Bengal's Corner

For those who enjoy the TV series ER, tonight they will feature James Carrington's song "ACHE"! Don't miss it at NBC 10 PM (9 PM Central).

Hello, everyone,

Keep your eyes opened for Pete du Pon is on tour with Amy MacDonald.

Pete du Pon’s talent for songwriting has reached the ears of soulful songstress, Amy Macdonald. Pete, a songwriter of true conviction, whose current EP, Lost, is top ten in the Amazon singles chart, will open for Amy at six gigs around Britain during May.

“I’m thrilled to be touring with Amy and supporting her at some of her UK gigs,” says the 27-year-old from Guildford. “Like her, I was, and still am, massively influenced by the music I heard when growing up.

“I spent hours listening to singer songwriters like James Taylor, Cat Stevens and Tracy Chapman, as well as bands like Counting Crows, Radiohead and Del Amitri. I can’t wait for this tour to start!”

Pete’s wistfully lyrical songs drive a stake through the heart of other artists’ less meaningful numbers, touching listeners with a depth of understanding lacking in many of today’s lighter pop tunes. A moody collection of acoustic folk numbers such as Lost, Tell Her and A Long Way Home amongst others reveal raw emotion rarely heard nowadays.

Stuart Zender, Jamiroquai’s former bassist currently on the road as bass maestro to Mark Ronson, has co-written songs with Pete, including Someone Like You which features in a new American film about basketball, called Ball Don’t Lie, starring rapper Ludacris and Rosanne Arquette.

“Pete’s voice is timeless,” says Stuart. “Many artists today are technically brilliant but haven’t lived life enough to achieve his depth of feeling. He sings with real conviction and a lot of artists fail to achieve this.”

A poignant session at Abbey Road studios confirmed this. Sitting where Lennon and McCartney produced one sublime record after another, Pete gave WorldSpace digital satellite radio network a run for their money with an impeccable performance of half a dozen numbers, including numbers from his debut EP, Lost, as well as a cover version of Greenday’s hit Basket Case which has received rave reviews in the States. The recordings have been beamed worldwide to thousands of listeners - an impressive debut for any troubadour today.

“At first I was ok. I really didn’t have time to think about the history of the place as I had a specific time slot in which to play my songs, be interviewed and more or less leave the building,” he remembers.

“Then I was told the broadcast would go out to more than 130 countries which made me gulp slightly. I realised what an awesome experience it was – sitting where Lennon and McCartney had recorded. I’d been pretty calm up until then!”

Pete has also worked with Rollo of Faithless and his writers, and has co-written songs with Jamiroquai guitarist, Si Katz. His other fans include Brian McFadden and various writers such as Julian Gallagher (U2, James Morrison) and Blair Mackichan (Lilly Allen, Will Young) while Paolo Nutini had more than a word or two of encouragement for him at one of his recent gigs at London’s The Water Rats.

Pete takes it all in his stride. He remembers the early days playing the standard Oasis covers in French bars for drunken English tourists during a year out for his Bristol university degree.

“I got paid 30 euros and as much beer as I could drink,” he recalls ruefully. “The theory was that if an English guy was playing, other English guys would turn up and drink all the beer. I did Radiohead covers before being drawn into playing crowd pleasers like Oasis’s Wonderwall. It was safer than being honest and playing your own stuff, but it got a bit tedious after a while.”

The Von Trapp family

Born in Canada to an English mother and a Dutch father his family settled in Guildford when Pete was only one year old.

“I have three sisters, one of which is a twin, and we were all musical. My sisters played piano and sang, Dad would play guitar and piano and sing, and at people’s houses we were often semi-pressurised to perform - we were known as the Von Trapp family.

“There was always music in every room in the house. I played the piano at six, and at nine picked up the saxophone as I was a big fan of Ray Charles but could only manage the theme tune from Agatha Christie’s Poirot.”

He started the guitar at 13 with his dad before an inspiring teacher “who stank of tobacco and would often drift off in lessons” took over, teaching him more traditional flamenco. “One day I bravely asked for something contemporary. The first song I learned was House of Rising Sun. Stairway to Heaven followed a month later and the list grew before I began to teach myself.”

Pete wrote his own first songs at 15, performing them in the quietness of his bedroom. Not until his first gig in France aged 21, playing to a mixture of pensive locals and British tourists, did they get an airing.

“I was offered a job as barman, turned it down and said I’d like to be their resident guitarist and was worryingly offered the slot without an audition! Before the first gig the bar owner assured us we’d have all the equipment we needed, which actually turned out to be one amp and half a mic stand, for the two of us share!”

“Using a combination of a broom handle and masking tape to hold the mic in place we played on as if we’d be doing it for years and we loved it although it probably sounded awful.”

From performing three nights a week with a friend in various bars in the centre of Grenoble, France, gigs followed elsewhere in the country, including Meribel where the different crowds would demand more covers – “up tempo stuff that the drinkers could sway to”. After seven months of feeling like a glorified karaoke machine, the then 22-year-old Pete returned to Britain to finish his degree and take on a variety of jobs to finance time spent writing his own songs.

After a short spell of work experience at Universal Records in the synchronisation team, filing other songwriter’s names, his demo cd was picked up by publisher John Woolf who got him to re - record the rough bedroom versions of Pete’s demos in various studios, as well as writing, recording new songs and hanging out with writers such as Jacob Schulze in Sweden, Arthur Baker and Rollo from Faithless.

“Through Rollo’s own record label under Universal I worked with him and his writers on some material. At first, writing with other people was a bit of a culture shock. Even now I’m still learning to talk about what I’m feeling to other writers, but bit by bit it’s getting easier!”

As Pete continues to make waves he has been touted as the next big thing in 2008 by numerous national papers. His soft voice already conquered me, but judge for yourself... throughout May, Pete opens for Amy Macdonald at the following venues:

Friday 16 May: Leeds University Stylus
Monday 19 May: Norwich UEA
Tuesday 20 May: London Shepherds Bush Empire
Thursday 22 May: Manchester Academy
Friday 23 May: Glasgow Academy
Saturday 24 May: Glasgow Academy

Don't miss it, I'm sure you will enjoy yourself!

Bengal.

Information à faire circuler pour une bonne cause....
... Celle de la musique traditionnelle québécoise sur la scène provinciale, nationale et internationale!

Un évènement à ne pas manquer!!!!!!!!

Violon Trad Quebec

Avec l'équipe:
André Brunet, président
Éric Beaudry, vice-président

Merci Beaucoup!!!


André Brunet

(450) 588-0918
camp@ViolonTradQuebec.com

Dear friends,

We reached our target! In just 7 days over 1 million of us have signed the petition calling for human rights and dialogue in Tibet--the fastest growing internet petition in history. As the crisis continues, it's time to deliver our petition and make sure Chinese President Hu Jintao hears our voices.

An International Day of Action has been declared for Monday, March 31st. On Monday, thousands of people in cities across the world will march to Chinese embassies and consulates, and stack hundreds of boxes containing our petition outside them. 1 million signatures makes a mountain of boxes--it will send a powerful global message.

We have just 4 days left until the petition delivery. Could we get to 2 million signatures in 4 days? We can do it--if every one of us recruits at least one more friend to sign the petition by forwarding the email below.

