small, spokesman for the group and sometime member.
Émerie and Bella Arseneault brought all kinds of instruments into the family home to try and draw their children into the Acadian heritage of music and dance that was always going on in the kitchen. Playing together as a family, they started out with 14 people playing in the group according to Small.
Small is married to Linda, Émerie and Bella's daughter and the Small's daughter Vanessa plays in the group. Linda's brothers Gerald and Norman are in the group, as is their brother-in-law Richard Goguen and his son Martin. Friend Amélie de Arcos rounds out the current lineup.
Their touring kitchen party show uses fiddles, guitars, mandolin, spoons, harmonicas, drums, congas, tambourine, washtubs and tap-dancing shoes in the array of over 20 instruments that make up their Maritime musical mania.
"It's our fourth album and we always wanted to do one," said Small. "A Christmas album doesn't go out of date."
Small said they spent a lot of money on it to get a quality product. It was recorded in Grande Barachois in Studio Belivo and was produced by George Belliveau.
Small said there are 12 numbers on the CD, including a couple of fiddle tunes, a couple of English songs and several songs in French. All the songs are originals.
"I wrote nine of the 12 songs alone, plus co-wrote one with my brother-in-law Richard Goguen," Linda Small said. "He wrote two other ones on the album. There is also one instrumental which I composed with my daughter Natasha."
She said it was around Christmas 2007 that she thought she would like the group to release a seasonal collection.
"For two weeks of the holiday season 2007, I started writing Christmas songs. I figured, is there any better way to write a Christmas album than to actually be in the Christmas spirit?"
She said there is one song on the album, Noche de Navid, that she wanted to have de Arcos, a talented 12-year-old, sing.
"When I wrote the song I could only come up with one verse at the time. I then realized that it would be a great idea to translate the verse and chorus to Spanish, which gave us this beautiful French/Spanish song that I love."
She credits Belliveau with delivering an album coloured with harmonies. "I would say our family album is magical."
Although they record mostly in French, their live shows are bilingual and an English album is planned. James Small said their Acadian music is a big hit in the Gaspe region of Quebec and Maine.
La Famille Arseneault plays many different types of gigs. They have a family show, geared more towards children; a banquet show for a professional business crowd and a beer garden show that is the liveliest show according to James. He said the group can adjust the show to accommodate requests by the person doing the hiring. A percentage of the money from each show is set aside to help pay for recording costs.
La Famille Arseneault plays Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Capital Theatre in Moncton for World Junior Diabetes Day. They bring their Christmas Kitchen Party to Tignish, Prince Edward Island on Nov. 29 at Le Centre Acadien de Prince-Ouest. They celebrate the Dec. 6 launch of the CD with a show at Moncton University that day with special guests The Bluegrass Diamonds, Rosie Pelelrin, Andre (Coco) McGraw, Veronique Melanson and The Four Season Steppers. The show runs from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 adult, $8 for under 12 years old, and are sold at the Capitol Theatre and Frank's Music in Moncton and other locations listed on their Facebook page.
On December 13 they play the school in St. Louis de Kent.
The new Christmas CD will be on sale at Jean Coutu in Moncton and Dieppe, the Co-op in Dieppe, Frank's Music in Moncton and at the group's website, www.famillearseneault.com.
Honky-tonk Hallowe'en
Rik Reese and Neon Highway play Rockin' Country in Tracadie Saturday October 31. Showtime is 10 p.m.
Steve Waylon plays The Juniper Pour House October 31, show starts at 10 p.m.
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