34;.. BULUllN de musique folklorique canadienne 33.4 (1999)

Reviews I Comptes rendus

Concert

Calgary ChineseOrchestra University of Calgary, November6, 1999

I have to begin with a confession.At severaltimes during the way.) And twoA week monthslater, laterI brought they helpedmy camera to open our conference. the work on my photohistory of Alberta music, I thought about the Chinesepresence here, which begins as early as extensive- I'd discovered by then that, in addition to giving them exposure Europeansettlement in the province. My sources(primarily the to a specialized and well-prepared audience, this one-hour gig Glenbowand Provincial Archives, but also the manylocal histo- was in fact a dress rehearsal for their own recital, a week later. ries written by Albertansthemselves) provided next to nothing, and I made Their full concert beganwith a do with a couple of old photographs showcaseby the Children's Orches- of paIadesand the cast shot of a dor- tra. At one of the rehearsalsI at- ky musicalplay, entitled The Geisha tended, a gum-<:hewingsweetheart Girl, from 1920,which demonstrates solemnly infom1edme that Mr. Yin quite clearly the stereotypeswhich had said they were better than the Europeansimposed on Asians. (I on- adults. Well, perhaps we all make ly wish it were truly past tense!) extravagant comments to children, Lethargically, I wondered whether but if half of thesekids keepat their any documentationmight be avail- musicalstudies, this orchestrawill be able and speculatedon the musical stunning in just a few years. Several activities, pastand present,of China- of the adults laughedmodestly to me town in my home town. But I did about their own abilities; at leastone nothing about it. said, "I didn't start until I was 50. Preparingour Societyconference That's too old." But some of the for Calgary this year, I askedmyself children are very young and haveal- what might be a suitable sort of per- ready reachedlevels of prowessthat formancefor our openingnight. The I envy. Not all of them were as im- obvious tags for this burg are pressiveas someothers, and I don't Cowboys and Indians, but Walter seeany purposein singling children Bonaiseprovided such a wonderful out for excessivepraise or criticism. The first half of the evening was a presenceture last yearand insight that I feltinto weCree should cul- - delight; let's leave it at that. plIO'" by FozIa K1IfIn leave that simmering in our minds. Cowboys?Well, as I suggestin the A similar caveatshould apply to book, the cowboy aspectof provincial culture, while certainly the adult orchestra, I believe. CSTM board member Alan genuine and significant, has been overblown and deservesa Thrasher pointed out in his introduction to the group's vacation.In this context, I rememberedthe Chinese,whose pres- performancefor the AGM, this sort of mixed wind/string en- ence in the west may have been ignored, but was constant; in- semble has a history in China that predatesthe Europeanor- deed, even a stereotypicalhint of that presencecan add some chestra.But there's also a prairie tradition behindthis particular valuablereality effect to a westernmovie (One-Eyed Jacks, for ensemble.In many prairie towns, citizens early set about the instance)or tv show (Have Gun, Will Travel). The Chinese creationof town bands(and sometimesoperas, symphonies, and helpedbuild our railways, washedour clothes, and fed us. Fred other cultural groups); famlers, white and blue collar workers, Wah, a westernCanadian poet (Saskatchewan,BC, and now Al- and businessmencoughed up the dough to buy instruments(pos- berta), haswritten of his father's life in the Elite Cafe (in Wait- sibly uniforms) and music and sometimesto lure in a maestroto ing for Saskatchewan,Turnstone 1985, if I remembercorrect- instruct them. (I have, by the way, read of at least one town in ly). (By the way, say eee-light, pard-Anglo Canadiansdidn't which fatcat businessmenwho did not seekto join in the music know how to pronouncethe word any better than the Chinese!) making were shakendown on the street for contributions! Not Besides,I'd left an unpaid debt here, and I felt it was time a bad idea ) to get off my lethargicbutt. In fact, finding the Calgary Chinese Members of the Calgary ChineseOrchestra pay a monthly Orchestrawas so easy that I was humiliated all over again. It fee to participate, attendweekly rehearsals,and work very hard took-what?