Before we attended 'Les Percufolies' event in Ligueil on Sunday I had wondered why the event was being held there. Our friend Pauline had let me know that Ligueil is the home of 'Bergerault', now an international brand of percussion instruments - vibraphones, marimbas etc. - who would have known? It was in the town that Albert Bergerault a musician and inventor set up a small factory in 1932 making xylaphones and other musical instruments. The website for the event gives a potted history of the man here.
In 1973 he invented a large musical ensemble that worked from an accordion. After his death in 1989, his son Jean and his daughter Colette Fergeau kept the memory of their father going through demonstrations of this musical ensemble.
Last night we went along to the big free event over at Ligueil, 'Les Percufolies' to check out what it was all about. We had made mistakes on previous years by visiting during the day...it is certainly an evening thing.
When we first arrived we went to the stage set up by the church where we were met by the sound of 'tablao flamenco' backed by a bit of Fado...not my favourite - did you know this a UNSECO World Heritage 'intangible art form'?.
There were a number of venues throughout the town - we stopped for a few minutes to check out 'Permis de Quizzer' with their 'rimba tubes' (instruments built from PVC tubes) where they were making you guess movie music, a bit over our heads but fun for the French audience and participants.
From there we made our way to the other big stage set up by the mairie where 'Bata Brinca' (from Brouges) were giving us an energetic taste of Brazil (it's all about the B's) Below is a small sample of what they were about...
They were followed by Natascha Rogers on the main stage with some 'world jazz music', a unique sound rooted in afro-american, afro-cuban music.
A small snippet of her performance below...
Then it was back round to the stage by the church to catch 'Lo Barrut' a group who use their voices and some percussion to offer what I can only describe as 'chanting'...different!
We came away thinking that this must take a lot of organising and that it was very well set up to provide an excellent setting and ambiance...the music, well that is all a question of taste!
