Although Poor Man’s Fortune, which includes New Orleans’ singer-songwriter-bouzoukist Beth Patterson, is best known for its Breton music from Brittany, France, on Bayou Curious, the group mixes Cajun fare with traditional Breton instrumentation that includes its indigenous shrieky bombarde, estimably the word’s loudest instrument, for an interesting French cultural fusion.

After Patterson’s short intro of “La Bétaille” where she mimics Isom Fontenot’s vocal over a bagpipe drone, “Madame Sosthène” shoots out of the gate with a bang. Transplanted Frenchman Serge Laîné sings passionately, only to be answered by a zealous orchestra of a chirpy tin whistle, buzzy highland pipes, bouzouki, accordion and fiddle.

A couple of Cajun songs/tunes are done in conjunction with a Breton tune. Though “Aux Natchitoches” has experienced a variety of incarnations since Blind Uncle Gaspard’s 1929 recording, here it’s played over a foundation of “An Dro,” a popular Breton dance.  Led by Laîné’s staccato-like accordion playing, the tricky timing of “Suite de ridée six temps” shifts into a rocking rendition of “Acadian Two Step.” On all of the aforementioned, special guest Michael Doucet weaves his masterful fiddling through the dense arrangements.

Other tracks focus on tunes from Brittany, France and Scotland, the latter a medley of piper jigs featuring former Battlefield Band fiddler Brian McNeill. The informative liner notes detail what’s on hand, which, for the eternally curious, will likely leave more footpaths to explore.