On the second link you will find some pictures of
old Dutch accordionplayers. The age of the photos is about 60-70 years. The text is only in Dutch.
Unfortenately they don't play Cajun-music,
but Dutch(Frysian) folksongs.
There's some pictures of a guy named "Peije"(1879-1941), standing on his wooden skates on the ice,with his ten button box.
Fascinating, Ron. Is any of the old music available to listen to?
Do you know Aad Sempel ( fidler )? I asked Aad what sort of stuff the old timers in NL played, but he was pretty dismissive of it. Reason I asked is this - there's a guy taking over one of our local pubs, after twenty- odd years in S Africa. ( English ex-pat)
We got talking music when he was over here on a visit, and I asked him what kind of stuff the Boers play.I'd got some idea I'd heard anglo concertinas mentioned. He said he'd bring me a CD, and, sure enough , he did. His daughter said she curled up with embarrassment when he went in the store to buy it, and his son spoke scornfully of 'Dutchmen's Music'. His wife said she quite liked it.
I've lent it out, and can't remember the details, but it's by Die Klipwerf Boerorkes. The line up seemed to be predominant electric guitar, 120 bass piano accordion ( alternating on some tracks with electric keyboard ), drums, and either electric bass or rhythm guitar ( I think ). All instrumental tracks, some alegedly traditional, some in similar vein.
It was awful! They sounded lifeless - as if playing from written music. The drummer sounded like a drum machine. The overall sound put me in mind of the Smurfs - and you didn't want to be reminded of them!
But I couldn't help thinking that, underneath this awful treatment, were some good old traditional tunes - if only they were played simply, on probably fiddle and button box.
Did we just drop on tasteless band? Do you know of any good Boer music?
I know Aad and play with him sometimes.
The music you described, we mentione "hoempapa",
and that's no "chanky chank".
On the second link you will find some movies from Dutch players now.
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
