Seriously folks, with all of my enjoyment of international music over the years, I have not stumbled upon anything approaching this “énergie.”  When one boils it down to its components, one is left with Irish traditional music played expertly on the genres instruments.  The main twist is that all is sung in French.  There is something deeper; the stories flow from a unique culture and history found only on Prince Edward Island.

 Chuck & Albert first became familiar with Georges’ ground-breaking work in Acadian folklore as members of the Acadian musical group Barachois, but wanting to gain a deeper insight into the collection, they urged the library that houses the collection to get cracking on a long-overdue digitization project.

What resulted were 2000 MP3s, everything that Arsenault had taped while talking with community elders at their kitchen tables or retirement homes during the 1970s, when the social fabric of Acadian life was beginning to show signs of dramatic change. “The songs don’t do anything just sitting in the archives of a library,” Albert notes. “They’re a way to connect with the way our ancestors thought, talked, and interacted with each other. We wanted to give people a way to get plugged into that.”

This  song has everything and La Cucaracha to boot!

Chuck & Albert - Pate chinois (Shepherd’s Pie) 

Chuck Arsenault
A native of Montague, P.E.I., Chuck has always had a zest for entertaining, whether through skits, songs, or his own form of “eye” brow comedy. After obtaining a degree in music at the University of Prince Edward Island, he focused on rediscovering his French- Acadian roots. He considers himself lucky to be able to entertain in both of Canada’s “un”official languages – laughter and music.

Albert Arsenault
A 20-year veteran of the stage from St. Chrysostome, P.E.I., Albert has always known how to please an audience and continues the fiddling legacy of his father Eddy Arsenault. A talented singer, Albert’s vocal interpretations are one of a kind. His great comedic presence, fine musicianship and genuine demeanour shine through in every performance whether the audience’s age is eight or 88!

I really cannot find a weak song in the batch, but I do have one complaint:  Oh I wish this was in English so that this music lover could fully enjoy this delightful Acadian music.  Hey, but maybe that’s the point.