Sid Baglole

Sydney Baglole was born 1912 and resided in Freetown, Prince County PEI. He was a farmer and fiddler. His background is Cornish and Scottish but he plays fiddle in the style of the French Acadians of Western Prince Edward Island (the Evangeline Coast). The style combines the lyricism of the French tunes with the rhythm of the Cape Breton tunes. One of Sydney Baglole's tunes became quite well known thanks to "Barachois", a French Acadian group from Prince Edward Island. On the recording, the track starts with a song called "Le Matin Quand je me lève" then about half way through the track they start a tune they call Reel de Sid Baglole. Here's the recording:

Old Timer's Reel 🎼

Twin Sisters 🎼

Reel Traditionel 🎼

For more information on Sidney Baglole, including photos, recordings, and video, go to the wonderful website devoted to Prince Edward Island fiddlers: Bowing Down Home.

Marie Livingstone

Marie Livingstone is an Acadian fiddler from PEI, sister of fiddler Edward Arsenault and married to Orrin Livingstone (that's her sitting second from the left). In addition to being a great fiddler, she is also a prolific composer of tunes, many of which are featured in Les Faiseux de Tounes an Acadian fiddle tune book with 148 new tunes, plus photos and biographies of the 34 composers. 

Here's a recording of Marie Livingstone playing her composition, Eddy and Amand reel at a slow teaching speed.

Hermine Gallant Reel 🎼

Marie Livingstone's Hermine Gallant reel is also played by Pascal Miousse with Vishtèn. See post on Pascale for his version.

Zélie-Anne Poirier

Zélie-Anne Poirier, also known as Zélianna à Jos Bibienne. She was born September 2, 1922 in St. Nicholas, PEI the second youngest daughter and one of 14 children of Joseph B. Arsenault and Julie-Anne LeClair of Egmont Bay. Joseph B had been previously married to Bibienne Arsenault. Joseph was a fiddler and Julie played pump organ and step-danced. They were poor but there was always music. Zélie said that “I was so dang poor I was born bare naked, and you can’t get any poorer than that.” She learned to step dance and play the fiddle when she was 7 or 8 years old, as well as playing the mouth organ, the piano, the pump organ as well as some guitar and accordion. Zélia and her sisters were the first women on PEI to perform in public. 

Amand Arsenault kick up his heels while Zélie-Anne fiddles and Georges Arsenault looks on.