Music & Dance
GADELLE
Wellington, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Acadian
Gadelle hails from Prince Edward Island (PEI) on Canada's east coast, where the rich tradition of French-influenced Acadian music continues to thrive. Formed by two former members of Barachois (performers at the 2001 National Folk Festival), Hélène Bergeron and Louise Arsenault, Gadelle bridges two generations of the Acadian tradition with a stylistic essence and stagecraft for which Barachois was well known.
After ten years of touring the world with Barachois, Hélène and Louise felt the need to reconnect with their home and families, so they left the road and touring life when Barachois ended. Through it all they continued to pursue the music of their fathers, Eddy Arsenault and Alyre Gallant, and the many musical mentors from past generations. The pursuit of Acadian music from this corner of the small island (the original French settlers knew it as Îsle Saint-Jean) never ended and continues to flourish.
For three summers, Hélène (vocals, piano, pump organ, fiddle, foot percussion and step dancing) and Louise (fiddle, harmonica, foot percussion, step-dancing) played music locally, at regional festivals and occasionally in the states with five gifted young women young enough to be their daughters. This group, loosely known as “les girls” rekindled their passion to return to the world stage, this time with two of “les girls”, Caroline Bernard and Paige Gallant. Just as Louise and Hélène have inherited their understanding of music from their parents’ generation, Caroline and Paige have inherited theirs from Louise and Helene's generation.
Caroline (primary vocalist, piano, pump organ, accordion and guitar) is the daughter of well- known singer/songwriter from Evangeline, PEI, Jeanita Bernard. Caroline's mother has found time to write and perform throughout her life while raising a family and in so doing passed her knowledge of music on to Caroline.
Paige (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass and step-dancing) came to music through association with her best friends, five young girls who all took up the fiddle at the same time at the age of 8 under the guidance of local fiddler Anastasia DesRoches.
Links
http://www.gadelle.com
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