Bengal's Corner

After my critic last year, I decided to be more open-minded. I know Nicolas Boulerice and Olivier Demers look for new influences, new styles and new experiments to bring to the participants of this festival, that not necessarily is all about Quebecois trad music. Once prepared for new experiences, I went to Chants de Vielles 2009, in Calixa-Lavallée, QC.

The opening of the festival to the public this year was a surprise. Instead of a gathering of musicians playing and singing lyrics of 200 years ago, we had three very expressive guys and many curious metallic tools on stage. From hammers and chains to keyboard, the story-tellers Simon Gauthier, Marc St-Pierre and Jean-Marc Massie caught the attention of the entire French audience with their show Les Hommes à Scie. It's hard to comment on scenes since my French isn't enough to fully understand all the stories told that night - my comments would be completely out of contest, but surely I got the comments related to their performance of the American anthem.

This year for the first time, Le Vent du Nord performed on the festival organized by two of its members. This was the first time I saw live a LVDN show with Rejean Brunet, although I've seen the band playing in other contexts. They presented some songs of the new album coming soon. The impression of many is that the tunes are becoming less trad and with more influences from other styles. I'm waiting to check on the lyrics... maybe the band is giving to the stories of the old days a modern angle of view. Anyway, their new album is coming up this October 3rd. I'm very curious about it. I really liked the tune they sang acapella during the festival. I hope it's in the new CD.

Also this year at Chants, trad bands Ad Vielle Que Pourra, Dentdelion, Cercamon, Les Poules à Colin, Les Mononcles, Nightingale, among others, presented their tunes. I'm following the works of some of them for a while now and I enjoyed to see their shows. My personal favorite ones were Les Mononcles and Max Cohen and Donna Hébert. The Breton songs presented by Charles Quimbert and André Drumel at the church for the closure of the festival also charmed me. I need to research more the Breton music heritage...

Les Mononcles: Wow! I already knew the work of some of its members - well, basically 3 out 4 members of Mononcles are part of another trad band, Les Charbonniers de l'Enfer. This band performs trad music in acapella style and I saw their show (through video) in Paimpol, France. Because of that, I was very curious to go to Les Mononcles at Chants. And I wasn't disappointed at all. They are jazzy, they have great stage presence being so comfortable in front of the audience. Between their tunes, they always have funny stories to complement the performance, what gives the audience a feeling of a home party with people talking and playing right in your living room! Pity their work isn't easily accessible. They are not online yet but their album can be ordered here.

Max Cohen and Donna Hébert: I e-know them for a while now. Donna and Max do a great job presenting their work online, from tunes to scores to mp3 extracts... But that's not enough... you gotta see them live! Donna is a great fiddler! I basically cried when she played a particularly complex and difficult tune right in front of me. I barely could see her fingers... The audience stood up and applauded. Max on the guitar, performing with her, made everything look so easy I just wanted to jump on stage and play along... I was surprised and conquered by many of their compositions. Max tunes his guitar in an unusual way and his sensibility is transparent when he is playing. I left Calixa-Lavallée carrying their new work In Full Bloom - I highly recommend!

Apart the shows, the organization improved. The festival is getting bigger every year and more preparation is required. The area for parking expanded. Montreal pub brewer Dieu du Ciel took care of the drinks bringing their exotic flavors to the fest.

Another side of the festival that I enjoy in particular is the chance to meet with old friends: Liz, Sue, Shoja, Pam, Kara, Denis, Walt and so many others... also the chance to meet new ones like Anne, an esteemed reader that asked me few questions before planning her trip out to Quebec. Thanks Anne for the support! Also, my visit to Calixa-Lavallée, Chants de Vielles and Verchères (where I usually stay) has a special place in my heart since François and I met out there. This year we celebrated our 1-year anniversary, on site! :)

For those of you around Vermont on Sunday 6th of September, take your time to enjoy this one-day festival in Randolph! It's the New World Festival, starting at noon and going into the night till midnight. A full day filled with Celtic and French Canadian music and dance!

Enjoy the performances of Les Batinses, Dent de Lion, Fiddleheads, Gadelle, Reveillons!, and many more... I know many of my friends will be around! Have fun!

Bengal.

The Sea Shanties festival of Paimpol (Festival du Chant de Marin) is starting tomorrow with many attractions for the visitors! I actually planned to be there but my vacation days didn't overlap unfortunately. I was so excited to be there and be part of this great event that counts with many great artists and many activities to everyone! Besides that, I would love to see François performing with the band Sol'Marin.

The festival counts with one night of celebration of Quebec culture, presenting many Quebecois Trad artists as Bernard Simard, Le Vent du Nord, Les Charbonniers de l'Enfer, and others.

Check out more names and references on the festival:

A musical journey towards America and some of the big names of overseas music such as Buena Vista Social Club, Lénine, Barbatuques, Mariana Caetano, Marissa Nadler… These bands will complete an already appealing programme: Yuri Buenaventura, Pascale Picard Band, Zachary Richard, Les Tambours du Bronx (Drums from the Bronx), Cocoon, Soft… and last but not least the icon of Rock, Marianne Faithfull.

There will also be a high quality programme of Breton music giving way to new talents (les Grooves Boys, Raggalendo, Skilda, Franci Jackson Project…) who will stand next to the one thanks to whom everything (re)started: Alan Stivell. Creations will also be part of the programme, those of the 40th anniversary of the ‘Bagad de Lokoal Mendon’ named « Kejaj », with numerous guests (Gilles Servat, Louise Ebrel, Pascal Lamour, Dom DufF, Pat o’May…).

Finally, there will be plenty of Sea Chanties, with the great seniors (Cabestan, Michel Tonnerre, Djiboudjep…) and the newcomers of the maritime scene, a creation by ‘Les Souillés de Fond de Cale’ with the ‘Bagad’ (traditional Breton music) of Plouha, and more than 50 bands and our special favourite: the Johnson Girls, breath-taking chanty-women coming from New York.