Avaaz team

--------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

After decades of repression, the Tibetan people are crying out to the world for change. The Olympic spotlight is now on China, and Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama is calling to end all riots and violence through restraint and dialogue.

China's hardliners are lashing out publicly at the Dalai Lama--but many Chinese leaders believe dialogue is the best hope for stability in Tibet. The government is right now considering a crucial choice between repression and dialogue that could determine Tibet's--and China's--future.

We can affect this historic choice--President Hu Jintao values China's reputation, and he needs to hear from us that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he chooses dialogue over the hardliners' repression. An avalanche of global people power is moving to get his attention. In just one week, over 1 million people have signed our petition, which will be delivered in rallies at Chinese embassies worldwide on Monday--click below to join the global outcry, and then forward this email to friends and family right away:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/71.php/?cl=67048648

China's economy is dependent on "Made in China" exports that we all buy, and the government is keen to make the Olympics in Beijing this summer a celebration of a new and respected China. China is also a sprawling, diverse country with much brutality in its past, so it has good reasons to be concerned about stability--some of Tibet's rioters killed innocent people. But President Hu must recognize that the greatest danger to Chinese stability and development today comes from hardliners who advocate escalating repression, not from those Tibetans seeking dialogue and reform.

The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we must help them be heard.

With hope and respect,

Ricken, Pascal, Graziela, Iain, Paul, Galit, Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team

Here are some links with more information on the Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:

Reuters reports unrest continues:
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed1/idUSPEK369654

China allows first journalists back into Lhasa, monks speak out:
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/local%20news/tibet/2008/03/27/149167/Tibet-monks.htm

Europe and the US step up calls for dialogue:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/27/europe/27europe.php

Prominent Chinese Intellectuals call for fair approach to Tibet:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/24/asia/chinasub.php
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(click to enlarge)

This is the press release (click to enlarge).




Lyrical(ly) Living History 2.0 will bring De Temps Antan, a French-Canadian folkloric musical trio, and Benoit Bourque, a French-Canadian dancer and musician, to Genesee County for a series of community events. This project, co-organized by Professors Matthew Hilton-Watson and Anjili Babbar, will serve Flint-area residents and students, faculty and staff from several elementary schools within the GISD service area. On Wednesday, March 26, 2008, at 6 P.M., a workshop conducted by Benoit Bourque and a performance by De Temps Antan at the Broome Center in Flint is open to the public.

Benoit Bourque and De Temps Antan’s music is a rich blend of traditional French-Canadian and Acadian songs and original compositions by the artists. Their sets intersperse instrumental folkloric pieces with French-Canadian response songs - all driven by the energetic beat of French-Canadian podorythmie, the foot percussion heard in traditional music from Québec.

In their twenties and thirties, the members of De Temps Antan offer a fresh and vibrant perspective on the music of their ancestors and on the joie de vivre that has come to define the music of their province.

This project is made possible with the assistance of the Ruth Mott Foundation and the GISD. Additional support was provided by the Québec Delegation Chicago, the Hilton-Watson family, the Department of English at The University of Michigan-Flint, and the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at The University of Michigan-Flint.

For further information, please call 810.610.4874.
Contact: Matthew Hilton-Watson.

A SURE CURE FOR CABIN FEVER
By John Guay for Bengal's Corner

This wonderful little weekend festival comes near the end of February in the very small town of St-Bernard de Michaudville, Québec, Canada. It has the feel of large house party or family celebration.

By American festival standards there are not a lot of events on the schedule – concerts Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, a jam (both instrumental and song) on Saturday afternoon and a dance on Sunday afternoon. But this is totally offset by the quality and intensity of both the performers and the spectators – indeed often times you can’t tell the difference without a program.

Each year Michel Riopel comes up with a quality line up. This year’s concerts included: Hommage aux Aines, Le Vent du Nord, Les Tireux d’Roches, La famille Lamoureux, L’Attisee, Commeres, Louis-Simon and Daniel Lemieux, and Tu M’en Diras Tant!, among others.

The workshops happened during the day while the concerts started around 7:30 PM and lasted past midnight; and if you stayed for the sessions afterward, it would indeed be a long night! The audience all joined in on the songs and danced in the aisles for the tunes! Friday night’s concerts usually feature the unique music and songs of one of the region’s families. It was within the family setting that traditional music flourished.

My wife and I, amateur musicians who love Quebecois music, had a wonderful time playing with the pros at the Saturday afternoon jam. In between the tune medleys they passed a mic around and someone would lead a song. It was cold outside, and the wind blowing off the St. Lawrence River would rattle the windows, but inside it was great!

We are also dancers – so Sunday’s dance was a must. The music by Louis-Simon and Daniel Lemieux and the caller, Erick Tarte, were first rate. Parents brought their children to learn the Traditional dances and that’s great. There were also a number of dancers over sixty and seventy, but in between, several generations are missing. (This problem for traditional music and dance is much the same in the States.) This is the weakest part of the program – but those who danced were enthusiastic, if not always experienced, and we had a good time!

This was our second festival and we will return next year – reserving seats ahead of time would be good as they sold out the Friday night concert for the first time. If you’ve been to summer festivals, like Old Songs and NEFFA in the States or Memoire et Racines and Le Grande Rencontre in Québec, this festival is quite different. There are no amenities on site or in the town. Meals and lodging are in other adjoining very small villages. MacDonald’s and Holiday Inns are 30 miles away, over wind swept and snow drifted country roads. The festival’s MySpace site does list places to stay.

We don’t speak French, but that has not been a problem. The locals are very helpful, friendly and delighted to share their Traditions.

The simple program, the physical isolation due to winter conditions and the small town setting might seem like negatives but, in my opinion, they contribute to the intensity and quality of this festival, and surely helped shape the traditional Quebecois music and dance that Chantez-Vous Bien Chez Nous and the people of St. Bernardde Michaudville proudly celebrates.



John Guay is part of the Two Bits String Band.

(click to enlarge)

Compositor and folk man Gabriel Labbé passed away Friday morning in Montréal at the age of 69.

Le compositeur et folkloriste Gabriel Labbé est décédé hier matin à Montréal à l'âge de 69 ans, d'une insuffisance pulmonaire.

Passionné de la musique traditionnelle québécoise, Gabriel Labbé avait d'abord accumulé une collection de 78 tours unique qui avait permis de sauver de l'oubli
tout un pan du folklore québécois. Reconnu comme une sommité en la matière, il avait publié en 1977 un important livre sur le folklore québécois, remanié et enrichi en 1995. Consultant pour l'étiquette Folkways afin de produire une série de disques sur la musique traditionnelle du Québec (Folkways appartient maintenant à l'Institut Smithsonian de Washington), il avait également produit à la fin des années 90 pour
Radio-Canada une série de quatre albums doubles sur l'histoire de la musique traditionnelle québécoise. Ces dernières années, il avait confié ses archives
sonores à la Bibliothèque nationale du Canada et à la Phonothèque québécoise.

From Le Devoir
Samedi 15 mars 2008
(Shared by Couture)

Hello, everybody!

I'm happy to bring you my latest interview: François Corbier! Author, compositor and interpret, Corbier started his career in cabaret years ago, and his name in France became synonym of an engaged artist with an anarchist side that keeps true to his principles. From cabaret to TV shows, Corbier never stops creating. He is a charming rebel with lots of talent to share. Since my French is a bit rusty, my dear friend François from Rennes helped me with this task. This interview just shares a very brief moment of this man's story. If you have the chance, don't miss him on stage... You will discover much more and be completely charmed

Bengal.


