LES CHATS CADIENS
Les Chats Cadiens is a surprise in the blues, blending the exciting
sound of Zydeco (accordionblues from Louisiana) with the prominent guitar and
howling mouthharp of the Deltablues.
The group is founded by Dutch musicians who played on stages like North Sea Jazz
and the Montreux Jazz Festival. It's a four man's band, but these guys sound
like five. That's because bandleader Henk de Kat not only plays the pianoside of
his accordion: with his left hand he also does all the basspatterns. Amplified,
this deep sound is unique in the blues. It's like an invisible acoustic bass
player is on stage. Also renewing is the repertoir, bringing a lot of original
songs based on the atmosphere of the legendary R&B accordionplayer Clifton
Chenier.
With it's distinct crossover style, called 'Cajunblues', the band recently won
two international prices. The first album of Les Chats Cadiens was elected 'Best
European Zydeco-CD' and the group twice got the title 'Best Zydecoplayer of
Europe'.
The distinguished album, titled 'French Accordion Blue', attained reviews as: 'A
fantastic masterpiece by an exciting zydeco quartet' (Fret); 'Wonderful band and
Dutch cajun Blues at world-level' (Roots Time from Belgium); 'One of the best
zydeco groups' (Bobtje Blues). 'The musique of Les Chats Cadiens really is
extraordinary good' (Altcountry). 'A little jewel. A completely authentic way of
zydeco' (Holly Moors). 'This is the partymusic for a rainy summer' (Country
Gazette).
Les Chats Cadiens is a cooperation of Henk de Kat (accordion, accordionbass),
Hans de Vries (bluesharp, rubboard, triangle, voodoo stick), Willem van Dullemen
(guitar, slide, dobro) and Jeroen Elfferich (drums). Each of them was the leader
of his own band, playing Deltablues, jazz and zydeco. They performed at famous
venues like the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague, the Montreux Jazz Festival
in Switzerland and Germany's biggest jazzfestival in Gronau. In 2006 these four
musicians decided to join forces.