-two phone calls before I reachedDavid Yin, the at their instruments(several of them double). As I've noted, Orchestra'sconductor. Within two weeks, I was visiting a re- some of them have begun from scratch within the past two hearsal.(They actually invite the public to their rehearsals,by~ years. What they have to offer Calgary's communities(Chinese CanadianFolk Music BULlE7JN 33.4 (1999) ...35 and otherwise)far outweighsanyone's technical deficiencies. drilled into the left side. Presumablythe hole reachesover a bar- Without slighting any other soloists, I'd like to note that I rier, and the player can blow on either or both sides as was particularly moved by Holly Yeung-Yin's performanceon necessary.When the musical momentis right, the player crosses the .long zither, shi. This instrument, which is very similar to handsand (I assume)shifts her embouchureto blow into both the more familiar Japanesetoto, begs comparison to the sides.Voila! Two melody lines at once! (Rememberthose Etrus- Europeanharp; the latter has more strings but (arguably)fewer can wall paintings of the shepherdswith the double recorders?) ways of manipulating those strings. Many of us have seen(at But the player can also return to the right side of the hole least briefly when the koto has appearedon tv) the bending of and double the notes of the regular six holes. Exactly how, I'm strings on the performer's left side of the instrument's not sure. To my ears, these seemsomewhat more difficult to bridges-I'd never realized how many different effects can be keep in tune. Indeed, sometimesthe effect, particularly in the achievedby this technique, dependingon how the strings are alto , is a bit like the mouth organ sheng, almost as if a struck to the right of the bridges. Nor was I aware that players mirliton membranehad beeninserted somewhere, though I don't bring their left hand over to the right believe that to be the case. (When I side of the bridges to make complex visited the Orchestrainformally, Mr. musical tapestries.Stefan Grossman Yin was conducting, and these fas- used to joke that his guitar was a 6- cinating instrumentsnever surfaced. string piano; the she surely could be Orchestramembers did saythat he is called a 25-string piano! (Exceptthat also an authority on some sort of the player gets to touch the strings!) antique lithophone ) It's easyto understandwhy such If Mr. Yin really did invent the zitherswere considered philosopher's Double-ToneFlute, I hope that he's instruments-one feelslike one could gotten an ironclad patent on it. It's fall into the eddying pools of certain to be a big hit; even when he sound Indeed, the audience, plays relatively classical music, the which had been quick (too quick, moment he crosseshis handsacross once!) to leap into applauseat the his chest is a showstopper.I hate to end of eachpiece, sat in absolutesi- think of the cornball theatrics to lencefor many secondsafter Yeung- come, when the Elektrik Soodough- Yin's piecewas complete.No one, I Keltoids get hold of these flutes, suspect,wanted to break the spell. I which they surely will. hope I get the opportunity to hear But the Double-ToneFlute is not more of her playing. a gimmick to Mr. Yin and his stu- dents. (Solos where played by three In many ways, the centrepieceof children and one adult memberof the the Orchestrais David Yin's innova- - Orchestra, as well as by Yin him- tive Double-ToneFlute. It's obvious pMe.,,*A18 self.) For hundredsof years, wind- that Asians have never felt the need players have wanted to be able to to maketheir flutes mechanicallycomplicated, as we have. (Why play more than one note at a time, and, witness thoseEtruscan did we do that? To make it easier to play? To enhancethe shepherds,they've been finding ways of doing it. I found Mr. opportunity to play chromatically or at least in different keys? Yin's own composition, "The Clear River Water," to be mature Or becauseEuropeans like to mechanizethings and claim that and lovely. this makesus superior?)Anyone who hasheard a seriousplayer of the Indian bansuri knows that a simpler -a stick of Even if I had gotten off my buns earlier this decade,I don't bamboowith six or sevenholes-does not necessarilymake for supposeI'd