Bengal: Tout d'abord, Corbier, un grand merci de prendre le temps de partager un peu plus de votre expérience et de votre histoire avec nous. Pour commencer, pouvez-vous nous parler un peu plus de vos antécédents dans le monde du spectacle? Comment tout cela a-t-il commencé? A quel moment avez-vous commencé à chanter et jouer de la guitare?

François Corbier: Je suis arrivé dans ce milieu par chance et surtout par la guitare que mon frère Jean Pierre s’était offerte au moment de partir en Algérie faire l’andouille pour le compte de l’Etat Français… J’avais 15/16 ans et comme je m’ennuyais de mon frère, je lui ai piqué sa gratte et je me suis mis à apprendre à faire des accords, puis à écrire des chansons. Lorsque mon frère est revenu de son service militaire, je lui ai chanté mes chansons pour avoir son avis. Comme il n’en avait pas, il m’a proposé d’aller voir un professionnel pour lui demander ce qu’il en pensait… Alors nous sommes allé voir Georges Brassens qui passait à cette époque dans un music hall. Il nous a aimablement reçu dans sa loge et je lui ai chanté mes chansonnettes. Il m’a conseillé et encouragé à poursuivre dans cette voie… et je l’ai fait !

Bengal: Faites-vous partie d'une famille d'artistes, ce qui aurait pu influencer votre choix?

Corbier: Mon père chantait. Il le faisait en amateur. On m’a toujours dit qu’il avait une très belle voix. (je n’en ai hélas pas hérité…) Il semblerait qu’il ait écrit quelques chansons, mais je ne les connais pas. Je ne les ai jamais entendues. Mon père est mort sur scène lors d’un spectacle. J’avais à peine plus de deux ans et mon frère sept. Je n’ai aucun souvenir de lui, mais je suis persuadé que si mon frère et moi nous avons fait ce métier c’est en grande partie parce que notre maman et mes grands-parents paternel nous en ont parlé toute notre enfance. C’est là le seul rapport familial que j’ai avec le milieu du spectacle.

Bengal: Beaucoup de vos fans vous ont découvert pour la première fois lors de votre expérience télévisuelle avec Récré A2, puis avec le Club Dorothée. Comment cette participation vous a-t-elle été proposée? Après 14 ans à la télévision, quelle est valeur principale que vous en conservez ?

Corbier: Je suis entré à la télé en 1982. Cela s’est fait par hasard. Madame Jacqueline Joubert, qui en son temps avait été la première speakrine de la télé française, m’a vu chanter mes petites chansons dans un théâtre de chansonniers. C’était à Paris. Le personnage l’a amusé. Elle m’a proposé d’écrire chaque semaine une chanson pour consoler les enfants de leurs misères… La séquence s’intitulait « Les Petits Malheurs ». J’ai fait ça de 82 à 87. Puis j’ai suivi l’animatrice principale de cette émission et de 87 à 97 j’ai travaillé pour le groupe AB Prod qui vendait notre travail à TF1. Je conserve d’excellents souvenirs de toute cette époque. J’ai rencontré des personnes épatantes, j’y ai bien gagné ma vie, j’ai voyagé, et je travaillais avec des personnes agréables, que demander de mieux. Ma seul réserve sera de m’être rendu compte trop tard que je m’étais, volontairement et tout seul, enfermé dans un système facile qui m’a tenu éloigné trop longtemps de la scène et des réalités de ce métier. J’ai travaillé 15 ans à la télé et j’ai mis dix ans à m’en remettre. Néanmoins je ne regrette rien.

Bengal: Comment fut la transition entre le monde du cabaret et le travail pour les enfants?

Corbier: Le plus naturellement du monde. Mon métier consiste à écrire des chansons. La différence entre une chanson pour adulte est une chanson pour enfant est infime. Seul le vocabulaire est un peu différent. Là où dans une chanson pour adulte je me permettrais de dire « merde », dans une chanson pour enfant je dirais plutôt « zut, ou flûte »… mais on peut globalement traiter des mêmes sujets. Il y a d’ailleurs des parents qui, bien que n’ignorant pas que je ne chante plus pour les enfants, viennent avec leurs petits et jusqu’à présent je les ai toujours vu s’amuser. Comme leurs parents. J’ai un ami qui à écrit à ce propos : « Corbier ne fait pas un spectacle pour les enfants, mais ça ne doit pas les empêcher de demander un autographe à la sortie… »

Bengal: Quel fut votre rôle au sein de l'équipe durant cette période ? Vous chantiez, dansiez, jouiez la comédie? Avez-vous des antécédents dans d'autres domaines, tels, le monde du cinéma ou le théâtre par exemple? Avez-vous, pendant le Club Dorothée, continué à chanter en dehors du cadre de l'émission, ou aviez-vous tout arrêté? Si vous avez continué, donniez-vous des concerts? Ces deux activités étaient-elles conciliables ?

Corbier: Holà tout beau !… Je chantais certes un peu. Parfois. Pas tant que ça. D’ailleurs en 15 ans de télé je n’ai enregistré que cinq 45t.deux titres... Je jouais la comédie oui, mais si vous m'avez vu danser, c’est un coup de chance. Même ma femme ne m'a jamais vu faire un truc pareil ! Je suis bien incapable de danser. Je n’y entends rien. Je trouve formidable ces personnes qui parviennent à se trémousser au rythme d’une musique, d’une chanson. J’en suis bien incapable. Je ne manque sans doute pas de rythme, mais je fumais beaucoup et pour danser… J’avais eu l’occasion de jouer la comédie dans un Club de Vacances, notamment pour faire plaisir à André Roussin de l’Académie Française, qui m’avait vu chanter et m’avait dit à l'issue de ma prestation : "Mon garçon tu es un comédien !" Alors sous sa direction, j’avais joué une piécette en un acte de Jean Tardieu : « Un mot pour un autre ». C’était sur un bateau qui se rendait à Buenos Aires… Puis j’ai rencontré à Agadir, où des amis comédiens m’avaient invité à jouer en leur compagnie une pièce dont je ne me souviens de rien…, Claude Rich qui à l’issue de la représentation m’invita à le rejoindre au bar. Il me prit dans ses bras en me couvrant de compliments... « Tu es un comédien magnifique ! Il faut que tu joues ! »… Comme je n’y entendais rien, j’ai préféré continuer à gratter ma guitare, mais il se pourrait que je sois passé à côté de ma vie… va savoir… Pour revenir à la télé, lorsque j’y suis arrivé, c’était pour chanter. Uniquement pour ça. Très vite on m’a demandé de jouer la comédie. C’était facile. On improvisait sur un canevas très serré. On ne risquait donc pas trop de se tromper. Je me suis mis à jouer avec mes camarades. La télé est rapidement devenue envahissante. Néanmoins j’ai continué à faire de la scène jusqu’au 31 Décembre 1987. A cette date, les émissions de télé m’ont trop accaparé et j’ai du faire un choix. J’ai posé ma guitare et je me suis « investi » dans le boulot de comédien-animateur pour enfants

Bengal: Pouvez-vous nous parler du combat que vous menez pour tenter de revenir sur le devant de la scène, après l'avoir quitté pendant autant d'années?

