Christine Balfa is a
Cajun music
Cajun music (french: Musique cadienne), an emblematic music of Louisiana played by the Cajuns, is rooted in the ballads of the French-speaking Acadians of Canada. Although they are two separate genres, Cajun music is often mentioned in tandem w ...
ian and founder of the group Balfa Toujours
known for performing vocals, guitar, and the
triangle
A triangle is a polygon with three Edge (geometry), edges and three Vertex (geometry), vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC.
In Euclidean geometry, an ...
. She is the youngest daughter of
Dewey Balfa.
Balfa created the Cajun band Balfa Toujours in 1992; and her husband,
Dirk Powell
Dirk Powell (born 1969) is an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer. Powell was born in Oberlin, Ohio into a family with deep Kentucky roots. He has lived in Louisiana since 1992. He is considered one of the world's leading experts on traditio ...
, was a long time member of the group.
Christine Balfa is a founding member of the Cajun band Bonsoir Catin, started along with the musicians Kristi Guillory and Yvette Landry in 2005. Bonsoir Catin was nominated for a Best Regional Roots Album
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
in 2014.
Biography
Balfa was born on June 28, 1968.
Her father, the Cajun musician Dewey Balfa, gave her a triangle to play when she was still a toddler.
Throughout childhood, Balfa spent time playing music along with
The Balfa Brothers in the family home near
Basile, Louisiana
Basile is a town in Acadia and Evangeline parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 1,214 in 2020.
The Acadia Parish portion of Basile is part of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
Basile is located at (30.4 ...
.
She is the founder of the
nonprofit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
Louisiana Folk Roots which has a mission to preserve and promote Cajun and
Creole culture.
Balfa has taught classes at Acadiana Symphony Orchestra's Conservatory of Music.
In 1998, as Balfa Tourjours, Balfa recorded the album ''Allons Danser'' with the Creole musician
Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin
Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin (November 16, 1915 – May 16, 2007) was a Creole accordionist who specialized in the Creole music called "la la music" or "la musique Creole" (closely related to Cajun music) and was influential in what became zydec ...
.
Discography
* ''Christine Balfa Plays the Triangle'' (2006,
Valcour Records CD 0006)
[
]
With Balfa Toujours
* ''Pop tu me parles toujours'' (1993, Swallow Records
James Floyd Soileau (born November 2, 1938) is an American record producer.
Biography
Soileau was born in Faubourg, a small community between Ville Platte and Washington, Louisiana. He grew up speaking Cajun French and did not speak English un ...
6110)
* ''À vieille Terre Haute'' (1994, Swallow Records 3121)
* ''New Cajun Tradition'' (1995, Ace Records (United Kingdom)
Ace Records Ltd. is a British record label founded in 1978. Initially the company only gained permission from the similarly named label based in Mississippi to use the name in the UK, but eventually also acquired the rights to publish their r ...
CDCHD 613)
* ''Deux Voyages'' (1996, Rounder Records
Rounder Records is an independent record label founded in 1970 in Somerville, Massachusetts by Marian Leighton Levy, Ken Irwin, and Bill Nowlin. Focused on American roots music, Rounder's catalogue of more than 3000 titles includes records by Al ...
CD 6071)
* ''Allons danser'' – Bois Sec Ardoin with Balfa Toujours (1998, Rounder Records CD 6081)
* ''La Pointe'' (1998, Rounder Records CD 6086)
* ''Live at Whiskey River Landing'' (2000, Rounder Records CD 6096)
Compilations (partial list)
* ''Alligator Stomp, Vol. 5: Cajun & Zydeco - The Next Generation'' (1995, Rhino Records
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
R2 71846)
* ''Bayou Hot Sauce'' (1997, EasyDisc (Rounder Records) ED CD 7044)
* ''Cajun Music: The Essential Collection'' (2002, Rounder Records 1166-11604-2)
* ''Best of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles 2002'' (2011, Festivals Acadiens et Créoles
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles is a three-day festival celebrating the music, crafts, and food of South Louisiana. It is held annually in Lafayette, Louisiana.
History
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles formed from many other local events. The old ...
/Valcour Records 0017)
With Bonsoir Catin
* ''Blues à Catin'' (2006, Bridgetown Records 687066539929/CD Baby
CD Baby, Inc. is an online distributor of independent music. The company was described as an "anti-label" by its parent company's Chief Operating Officer Tracy Maddux. The CD Baby music store was shut down in March 2020 with a statement that "C ...
)
* ''Vive L'Amour'' (2009, Valcour Records CD 0007)[
* ''Light the Stars'' (2014, Valcour Records CD 0023)][
* ''L'Aurore'' (2017, Valcour Records CD 0037)][
]
Compilations (partial list)
* ''The Rough Guide To Cajun & Zydeco'' (2011, World Music Network/Music Rough Guides
Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on customer ...
RGNET1265CD)
* ''En Français - Cajun 'N' Creole Rock 'N' Roll'' (2011, Bayou Teche Brewing
Bayou Teche Brewing is a brewery in Arnaudville, Louisiana, USA. Bayou Teche Brewing, named for the nearby Bayou Teche, was formed by three brothers, Karlos, Byron and Dorsey Knott, when they started brewing in an abandoned railcar on St. Patrick ...
)
* ''Best of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles 2002'' (2011, Valcour Records)[
* ''The Best of Valcour Records: Volume I, 2006-2011'' (2012, Bayou Teche Brewing/Valcour Records CD 0018)][
* ''The Balfa Family: A Retrospective - Festivals Acadiens et Créoles 1977-2010'' (2012, Valcour Records)][
]
Bibliography
Site of Balfa Toujours
See also
*List of Cajun musicians
This is a list of notable Cajun musicians, Cajun music instrument makers, Cajun music folklorists, Cajun music historians, and Cajun music activists.
List of Cajun musicians
This is a list of musicians who perform or performed Cajun music. Th ...
References
External links
Official website
BonSoir Catin site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balfa, Christine
Cajun musicians
1968 births
Living people
People from Basile, Louisiana
Musicians from Louisiana
Guitarists from Louisiana
Singers from Louisiana