have found photographic evidence of an historic simpler music. predecessorto the Orchestra.After all, there were a large num- I'm beginning to get the impressionthat Asian flutes are not ber of restrictions on Chineseimmigrants in thosedays, to our all that simple. The VancouverVietnamese ensemble Khac Chi shame.I doubt that many of them were able to bring suchdeli- feature a long bamboo flute being played by three people all at cate instruments as the she, but there must have been flutes once! The picture is on the cover of their CD, Spirit of Viet- around, and perhaps the odd erh-hu . It's not hard to nam. I haven't really had time to investigatethat disc or the imagine a lonely worker playing a pentatonic melody in the flute itself, which I gatheris itself a modification'of a traditional prairie twilight. The ideafits-much Native musicis pentatonic, transverseflute-made for only two people. (However, a review after all-so is Scottish music, for that matter! The Calgary of the disc is in the works.) ChineseOrchestra shows us that Chineseclassical music is being I have not had the opportunity to ask Mr. Yin about his in- composedand is growing in westernCanada. I suspectthat it's novation. In fact, the Double-ToneFlute works two ways, one roots are deeperthan we know. of themquite obvious. The blow hole is about a fifth of the dis- -GWL tance from the left of the pipe, and an extra set of holes are Recordings

David Parry. The Man From Eldorado Borealis BCD 106. Bon alis Music Ltd., 67 Mowatt Avenue, Suite 233, Toronto, Ontario M6K 3E3; ; What happenswhen one combines the talents of contem- The title piece is a storyteller's joy, and Parry gives this ballad porary performersof the modem folk revival with the literature of a prospector'swealth turned to ashesa superiorperformance. and peotry of well known and not-so-well known poets, who In "AthabascaDick," done a cappella, Parry tells the tale of a themselvescontained the very seedand soul of music in their man who risked his very life to savea keg of preciouswhiskey variousprose and rhymed compositions?Some of the most inno- (and who saysthere's nothing worth dying for!). "The Atavist," vative collaborativework to be found anywherein contemporary in which a man searchesfor and finds the very heart of the music today! Examplesof this include JosephDaniel Sobol's in- primitive and the primordial, must be heardto be believed. "In terpretationof the work of Yeats, the renderingsof short stories the Heart of the Sourdough,"the hauntingevocation of the vast, and poemsof Poeby both JoanBaez and the late Phil Ochs, Pri- lonely, and desolateYukon is even more amplified by the chil- cilla Hurdman's beautiful renditions of the poetry of Australian ling (no pun intended) accompanimentof GrahamTown- Henry Dawson, and perhapsthe best examples,Jean Redpath's send.With all the majestyand grandeurof the northernsettings, extensivemusical journeys into the poetry of Burns, and the late Serviceloved all the little things, the ordinary joys andpleasures Peter Bellamy's musical love affair with the poetry of Kipling. of life, and thesecome through quite nicely in severalmusical The late David Parry's own musicalinvolvement with the poems paeans,poems in praise of everything from playing the accor- and ballads of Robert Service began somewherearound 1975, dion to revelling in non-work, and from a strong, comforting when Parry heard Shelley Posenrecite "The Cremationof Sam pot of tea to "In Praiseof Alcohol." Magee" one night at the now defunct Fiddler's GreenFolk Club Two pieces that deservespecial mention are "The Volun- in Toronto. teer" and "Song of Winter Weather," both reflecting the horrors David Parry proudly wore manyartistic hats: actor, theatri- and despairof modemwarfare, reflecting Service'sown ambiv- cal producer, singer of all manner of intriguing songs, tune- alenceeven as he participatedin the first World War. Performed smith, morris dancer,and storyteller extraordinaire.The current a cappella, "The Volunteer" is one of the most poignant and offering was originally recordedand issuedin 1993 on Parry's gut-wrenchinganti-war songsto be found in or out of literature, own label, BonanzaCreek, and thanksto the good folks at Bore- and Parry brings tearsto the eyesin this rendition. The addition alis, the original