Corbier: C’est un combat difficile et quasiment perdu d’avance. Je ne suis plus un gamin. Les producteurs, je les comprends d’ailleurs, ne se précipitent pas sur un type de 63 ans pour lui offrir un contrat en or… Mais, comme je n’ai rien à perdre et que j’aime encore monter sur les planches je continue d’écrire et je me dis que si mes petites chansonnettes trouvent un public et bien, je n’aurais pas tout à fait perdu mon temps en les proposant à celles et ceux qui veulent bien se donner la peine de les écouter.

Bengal: Dans une émission télévisuelle sur une chaine française, vous exposiez, au printemps 2006, les nombreuses difficultés rencontrées, notamment au cours de l'année 1999 ; quand nous avons préparé l'interview, vous avez signé un de vos courriels « Corbier, the singer living again »; pouvez-vous nous expliquer cette formule?

Corbier: En fait j’ai signé de cette manière pour m’amuser. Je ne parle pas Anglais, j’allais pas très bien, mais ce serait un mensonge. Je ne parle pas du tout ! Il se trouve que je signe toujours mes courriers, courriels et mails par la formule : « Corbier le chanteur anthume ». Ce mot « anthume » n’existe pas dans la langue française mais il le pourrait. Il est construit comme son contraire « posthume » de deux racines latine « post – après » et « hume, de humus – la terre » posthume = après le retour à la terre : mort. Anthume c’est « ante – avant » et « humus – la terre » donc : avant le retour à la terre, soit : vivant. Comme je ne sais pas dire ça en Anglais j’ai fait ce que j’ai pu… En 1999, il y a eu la tempête. Je venais de déménager. J'avais quitté une maison très confortable de la proche banlieue parisienne, que je ne pouvais plus entretenir, et j'avais acheté avec les trois sous qui me restaient une misérable bâtisse, dont les fenêtres et les portes battaient de l'aille, et dont le toit s'envola la nuit de la tempête. La pluie s'engouffra et entrepris de pourrir tout ce qu'elle trouvait à sa portée... L'assurance considérant que la masure était en piteux état avant la tempête refusa de nous offrir un toit neuf et la pluie continua son oeuvre... Enfin, il y a trois ans, en 2005, j'ai pu obtenir un prêt du Département pour refaire un toit et fermer à nouveau ma maison aux intempéries... Pendant toute cette période, je n'ai pas travaillé ou quasiment pas. Plus ou si peu de contacts avec la presse, avec le public, avec la scène... Rien ! Sans mes amis et ma famille, je pense que j'y aurai laissé la peau...

Bengal: Si vous n'étiez pas heureux lors du Club Dorothée, pourquoi y avez-vous participé pendant aussi longtemps?

Corbier: Je n’y étais pas réellement malheureux. J’y gagnais confortablement ma vie. Je voyageais, je faisais l’andouille et l’insouciance était de mise. Je connais des jobs plus difficiles. Je n’y faisais pas ce que j’aurais aimé faire, mais c’était supportable. Enfin ça l’a été jusqu’au moment où ça ne l’a plus été du tout. Je me sentais dépérir, je buvais de plus en plus et surtout mes employeurs et les responsables de l'antenne ne faisaient rien pour me permettre de me sentir mieux. Alors après qu’on m’eut fait raser la barbe, après qu’on m’ait caché derrière des plantes vertes pour me dissimuler aux regards des enfants qui auraient pu avoir peur... pensez donc un type avec des poils blancs ! Quelle horreur !... Après qu’on ait amputé mon salaire du quart sans avoir eu l’élégance de m’en avertir, et rangé ma guitare au rayon des accessoires, je me suis dit qu’il était temps que je fiche le camp… C’est ce que j’ai fait.

Bengal: Et, dans un registre plus personnel, quel était la réaction de votre famille durant cette période?

Corbier: Lorsque j'ai quitté la télé, que le boulot n'est pas venu, que j'ai commencé à "vider ma cave", que la pluie s'est mise à courir sur les murs, ma famille s'est resserrée autour de moi. Il n'y a pas eu une seule désaffection dans mon staf familial ni chez mes amis. Tout le monde m'a soutenu. Je n'en dirais pas autant de monde professionnel. Je connais même quelques salauds qui ne méritent pas qu'on leur fasse la moindre publicité en citant ici leur nom, même si c'est pour les conchier !

Bengal: Que ressentez-vous aujourd'hui lors de vos concerts lorsque vous rencontrez tous ces jeunes adultes qui étaient émerveillés par vous et votre travail lorsqu'ils étaient enfants?

Corbier: Je suis heureux de pouvoir rencontrer le public dont je me suis tenu éloigné pendant toutes ces années. En général on ne me parle pas lors de ces rencontre de ma période télé, car je n’accepte généralement de me déplacer que pour faire mon boulot d’aujourd’hui et pas pour entretenir chez ceux qui viennent me voir le syndrome de Peter Pan, et ça se sait, mais il n’empêche que c’est souvent très émouvant de voir tout ces visages, encore jeunes, tendus vers moi pour m’offrir un peu de ce qu’il leur reste d’enfance.

Bengal: Avez-vous des projets télévisuels aujourd'hui? Ou d'autres projets ?

Corbier: Des projets oui. Télévisuel non. J'ai fait un trait là-dessus. Je suis content qu'on m'y invite encore de temps en temps pour chanter ou raconter, mais je n'ai plus aucune envie d'y retourner pour faire encore le pitre, recevoir des tartes à la crème et des seaux d'eau sur le nez. J’ai, en revanche, l’intention avec mes amis musiciens de faire en 2008 un quatrième album. J’avais prévu de le faire cette année, malheureusement ça n’a pas été possible pour diverses raisons dont la plus probante est le manque de fric. Je n’ai pas de producteur, pas d'attaché de presse... Dans ces conditions rien n’est jamais simple… Si quelqu'un veut tenter l'expérience de me produire un beau disque, qu'il ne se prive pas de me contacter. Je suis ouvert à toutes propositions !

Bengal: Parlez-nous un peu plus de vos albums depuis « Carnet Mondain », le premier opus de votre nouvelle aventure en solo? Quelles en sont les thématiques? De nombreuses chansons révèlent une certaine mélancolie, voire un certain pessimisme, alors que d'autres sont plus engagées, traitant de l'actualité...Y-a-t-il un fil conducteur entres-elles?

Corbier: Il se pourrait que sous mes aspects rigolards, je sois une sorte d’indécrottable pessimiste. C’est sans doute pour cacher cette nature que je fais des chansons plutôt souriantes, mais parfois le rire se brise un peu et reste coincé dans la gorge... Mes albums ne sont pas des romans. Pas d'album concept. Chaque chanson est indépendante de la suivante comme de la précédente. Je fais en sorte d’y conter mes humeurs... Les choses qui me touchent, qui m’énervent, me font mal. J’essaie de faire de cette matière brute des petits instants souriants et pas trop sots, en espérant que quelques personnes voudront bien entrer dans ces univers et qu’elles retrouveront en m'écoutant, un peu du plaisir que j’ai eu à les écrire. Les thèmes sont souvent les mêmes. En fait il y a peu de grands sujets. La vie, l'amour, la mort. Et il faut jouer avec. J'introduis là-dedans ma vision politique et religieuse et tant pis si ça choque. Je ne le fais pas pour ça. J'écris en m'efforçant d'être sincère et puis je n'ai plus trop de temps devant moi pour m'amuser encore à tricher.