On August 7th, 8th and 9th, music and singing, but also the wooden vessels of the Navy will be on the front stage on the quays of Paimpol.

I am excited for the many Brazilian artists too! That will be a great festival with lots of fun! If you are around and have the chance, stop by and enjoy!! And then come back and share a bit your experience... :)

Next week!!

Mark your calendar for Franco-American Festival Week to be held from June 20th through 27th 2009.

The opening event is a free performance of French music by the group La Famille LeBlanc to be held on June 20th at the Senior Center on 276 Broadway St., Lowell, MA., from 6 to 8 p.m. The public is cordially invited. The schedule of events to be held throughout the week is available online.

Cecile Provencher

Member of the Franco American Day Committee
Lowell, MA

Du 08 Août 2009 au 15 Août 2009

Cet événement, qui aura lieu cette année pour sa sixième édition, fera une grande place à la danse. Pour la première fois en effet, les danses traditionnelles québécoises et la danse country seront au programme...

Les festivaliers pourront s'inscrire à des stages et mettre en applications leurs savoirs faire lors des deux concerts dansants qui seront organisés. Il sera dailleurs possible de danser tous les soirs...

L'association Haut Limousin - Québec invite cependant, comme à son habitude, une belle gagne d'artistes québécois :

- Les Tireux d'Roches (8 août 2009)

- Genticorum (9 août 2009)

- Johanne Provencher (10 août 2009)

- Pierre-Etienne Rouillard et Pierre-Luc Brilland (11 août 2009)

- Les Batteux Slaques (12 août 2009)

- Le Trio Barbecue (BBQ) (13 août 2009)

- Abitibi Pure Laine (14 août 2009)

- Dentdelion (15 août 2009)

Dear all:

I know everybody is excited for the program of Chants de Vielles festival this year. While it will take a bit more till it's published on their official page, the names I was informed that will be performing next September are:

Le Vent du Nord
Les Mononcles
Nightingale
Ad Vielle Que Pourra

See you all there!

Bengal.

Hello, everyone!

The Summerfest is coming up and this year it's promised to be even greater! The list of performers is very tempting... Check out the message below...

[Forwarded message by Stephe B. Johns, forwarded by Benoit Shoja]

Bonjour,

Several francophone musicians will perform at the Summerfest, New Bedford, MA, 3-5 July 2009.

Benoit Bourque (Quebecois)
Gadelle (Acadienne)
Reveillons! (Quebecois)
Dave Surrette (Franco-American/Breton)
Daniel & Luc Thonon (Belgian/Quebecois)

Bonjour à tous!

Voici le premier formulaire d'inscription pour le premier stage de vielle du Festival Chants de Vielles. Nous avons l'honneur de vous proposez une rencontre avec un des plus grand joueur de vielle à roue: Gilles Chabenat. Passez le mot à tous les interressés.

On vous attend du 10 au 13 septembre prochain dans le village de Calixa-Lavallé e, tout près de Montréal, pour la 6ème édition de cette incroyable rencontre de musique trad.


Nicolas Boulerice
Calixa-Lavallée, Québec

[Merci, Nicolas!]

Formed in 1986, Festival International de Louisiane is a community-based, non-profit arts organization that provides a FREE family event celebrating the French cultural heritage of southern Louisiana – primarily a combination of French, African, Caribbean and Hispanic influences. Historic downtown Lafayette is transformed into an entertainment mecca featuring six music stages, food court areas, street musicians and animators, arts and crafts boutiques, art galleries, beverage stands, cultural workshops, and a world music store. Celebrate the 23éme Festival International de Louisiane from April 22-26, 2009 in historic Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana.

If you would like more information, please contact the Festival office at:
(337) 232-8086 or info@festivalinternational.com or visit the official website.

Genticorum will be performing at the festival during this weekend! Enjoy it!

Be aware of the deadline for early registration for the 2nd Annual Sean-nós Northwest Festival is this January 10th...

Program highlights:

Friday, Jan. 16
Irish Ceili Dance 8:00 PM - 12:30 PM
PPAA, 618 SE Alder, Portland, OR
Music: CRUMAC
Special guests: Áine Meenaghan, Brían Ó hAirt and Ben Power

Saturday, Jan. 17
Sunnyside School, 3421 SE Salmon, Portland, OR

Workshops with:
Áine Meenaghan (Sean-nós Singing), Brían Ó hAirt (Irish Language), Ben Power (Sean-nós Dance)

9:45 AM Workshop I
11:00 AM Workshop II
1:00 PM Workshop III
2:15 PM Workshop IV
3:20 PM Participants' Session

Concert 8:00 PM
Áine Meenaghan, Brían Ó hAirt, Ben Power, Mikey Beglan, Sean Williams, Maldon Meehan & Alicia Guinn

$60 registration includes:
Admission to the Friday night céilí
4 workshops
Saturday Evening Concert

Download Registration form.

The Sean-nós Northwest Festival celebrates and promotes three aspects of traditional Irish culture – sean-nós singing, sean-nós dancing, and Gaeilge, the Irish language. These living folk traditions from the rural West of Ireland are strikingly beautiful, vitally satisfying, and incredibly rare to find anywhere outside of Ireland.

The festival brings master artists Áine Meenaghan, Brían Ó hAirt, and Ben Power to the Pacific Northwest to teach day-long workshops in these traditions. Learners at all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced practitioners, are welcome. Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills during an open session at the end of the day, and the master teachers will perform in a concert, open to the public, in the evening.


Download the registration form and join us at the festival!
Questions? E-mail Alicia Guinn: seannosseattle at gmail.com.