recording has been remasteredand improved. of Strictland's snaredrum makes"Winter Weather" soundslike As if Parry's own talents were not enough, the recording in- a marchingsong. Why not? The song, after all, evokesthe tedi- cludessome of the best msuicianson any side of a concertstage, ous gloom and terror of trench warfare. including Jim Strictland, Ken Whiteley, the late GrahamTown- For lovers of storytelling and singing, this collaboration send, Ian Robb, and Alistair Brown, on a host of instruments, betweenDavid Parry and Robert Serviceis a stunning, rousing including melodeon, English concertina, fiddle, piano, string success.I canhope that if thereare still unreleasedrecordings of bass, tenor banjo, tenor , and guitar. David Parry, they are well guardedand that perhapssomeday The poemsand balladscover three periodsin Service'slife: Borealis or another kind agency will make them available to his wanderingsand sojournsthroughout 'sfar north, his Parry's fans. I believe that if Serviceever heardhis poemsand days in both the Yukon and Northwest Territories, his time ballads as set by Parry, he'd be a fan as well. spent living the bohemianlifestyle in Paris just before World -Robel1 Rodriquez War One, and his term during that war as an ambulancedriver. NYC North of South. The Cochrane Lake Sessions,vols. 1 and 2. N(.rth of South, Box 61132, KensingtonRoad PO, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4S6; ; A few issuesback, I penneda requiemfor the cassettetape, They state also that they are "done in North of South's own believing-and regretting-that this form of recordingwas dead. unique style," which rather contradicts the previous-and, I It seemsthat requiemwas premature,for odd cassettesstill keep would say, much more correct-claim that they are in the style comingfor review. Will thesetwo be the last and, if so, do they of the late 50s to early 60s. As for being songsof the wurld, nut write a worthy finis to that genreof recordings? so; all but two are North American. Moreover, most were writ- Thoseare both questionsthat I find hard to answer.On one ten in the last fifty years: of the twenty-four tracks, only four of the J-cards, North of South proclaim their style as being are from the earlier tradition and only one predates1900. "characteristicof the late 1950's early 1960's [sic] Let us be quite clear that the personnel-Fred Thom, Gord revival." Further, they state Cuming, Greg Black and Ron Wright-are all competentsingers The lyrics of the music we like to sing paint and more-than-competentmusicians. The trouble, for me, is pictures, tug at our heartstrings, make us laugh and their "own unique style" which is, all too often, a jog-along, causeus to reflect These are songs of the world dum-de-dum-de-dum.This fits some songs excellently, the about love and lost love, life and death, protest and gospel songs in particular ("Will the Circle be Unbroken?", celebration. "We're- ~- Onlv~~,c~c Here for a Little-==--Cc"-"~ While"). ,. .olus the~- chrerful ~rtv~-. Canadian Folk Music BULlEl1N 33.4 (1999) ...37

song "There's a Meeting Here Tonight" and the joke song "To was quite acceptableto this listener, while "45 Years From Morrow." Now" is one of the best tracks on the two cassettes. If you like John Denver, you won't be disturbed by their Other songsfare variably. Ed McCurdy's "Last Night I Had renditions of "Back Home Again" and "Follow Me." Tommy the StrangestDream" is altogethertoo jog-along for my taste; Makem's "Red is the Rose"-new words to the tune of "Loch "Will Ye Go, Lassie,Go?", that songfrom Ulster so popular at Lomond"-works well and so doesJoni Mitchell's "The Circle the end of drunkenparties, startswell but also quickly subsides Game." The instrumental opening and the vocal to Gordon into jog-along, while the splendidsong of the "GreenlandWhale Lightfoot's rueful reminiscence"The Last Time I SawHer Face" Fisheries" is wholly destroyedby the "One-two-three,let's see give it specialquality. how fast we can sing" approach.