Bengal: S'agissant de votre dernier album en date « Tout pour être heureux », pouvez-vous nous parler des musiciens qui y ont participé ? Est-ce les mêmes musiciens qui vous accompagnent lors de vos concerts avec musiciens ?

Corbier: Je travaille sur scène avec trois amis. L’un est flutiste. Il s’appelle Gérard Geoffroy. Il joue aussi avec Idir. On peut l’entendre dans le film La Chèvre (Depardieu, Pierre Richard) c’est lui qui joue le thème de « la chèvre » à la flute de pan. Avec moi il joue, en plus des roseaux, de la basse et du charengo. Il y a un bassiste, guitariste : Patrick Balbin qui bossait à la télé lorsque j’y ai débuté. Il s’occupait des éclairages. On est devenu copain. On ne s’est plus quitté. Patrick fait aussi le guitariste rock and roll chez Gérard Lenormand. Il y a enfin, Eric Gombart, un guitariste acoustique tout à fait remarquable. Professeur à l’Ecole Atla il joue aussi dans un groupe : Les Superpickers. Pour vous faire une idée du talent de ce garçon, je vous invite à vous rendre sur son site : www.myspace.com/ericgombart et à vous procurer son dernier album. Ce sont eux qui jouent sur l’album « Tout Pour Etre Heureux ». D’autres personnes se sont ajoutées lors de l’enregistrement. Un percussionniste, des enfants, un accordéoniste, un bassiste fretless… un pianiste, et de nombreuses personnes de mon village m'ont prêté leurs voix… Et je n'oublie pas celles et ceux, venues parfois de très loin comme Nicole Rieux qui a fait d'Avignon le déplacement jusque chez moi en Normandie, avec sa 2CV et sa jolie voix, pour être là ! Pour me faire plaisir. C’est pas de l’amitié ça ? Pour le prochain album je crois bien que nous ne serons que tous les quatre. Flutes, basses, guitares. Pas de choriste, et hors le percussionniste, pas d’élément extérieur à notre petite formation électro-acoustique.

Bengal: Quelles ont été vos influences pour cet album? Ecrivez-vous les paroles où la musique en premier?

Corbier: Mes influences sont toujours les mêmes : Brassens, Perret, Béart, Renaud, Dylan, les vieux bluesmen, Mississipi John Hurt, Eric Clapton, Lennon… J’ai du mal à me détacher de ces univers. Une petite mélodie simple, agréable, et des mots, des mots, des mots ! Pour cerner au mieux ce qui me parait valoir la peine d’être dit. En règle générale, je compose les paroles et la musique en simultané. La musique me sert surtout à scander les pieds (les syllabes) et les vers. Puis lorsque j’ai terminé le texte, je laisse reposer parfois pendant plusieurs semaines. Un jour je reprends la chanson et je refais une mélodie un peu plus aboutie… et c’est là que ça commence à merder… Quand la nouvelle mélodie est faite, neuf fois sur dix les mots ne sont plus en place, alors j’adapte le texte à cette nouvelle mélodie, et quand le nouveau texte est fait… je dois souvent retoucher la mélodie… Il n’est pas rare que ça dure un an, deux, en aller retour, jusqu’au moment où le tout me semble cohérent… J’aime bien lorsque le texte est triste faire une mélodie plus joyeuse… Ça évite à l’auditeur de sombrer tout de suite dans la déprime… Ça fait mieux passer la pilule… A propos de l’album Tout pour Etre Heureux, des personnes qui se l’étaient procuré (par des moyens légaux…) m’ont avoué qu’elles s’y étaient reprise à plusieurs fois avant de s’apercevoir que j’étais « toujours aussi saignant »… J’ai pris ça pour une sorte de compliment d’autant qu’elles avaient acheté l’album avant de venir me voir en concert où elles m’avaient fait, en souriant, cet aveu…

Bengal: Corbier, un grand merci de nous avoir accordé de votre temps et d'avoir partagé votre talent, votre gentillesse et votre sincérité. Souhaitez-vous adresser un dernier mot à nos lecteurs?

Corbier: C’est moi qui vous remercie de vous intéresser à moi. Ça me touche et ça me flatte. Continuez à le faire… Je reçois parfois des mails d’amis Américains qui m’écrivent en Anglais… Comme je ne comprends pas ce qu’ils attendent de moi, je ne leur réponds pas... Je dois avoir auprès de ces personnes une réputation lamentable, alors, si vous les croisez, ces Américains, dites leur que je suis quand même un gars sympathique, ça les rassurera certainement et ça me fera plaisir.


For more information on François Corbier and his agenda of shows, please visit:
Corbier's Official Website
Corbier's MySpace
François Corbier on YouTube

The arrival of the Spring celebration (L'arrivée du printemps), next March 22nd at the Centre de plein-air de la Haute-Gaspésie in Ste-Anne des Monts. For more information, contact: 418-763-5527 or 866-301-3130 (work), and ask for Christian (chryco100@hotmail.com).

Calendrier Mnemo.

Le 09 Mars — Concert La Vierge et le Diable, un duel en musique médiévale.


Ensemble Eya: Angèle Trudeau, chant, chifonie,percussion; Liette Remon, vielle, rebec, chant; Femke Bergsma, flûtes à bec, vielle, percussion; — a bataille entre le bien et le mal vue à travers des Cantigas de Santa Maria, l'apocalypse chanté par la Sybille et les musiques diaboliques assortis! Un concert pour tous et toutes.

Studio Éclat de rire, 450, rue Duvernay, Longueuil Qc
(514) 634 1244, (418) 529 1724, (450) 623 6065
E-mail: femberg@gmail.com

Bengal.

Demain (le 06 Mars)

Microbrasserie À la Fût, 670 Notre-Dame, St-Tite, Qc, G0X 3H0
418-365-4370

Musiciens, danseurs et amateurs de folklore québécois. — Le premier jeudi de chaque mois dès 19h, À la Fût présente les soirées de jams trad en Mauricie. Dans l'ambiance chaleureuse de la maison ancestrale (1865) toute en bois, les musiciens et le public sont conviés à venir participer ou assister à ces soirées qui sauront réunir tous les passionnés de Folklore québécois. C'est un rendez-vous à ne pas manquer.

Contacter Philippe Dumais ici: philippe.dumais@alafut.qc.ca

Bengal.

Announcing the 19th th Annual FESTIVAL DU BOIS
Saturday and Sunday, March 1 & 2, 2008
NEW LOCATION!: Mackin Park, Coquitlam

Festival du Bois 2008 moves back to the heart of Maillardville!
BC's celebration of Francophone, folk and world music culture continues -
featuring the soulful sounds of the accordion!


Maillardville's music festival, Festival du Bois, today announced its' dates, a roster of fabulous artists from right across Canada and beyond - and a much-anticipated move back to Maillardville, the centre of francophone culture, history and heritage in BC, for the 2008 festival.

