Chouteau County Performing Arts, in partnership with River Market in Fort Benton, present Dennis Stroughmatt et l' Esprit Creole on Saturday October 26th at 7 PM at the Fort Benton Elementary School Auditorium. Shake off the early winter snow and get ready for a night of hot fiddle sure to make you dance in your seat.

With fingers and bow flying, Dennis Stroughmatt, originally from southeastern Illinois, takes listeners on a musical odyssey not so different from his own musical journeys into upper Louisiana Creole Culture. Taught to play fiddle by local Creole fiddlers Roy Boyer and Charlie Pashia, in the tradition of their fathers, Dennis gradually became an adopted son of the French Midwest Creoles living along the Mississippi River near St Louis. A vibrant blend of Celtic, Canadian and old-time sounds, this music bridges the gap between contemporary Canadian and Louisiana Cajun styles. Preserved by families in the Ozark foothills, the music remains largely intact and true to the traditions that have been passed down for over three centuries. As a result of physical journeys that also included French studies in Louisiana and Quebec, Dennis finds himself in a unique position as one who can speak knowledgeably and play in a variety of French styles.

This medley of music, language, stories and culture, that was secreted away in the Missouri Ozarks, now has a voice in the tapestry of this world. With the blessing of the Creole people of the Midwest, Dennis Stroughmatt et l' Esprit Creole are its passionate ambassadors, expanding interest and excitement in a region that has been, in many ways, ignored by the history books. What many have considered to be long lost is alive and kicking.

Lead vocalist and fiddle player, Dennis Stroughmatt is a rare musician and scholar of several North American Creole traditions, having made the full circle of the North American continent in his passion to follow the migrations of French roots music. As a result of those physical journeys and musical odysseys, Dennis finds himself in a unique position within Creole and Cajun music scene, as one who can speak knowledgeably and play alongside the huge variety of French styles: Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Swamp Pop. Though his credentials are unmatched as a scholar and tradition-bearer, Dennis still has the innate "sense" of what is needed to get an audience on their feet, and to keep a band on its toes. Recipient of numerous fellowship grants and awards, Dennis takes his band and the music history to festivals large and small, museums, civic concerts, university stages and master classes, schools, and in smaller ensembles, to libraries, service clubs and more.

Joining Stroughmatt is guitarist Doug Hawf, a wizard of stringed instruments. Doug hails from south eastern Illinois, near the Wabash river, in a region known for its rich French heritage. Besides performing with l' Esprit Creole, Doug also performs with his family in a bluegrass band as well as the Vincennes University string ensemble. When he's not playing music, he enjoys working in his music store and sharing the joy of music with his many students.

The upright bass player is Jim Willgoose, a long-time, experienced musician originally from Boston, MA, Jim Willgoose came to Illinois in search of a PhD in philosophy and graduated from SIU Carbondale. He has played with a variety of groups ranging from country to rock, and he once toured with members of the famed rock band NRBQ. Jim has accompanied Dennis for many years, in l' Esprit Creole and often in the Creole Stomp band as well. He also teaches at the Kaskaskia Community College in Centralia, IL.

They'll make your soul jump, your head spin, and your heart glad to know that it is still here. As they say in the hills, "On est toujours icitte: We are still here! In the Heart of North America is a story that remains to be told, the story of the French Creoles who founded the Illinois Country over three hundred years ago. Along the Wabash and Mississippi River corridors, today they remain with their songs, stories and language, and one music group continues to carry the torch of this enduring culture.

Find out more about l'' Esprit Creole at their website at http://www.creolefiddle.com. Learn more about Chouteau County Performing Arts and our upcoming show at our website http://www.fortbenton.com/arts. Or find us on Facebook.

Admission is by CCPA season ticket or $15 at the door the night of the show. Students currently enrolled in school in Chouteau County get free admission. Check out CCPA's website at http://www.fortbenton.com/arts. For more info please call 750-2918 or 621-0267.

CCPA concerts are presented in part by the Montana Performing Arts Presenter Development Program which is supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Montana Arts Council, and a legislative grant from Montana's Cultural Trust. Events are also underwritten with funding from Western States Arts .Federation, the Lippard-Clawiter Foundation, and the Leroy and Claris Strand Foundation.