BIOS

Bonsoir, Catin plays authentic cajun music that is energetic, passionate and heart-felt. Band members Christine Balfa Powell, Kristi Guillory, Yvette Landry, Anya Shoenegge Burgess and Jude Veillon go together like peas and carrots, beer and boudin.

It happened one night in Chicot State park around a campfire. Four girls, all friends, playing music and visiting until the early morning hours. They realized that they shared the same vision that Cajun music should be unafraid and unabashed, full of energy and raw emotion. Since that night, Bonsoir, Catin has emerged as one of South Louisiana's most exciting new Cajun bands.

Members Christine Balfa Powell, Anya Schoenegge, Yvette Landry and Kristi Guillory play together with an intensity that stems from their passion for their music and culture. It is not unlikely to hear a wide variety of Cajun music styles during their set. They have been influenced by Cajun music local heros such as Edius Naquin, Octa Clark, Adam Hebert, Joe Warren Cormier, Aldus Roger, Sheryl Cormier...the list goes on.

Their repertoire ranges from songs learned from archival field recordings of non-commerically recorded home music to the music of the 1930s and 1940s like early Lawrence Walker and the Segura Brothers, all the way through the post World War II dancehall-era and into the present day. Bonsoir, Catin also enjoys writing their own style of organic traditional Cajun music that comes from their experiences as veteran Cajun musicians. Yes, Bonsoir, Catin is an all-female Cajun band. Their music is an expression of what it is to be a Cajun woman--feminine, classy, smart, brave, take-charge, and no-nonsense. A Bonsoir, Catin live show is not just a performance. It is an unforgettable experience.

Christine Balfa Powell is perhaps one of Cajun music's most talented vocalitsts and guitar players. She began playing music as a teenager with her father, Dewey Balfa and has continued her family legacy. She plays the guitar in the rhythmic style of her uncle Rodney Balfa and sings with so much emotion that it is not uncommon to see her eyes mist over when she sings a powerful, sad Jesse Lege waltz. It is also not uncommon to see her, because she plays so doggone hard, break multiple guitar strings during a gig (sometimes all of them at once--a difficult feat for any guitarist). Christine is also the founder of the non-profit organization, Louisiana Folkroots, an organization dedicated to preserving Louisiana's valuable cultural landscape. She is also a member of the "boy band" Balfa Toujours with her husband Dirk Powell. When Christine is not being a cultural ambassador or gigging around the world, she can be found hanging out at Veille Terre Haute with her family where she has dedicated herself to passing on her "Basileness" to her two beautiful daughters, Sophie and Amelia.

Kristi Guillory is probably the smallest adult Cajun accordion player ever known. She can play, however, like a big rice-fed country boy. Kristi grew up watching her guitarist grandfather, Jesse Duhon, who played with Octa Clark and the Dixie Ramblers during the 1930s. She found the accordion and began playing Cajun music when she was 10 years old. A couple of years later, she formed a band, Reveille, with other area young musicians. After graduating high school Kristi took time off from music to finish her Francophone Studies degree and then again to complete an M.A. in Folklore. During this musical hiatus, she played folk music in coffee shops, got mixed up with a guy from Boston, married him and had an impish little girl named Morgan. She came out of retirement after she met Yvette one night at a dance and was easily coaxed into playing again. Kristi is obsessed with sad, pitiful Cajun songs, raunchy drinking ones and the fantastical lyrics of old Cajun accapella ballads. She is also a member of The Lafayette Rhythm Devils.

Yvette Landry is talented and sought after bassist. She is a native of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. While she resided in Lafayette for a while to experience the urban life, she has since returned to her family home in St. Martin Parish. As the former Crawfish Festival Queen and runner-up for the Queen of Queens, Yvette brings a regal air and poise to Bonsoir, Catin and is often called the "queen of Cajun bass." She comes from a long line and venerable line of musicians. Her grandfather, Lucien Landry of the Louisiana Six and the Bill Landry Orchestra was one of the most important Louisiana musicians of the 1930s and into the 1950s. Her grandmother, Viola Hebert Landry played with her brothers in the Louisiana six. Yvette is an accomplished musician in her own right. She was classically trained as a pianist and travelled throughout the United States and Europe but has since been called to the other side. Yvette's hobbies include dancing like a fool, eating almonds, running the roads with her adorable son Trevor and remodeling old houses. She is also an accomplished woodworker but the Catins have unanimously decided that she should have married a carpenter. She can be seen frequenting John's Store and the Bridge Bar. Yvette also plays with the Lafayette Rhythm Devils.

Anya Schoenegge Burgess is fiddle player that any band would love to have in their line-up. She's solid, honest, creative and consistent. Anya incorporates a number of styles into her playing including old-time and country. Anya has been playing traditional music for some time. She grew up in New England and began playing fiddle and guitar at a very young age. She attended the John C. Campell Folk School. From there she went on to Indiana University where she studied folklore and completed a program in violin making and stringed instrument repair. She runs her own shop and keeps most fiddle players in the area in good shape. In fact, she plays on the fiddle that she made--a mighty fine instrument for a mighty fine player. Anya migrated to Louisiana some time ago, liked the weather, found a nice Louisiana boy and decided to set up shop near the St. Martin and St. Landry line. The transition into Cajun music was just another step in the right direction. Anya also plays fiddle and guitar with The Magnolia Sisters, another powerhouse all girl band.

Jude Veillon is not a girl. In fact, he is a very large 6 foot 2 cowboy that enjoys training ponies. Jude is also quite handy with a welding machine and can make some really cool stuff out of metal. Jude began playing Cajun drums as a teenager with Kristi Guillory and Reveille. He has also toured with The Mamou Prairie Band and Walter Mouton. Jude provides a rock-solid rhythm to the Bonsoir, Catin plugged sets. He also delights in being one of the girls from the back of the bus. In fact, he and his son Ty have alot of experience keeping up with women--he's got a firecracker little wife, Michelle and two twin daughters. Jude plays in a danceable, no-mess, no b.s. style. He is also very handy at heavy-lifting when other men-folk aren't around.

photos courtesy of Terri Fensel