Audiences across the Lower Mainland, both francophone and non-francophone alike, are invited to mark March 1 & 2, 2008 in their calendars for one of this province's premier celebrations of francophone music, dance, craft, food, heritage and culture. The festival also embraces, and seamlessly incorporates a melting pot of folk and world music artists into its eclectic fold - this year highlighting the venerable squeezebox. The accordion and the people who play it are featured throughout the festival weekend, performing a myriad of rich musical genres and styles. And a big change this year: the festival packs up and moves from it's previous location in Blue Mountain Park to a new home in beautiful Mackin Park, located at 1046 Brunette Avenue (across the Lougheed Highway from IKEA) in the heart of Maillardville for its 19th Annual event.

The soul of Festival du Bois is the celebration of francophone and Québécois culture in a fun, accessible community environment - offering an extraordinary festival experience to folks of all ages and from all cultures and backgrounds. It has also become known for showcasing some of the finest francophone, world and folk music artists performing today. Festival audiences can hear and see great music and dance under the roof of the massive Grand Chapiteau (Main Tent), check out family-focused entertainments in the Petit Chapiteau (Kids' Tent), learn more about the music and its story in the Tente des Ateliers (Workshop Tent) - or wander the site to sample poutine, absorb a bit of Maillardville history, or explore a variety of fascinating exhibits. Grown-ups can put on their dancing shoes and kick up their heels on Saturday night at La Grande Veillée! (The Big Night Out!) in Le Grand Chapiteau. Whenever you're there, and wherever you roam on site you'll encounter superb entertainment in a friendly atmosphere sparkling with French spirit!

Some of this year's featured music artists and groups include: CLUB CARREFOUR - your musical passport to Québecois traditional music; the eclectic, Brazilian-influenced accordion sounds of NY City's ROB CURTO and his group; the 'francophone tradition meets Prairie youth' energy of Saskatchewan-based LES CIREUX D'SEMELLES; MAHERS BAHERS - delivering great Newfoundland traditional music and more than a few laughs; accordion maestro RAYNALD OUELLET and young accordion virtuoso ALEXANDRE CARON, and; the sizzling klezmer sounds of Vancouver-based TZIMMES - to name a few.

And on Saturday night at La Grande Veillée!. Dance, dance, dance to the funky Cajun/Zydeco sounds of Western Canada Music Award-winning JOHNNY CAJUN, followed by one of Quebec's most dynamic, virtuosic and internationally-renowned music groups LA VOLÉE D'CASTORS (Translation: THE FLYING BEAVERS).

This will definitely be A Big Night Out!

March 1 & 2 daytime general admission is $5 (children), $8 (students & seniors) & $12 (adults) per day; Saturday night concert tickets are $20 (members) & $25; and on Sunday, enjoy a pancake breakfast for $3-$5.

A full festival schedule is coming soon to the official website. Stay tuned for updates.

Hello, cats!

Welcome to my latest interview...
I am a not so innocent victim, fallen prey to the seductive lure of traditional (and not so much) Irish music, thanks to the multitask man, Marc Gunn. Hyperactive, Marc can't stay still. His mind boils with hundreds of new ideas every week, and we are lucky because he actually pursues part of them and shares the great results with us! Marc is a musician with passion for his Irish origins and the Scottish and Celtic influences. Thus, expect great humor, mystery and romance in his compositions, exploring his creativity with any topic in mind.

Besides composing, playing and singing, Marc also writes about his adventures traveling and playing in many different corners of this planet. His easy reading style of writing is addictive... Alas, I am now completely hooked on his blogs. As if it isn't enough, Marc still finds time to run many Podcasts on Irish (and related) music.


Bengal: Hi, Marc, thanks for finding the time in your crazy agenda to talk to us.

Marc Gunn: I'm always happy to find time!

Bengal: Marc, can you tell us a bit about your heritage?

Gunn: I am an American of Scots-Irish heritage. My Gunn family arrived [to the US] in the early-mid-1800s from a place unknown at present. But I really wasn't raised with the musical tradition. My dad was big into folk music growing up, and he took me to a few Highland Games, but for the most part, I didn't discover the music until I started the Brobdingnagian Bards in 1999.

Bengal: So, how did this involvement with Music start?

Gunn: My entire family is musical to some degree. My mom plays the piano. My dad plays every folk instrument under the sun, it seems, especially the banjo. My brother plays a bit o'guitar. My sister, flute.

My desire to be a full-time musician began in 1992. I had become an Amway distributor. They asked what my dream was. I said, "music". My Amway life didn't last long, but it solidified my desire to be a musician.

I fumbled around among a few different bands. Then while practicing at the University of Texas at Austin, someone invited me to perform at a Ren Faire. Having long been a D&D [Dungeons & Dragons] geek, I said, "Woohoo!" Asked Andrew McKee to join me and we started the Brobdingnagian Bards. The next couple years were spent in total immersion in Irish folk songs.

Bengal: Which instruments do you play?

Gunn: I play the autoharp almost exclusively. I used to play the guitar and have dabbled with some of the folk instruments I've swiped from my dad, like the banjo, hammered and mountain dulcimers, and now I'm playing the bodhran a little bit. But the autoharp is still my main instrument.

I love it too. The autoharp is simple to play and great for singing. But you can do a LOT with it once you know the basics.

Bengal: When composing, where does the inspiration come from? Do you have a method you use to prepare yourself?

Gunn: Inspiration is random for me. I should sit down and write daily. As I said, I have a problem staying on top of all the projects I do. But really, that's okay. That's sort of the life of an artist. You do lots of different things.

However, when I do write, I like writing with the autoharp in hand. It helps me create the mood and melody and then I can fine tune the story and lyrics apart from the autoharp. It helps me to get started usually.

Bengal: You play with your band, the Brobdingnagian Bards. Which places outside US have you guys been playing lately? Which are the most interesting and strangest places you have ever been to?

Gunn: The band is at the present moment touring exclusively in US. I occasionally tour Europe solo because I have family in Italy and love the fact that I can pay for my trip by playing music. That's Awesome!

However, that is changing some. Last summer, we [Brobdingnagian Bards] led a fan tour to Ireland and played in a couple o'places. Though I think the most shocking thing to happen was in Blarney this summer when some guy sat down in the park we were playing. He listened to a couple o'songs then asked, "Are you Marc Gunn?" All our fans busted up laughing and it turns out he was a fan of my Ren Fest Podcast.

As for most interesting gig, that would either be DragonCon, where we have our biggest audiences packing rooms, or the hostel I played in Italy last summer in this ancient Italian villa. Brilliant!

Bengal: You compose, you write, you photograph, you publish, you educate, you promote, you have a band, you have blogs, web pages and podcasts, did I leave anything out? How do you find time to administrate all of this and still go out with your band on tours? By the way, how many podcasts do you have at the moment?

Gunn: It's my AMAZING time management skills. [with a sarcastic expression]

Good question! Fact is I don't publish things daily. I have a hell of a time keeping up with everything. I'm a bit ADD so I bounce around to a LOT of projects. But none are done on a solid regular basis. I just can't keep up with things that way. So I just accept that things happen when they happen. I work a lot and write and hope for the best. And it works out. Ultimately, it's a lot because I've been doing it for YEARS! And it just adds up. :)

But I admit I have trouble keeping up with them.

I have six podcasts – the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast, Renaissance Festival Podcast, Pub Songs Podcast, Cat Lovers Podcast, MarcSongs Podcast, A Brobdingnagian Minute.

Bengal: Marc, with all this experience you have, what would be your advice to someone that just started in the business and is realizing that it's not that simple to 'make it'?

