Grand Derangement to play in Thousand Oaks

Fresh Roasted concerts will present Grand Derangement, a music group from Acadia in the Baie SainteMarie area of southwestern Nova Scotia, at 7:30 p.m. Fri., March 20 at the Scherr Forum Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

The six-member French- speaking group blends traditional Acadian music, jazz and rock with Louisiana and Irish themes in a combination of "contagious rhythms, enthralling dance and a show that is both powerful and poetic."

Grand Derangement, "great disturbance," comes from the French name for the Great Expulsion of Acadians by the British in 1755, a major turning point of Acadian history. The name also refers to the group's desire to "rouse its audience."

The performance includes lights, sound, step-dancers, Cajun fiddle and Celtic rock.

The group has been compared to "the crowd pleasing music of Gaelic Storm with the high-stepping excitement of River Dance."

Grand Derangement was formed in 1998 by violinist Daniel LeBlanc when he was preparing for the release of his first solo album. He recruited other musicians from St. Mary's Bay in Nova Scotia to play with him for the launch, and the performance was so well-received that they decided to stay together.

Tickets are available at the Civic Arts Plaza box office, by phone at (805) 646-8907 or online at www.ptgo.org, click on "Fresh Roasted."