Gunn: "Making it" is all a relative term. I believe it is not too difficult to make a living as a musician IF you are willing to work for it. Great music is only a portion of what you need to succeed. You also need to learn how to market and promote yourself and be persistent in doing it.

More than likely, you will NOT get a great record contract. So don't expect it. Instead, make it on your own and when the labels come knocking the contract will better all around for you and anyone IF you even want it.

As for me, I have little desire for a contract. I already have a busy label, Mage Records, which takes up a LOT of time and energy. And passing it on to someone else isn't that great an idea.

Bengal: Why cats?

Gunn: Cats. Well, that was an interesting story. I was raised with pet Pekingeses actually. But as I started touring more, my then fiancée LOVED cats. She wanted one while I was away. So we went to the pound and adopted Jasper. It wasn't long before I fell in love with cats too. They are intelligent, sweet and loving... and independent too. I love everything about them.

After performing at DragonCon in 2002, I believe, I was talking with a friend on the phone and my cat Tiziano climbed in my lap. I grew up parodying songs thanks to my dad's influence, so I started singing "Wild Rover" and meowing in the chorus. Next thing I knew I had my first cat song and an -- idea that should seemed to purrfect Irish drinking songs for Cat Lovers. Turns out I wasn't alone either. A LOT of people LOVE the CD!

Bengal: And the question everyone wants to know: in the Irish drinking songs for cat lovers, which one influenced the most - the drinking or the cats?

Gunn: [laughing] It was the cats that influenced it the most. The CD is mostly about cats. In fact a lot of the lyrics aren't even about alcohol. That's just the general theme.

Bengal: Any other information you want to spread out there?

Gunn: Help people. One of the best lessons of marketing I learned was to help other people. And do it selflessly. It's the law of the universe that the more you help others, the more it'll come back to you. Don't EXPECT it to come back, but it will. You just have to have faith. Tough, but believe.

Oh! And I do plan to release "More Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers" in 2008.

Bengal: Marc, thanks for your time. It’s been great to talk to you. Have a great Valentine’s Day and success in your next album. I can’t wait!

If you enjoyed this chat with Marc, you don't have to be in love to enjoy his latest CD, "A Tribute to Love", when he releases the album on Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Lunchtime Concert and CD Release Party
February 14, 2008
Things Celtic @ noon
1806 W. 35th Street
Austin, TX 78703

Marc Gunn, and news about his band, his shows and projects, can be found regularly at the following links:

Marc Gunn
Brobdingnagian Bards
Marc Gunn Podcasts (list)
Album Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers

Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine
Celtic MP3s Music Magazine

Quebecois band Le Vent du Nord´s performance of La Boîte à Chanson in L’Assomption (Québec) last December 14th, will be broadcasted on CBC Radio Two (93.5FM in Montréal) on February 5, 2008 (tonight!), during the program Canada Live, which airs at 8pm.

Hello, everyone!

If you are around Quebec during the end of February, stop by the Festival de Musique de St. Bernard de Michaudville to enjoy all the fun of the Quebecois traditional arts. Many of the bands I mention here will be performing during these days. Although the 5th edition of the Fest is announced from the 22nd till 24th, the party starts the previous day with a special evening programmed.

The festival has as its international ambassador our dear friend Benoit Pelletier Shoja, French-American from New Hampshire that always did a great job divulging the Quebecois Traditional Musique and is an assured presence in the majority of festivals in the genre in Quebec.

Bengal.

Some say February 13th, others April 29th, I even found places saying May 13th... But none deny that Genticorum´s 3rd album is about to be launched: La Bibournoise will be available soon for the joy of their fans...

The French-Canadian band is planning on a special night at the famous Lion d'Or in Montréal for the launching of their new album, although many fans are already enjoying some of those tunes during the band´s shows in Canada.

Keep tuned for confirmation!

Bengal.

Hello, everyone!

Last year, my dear friend Laura went to this Workshop in West Virginia and promised me a review of the entire event. Despite the delay, she finally reported back on this and I’m sharing her thoughts with you all. I hope you enjoy it!

Bengal,
completely jealous...

PS: I couldn’t resist and added few comments around. :) Feel free to add yours too!

Genticorum Gives Workshops at Upper Potomac Celtic Fiddle and Feet Weekend

Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, is the scene of an annual meeting of musicians, dancers and teachers, performing, playing, sharing and learning the traditional music from Ireland, Scotland and Québec. The Upper Potomac Celtic Fiddle and Feet Weekend was held last November 16th to 18th, and the participants were in for a rare treat!

The list of teachers included the talented artists Laura Risk (Scottish Fiddle), Ken Kolodner (hammered dulcimer), Robin Bullock (mandolin, guitar, repertoire), Kieran Jordan (step dance), Cleek Shrey (Irish fiddle), and the French-Canadian band Genticorum.

The brilliant trio from Québec taught classes on fiddle, guitar, dance and singing, besides offering a special repertoire class opened to all instrumentalists. In addition, they played one evening for a ceilí [also written as céilidh that is the traditional Gaelic social dance in Ireland, Scotland and Atlantic Canada], and gave a concert during another.

I took the repertoire classes given by Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand, who plays flute and electric bass in the band. During these classes, he also treated us to a couple of tunes on the fiddle - an instrument he claims he is "still learning". He taught the class to a wide variety of musicians (fiddle, flute, whistle, uilleann pipes, and even a couple of harps). The reels and 6/8 jigs are familiar to Irish and Scottish musicians, with some stylistic differences. The Reel Issoudun, was described by Alexander as "crooked...but not TOO crooked!", to mention one of these tunes…

He also took the time to teach us dance styles unique to Québec: the brandy, which he described as a 3-beat reel, the galope, and the gigue. The gigue, by the way, should not be confused with the jig, a dance style in 6/8 or 9/8. A gigue is a step dance tune, normally in 2/2.

I feel that my repertoire and my knowledge have been greatly enriched by these classes, though as a harper, I am also left with some perplexing dilemmas about how to arrange this music for harp in such a way as to retain its character, without ending up sounding too Irish! I aslo took a singing class with Yann Falquet [I envy you!!] which was pure joy! In the band, Yann plays guitar and guimbarde (jaw harp) and for the most part does backing vocals. Yann was an excellent teacher, explaining the history of the songs as well as nuances of the French language not immediately apparent to us, English-speakers; all with his delightfully naughty sense of humor! In fact, his insights allowed us to understand just how dirty some of these songs really are. This is not true of every song, however. As Yann says, "Sometimes a sausage is just a sausage!" At this point of my review, I know that Bengal might be so jealows! [You are SO right!]

Saturday night, all the instructors who taught at the festival gave a concert. Genticorum played for the entire second half of the program. A day prior to the beginning of this festival, the band performed in Germantown, Maryland - a concert that I also attended. [photo] Anyone familiar with the band's two CDs, Le Galarneau, and Malins Plaisirs will know that the music is excellent, but what is not apparent until one sees them perform on stage is the spontaneous humor and fun that soon spills out onto the audience. Although if you read the CD notes - I do recommend, you will get some idea of what you're in for! :) Genticorum performed several old favorites from the two existing albums, such as Les Cousinages, La belle en vous aimant, and that whirlwind of reels they have dubbed Cyclone. They also gave us a taste of coming delights which will be on their next album [scheduled for this Feb 13th], such as Le Moine Blanc that tell us the story of a monk, a girl, and a bottle of ink. You can guess the rest… ;)

Besides all these delights, there were open sessions at the hotel every night of the weekend, where participants had the opportunity to play with and share tunes with all the instructors at the festival. These sessions went on into the wee hours of the morning.

The weekend ended with another opened workshop with all the members of Genticorum (another rare treat). Yann taught us a couple of tunes on the button accordion - an instrument that at least so far he does not use on stage (but should!). This last meeting included tunes, songs, some general information, and even lessons on foot tapping given by Pascal Gemme, the band's fiddle player and lead vocalist [that keeps a very interesting blog, you can check here]. Ah, foot tapping… This is perhaps my way out of the dilemma about "sounding too Irish". Pascal says that foot tapping takes five minutes to learn and five years to master. [Ha! I know exactly what he means!!] I am still practicing...

Laura.

Hello, everyone!

This is a quick tip for all of you looking for a gig/job in Arts.
Check this link and good luck!

Bengal.

Hello, everyone!

Let's start the New Year with a so expected interview. Many readers asked and here it is: Benoit Bourque.

Bourque is the person that introduced me to the Quebecois Traditional Music and Dance. Before that, I had no idea of Québec and its rich culture. Then, I discovered the talents of so many artists such as Genticorum, Bernard Simard, Le Rêve du Diable, and many more. In this sense, I have much to thank him.

I first met Benoit Bourque in Texas (2005) and his stage presence, charisma, contagious energy and dance steps instantly thrilled me. He charmed the entire audience! Bourque has loyal followers since the beginning of his career while playing with many bands such as Advielle Que Pourra, Matapat and Le Vent du Nord. I could meet many of his fans through these years while learning more about Québec history and arts.

Bourque co-hosted the Canadian Folk Music Awards last December, and today we talk about his present and future. Without further ado, here is our interview:

Bengal: Hi, Benoit! Thanks for taking the time to talk to us.

Benoit Bourque: Merci, it’s always a pleasure.

Bengal: Benoit, can you tell us a bit about your artistic background, how you started in music and dance?

Benoit: I come from a musical family: my dad played trumpet, my brothers (4) and sisters (3): saxophone, trombone, guitar, keyboard, recorders, ukulele. We all sang different kind of songs (traditional, pop, etc...) I start playing the guitar at first and very little keyboard to switch to clarinet when I was about 8 years old. Later, at the age of 13, I started to dance to meet girls. [laughs] At first I learned International traditional dances to finally focus on Québec dances and step dancing.

Bengal: An early talent! Is there anyone else from your family playing, dancing or singing professionally?

Benoit: Nobody in my family made a living with arts: for my parents, music was a hobby so my mom said [to me] for years: ''Did you find a REAL job?'' [laughs]

Bengal: And your family now, the children? Are they following the steps [pun intended] of the father?

Benoit: They all touched music: Mathilde (27) piano, Vincent (25) has played electric bass, guitar and DJ, Jasmine (22) has done very little violin but always love to sing, Antoine (17) is the only one who really study music (in college): he plays piano, tuba and piano-accordion.

Bengal: Why Quebecois Traditional music and not another style?

Benoit: I always loved to sing the traditional songs from Québec: this has been my start from my family. When I started the dance at 13, it became a natural thing to do trad.

Bengal: Why step dance and not other type?

Benoit: I do step dancing what we call in Québec: gigue. The first time I have seen it was with a big guy who was doing simple steps but he really looked so light!! [laughs]

Bengal: Surely you can do the same! Coming from a big family that could play all sorts of musical instruments, you might have learned many. Which instruments do you play, Benoit?

Benoit: I play bones, spoons, button accordions, guitar and some mandolin, recorder, bohdran and piano.

Bengal: How do you see the Quebecois Traditional Music expanding frontiers?

Benoit: I think that Québec trad is becoming slowly but surely one of the new fashion in the folk milieu in North America. It's comparable to Cajun music 25 years ago.

Bengal: You have a vast knowledge of the musical history behind Quebecois Trad and you have been part of this environment for a while, developing many different types of projects, and surely meeting many of the artists in this milieu...

Benoit: I surely don't know all of them but I know many, many of them. It's hard to know all of them especially that we have now more and more young musicians who do it.

Bengal: One of your talents, present in many projects, is composition. When did you start to compose? Do you have a method for that, what inspires you?

Benoit: I started when I was a teen with my friends... a few compositions on guitar... most of those songs were funny songs. In 1982, I wrote La Valse Matique while I was on an asthma attack (I was feeling romantic). [Benoit is the only artist I know that would compose under an asthma attack!!] I don't have a real method but I often start the composition on one instrument to switch to another one to keep going.

Bengal: Recently I had the opportunity to meet Marc Benoit, former Eritage, that told me about many of the shows, the TV experience and the recognition in Québec. How was your experience with Eritage?

Benoit: Marc Benoit was the standup bass and guitar player in the band. I enormously enjoyed my 6 years with them and I quit because of the family... Carole, my wife, was pregnant of our 3rd child. I started to discover the Canadian folk milieu with this group, and the USA one with Advielle Que Pourra and Matapat.

Bengal: Recently you announced your MySpace page where everybody can have access to your future shows and activities. Can you tell us a little about these future plans?

Benoit: In fact, I have so many projects that I cannot talk about it now. Some of the gigs are solo, some duo, some trio but I have bigger projects to come. For the first time in my life, I started to put on my solo show and I have a 50 minutes ready by now. At the moment, I’m also working on music therapy with the elderly.

Bengal: Benoit, last December you co-hosted the CFMA. How was that experience? You are one of the previous CFMA winners yourself, how does it feel?

Benoit: I have been many time a Master of Ceremony for different festivals but it is first time for an award ceremony. I felt like a fish in water: the folk milieu is mine for so long and I love this milieu. One of the tension that I had with Matapat and Le Vent du Nord was their huge ambitions!! They both wanted to be the best. This is not the folk approach but the pop approach. I prefer much more the folk approach.

Bengal: Which artists you admire the most?

Benoit: All of them who are committed to social changes: we need much more peoples who are left wing thinkers.

Bengal: Which was the most gratifying moment of your career so far?

Benoit: In 1988, when I was in Moscow: peoples were extremely friendly and intense: it was almost a dream.

Bengal: And can you tell us the funniest thing that ever happened on stage?

Benoit: One of my friend who is a good fiddler but speaks slowly: once he felt down his chair (one of the legs found a hole in the stage floor) but very slowly.

Bengal: Benoit, thanks for your time and all the entertainment!

Benoit: Merci! The pleasure was mine!


If you are interested in more information about Benoit Bourque, you are welcome to visit his official MySpace where you can also listen to some of his compositions.

Bengal.

Hello, everybody!!

It's great to be back. I hope you all had the best Holiday Season ever. Next big holiday: Carnival. Well, I'm spending vacations in Brazil and will bring some news on that too! :)

Right now, I guess we are all ready for the New Year's adventures to come - shows, festivals, new talents, new great albums, etc.. I have already a group of new events to announce here, and very interesting interviews with names as Benoit Bourque, Marc Gunn, François Corbier, and many others. Stay tuned for all that is to come!

Have the healthiest and most musical New Year!

Bengal,
in the rhythm of samba...

(main melody)

(click in the image to see it larger)

Merry Christmas and a Phenomenal New Year to you all!

Bengal.