(The changeof pace near the Thereare other instanceswhere the instrumentalaccompani- end is too great to makematters better). ment comeclose to redeemingquite dreadfullyrics, giving inter- At the other extreme is the self-parodying murder ballad est to the fatuities of "SevenGolden Daffodils" and distracting "Ellen Smith"-yes, it is sung fast, but somehowthat fits and one's attentionfrom the confusedimagery of "The River." ("I'll Ron Wright's banjo is at its best-an excellenttrack, this. sail my vesseltill the river runs dry"-what, evenwith no wind? Well, how to sum up the two tapes?Though I liked some "The watersare my sky"-boat capsized?).However, "Maria," tracks, there were more where I felt the musical renditions too with its "whining clouds," is beyond redemption, vigorously monotonous;I shan't be playing thesetapes often. Yet the ap- though they try. proach is designedto echo the style of forty years ago. That is In contrast, their style does not suit the three Bob Dylan not a style that thrills me; maybeI'm too much of a traditionalist songs;it is altogethertoo cheerful to properly put acrossthe bit- and there's too strong a country-and-westernelement in it for ter appeal inherent in the lyrics of "The Times They Are A- me. If you enjoy that style better than I do, well then, you'll Changing"or to embodythe yearninginherent in "If Tomorrow enjoy North of South. Wasn't Sucha Long Time" and "When the Ship ComesIn." The -William A.S. Sarjeant two StanRogers songs fare better: "The Field Behind the Plow" Saskatoon,Saskatchewan is, at times, oddly enunciatedand hasa superfluouscoda, but

PennyLang & Friends. Live. Fleming Artists' Management,5975 avenuedu Parc, Montreal, QuebecH2V 4H4; < http://www.interlog.com/- cpreal/penny _lang/pl_recordings.html>

Well, here's a pleasurefor us all, anotherCD from Penny one of the best songsfor the display of her voice. "Bouquetof Lang. First off, you should know that I havenever much cared Roses" follows, with "Jailer Bring Me Water" coming after- for live recordings.Invariably they detractfrom my pleasurein wards. As the reader can already see, the recording is full of listening to the unclutteredsongs or music of an artist or band. traditional and semi-traditionalsongs and, from a singer'spoint Yet, as much as I enjoyeda previous CD of Penny's(Ain't Life of view, is a good sourcefor the less accessiblewords of songs Sweet, reviewed29.1, March 1995),and I enjoyedit a lot, I en- we sort-of know. Even though the words are not includedin the joyed this one even more-it really rocb-even the slow num- liner notes, Penny's diction is clear and they are easily bers! Clearly the audienceand the musiciansare in completeac- transcribed.There are definitely a couple of numbersI will be cord and there is joy and life in the recording. Both feed Penny adding to my repertoirefor singing at Labour Day Picnicsand their energyand in consequencePenny's renowned vocal ability similar events. and musicianshipare displayedto full effect, just as they are at Next in line, in amongstall thesegood time songs,is Pen- festival venues. ny's own "Song for Bridget's Film," which gives one breathing In one form or another, with one or two exceptions, the spaceand room for thought. Written for and basedon the con- blues idiom is maintained throughout the CD, even with the tent of a documentary,it tells someheart wrenching, hard truths country songs"I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes" and Ed- from the lives of four women. "Bye Bye Blues" is track eight dy Arnold's 1948 hit "Bouquet of Roses." As all performers with "We Shall Not be Moved," sung as the concert's closing know, the distribution of temposduring a performanceis criti- number. Penny's ad lib encoresong "Penny's Blues" winds up cal. The programmehere beginswith Brownie McGhee's driv- an all too short-seemingCD (actuallyabout 51 minutes)with the ing, straight-aheadblues "I've BeenLiving With the Blues" and musiciansas well as the audienceplainly having a ball. appearsto slow down with the opening stanzasof the second Among the 13 musiciansand back-up vocalists on the two number, the traditional "Twelve Gatesto the City." This is just sessionsare the Whiteley brothers,Martin Boodmanon harmon- an illusion. The song takes off when the rest of the musicians ica, Penny'sson Jason on guitar, and Judy Golick on sax. Penny join in after a couple of versesand the third number, the lilting surely should be dubbedCanada's "First Lady of Folk Blues." "I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes," continuesthe smooth -Mike Ballantyne flow that typifies the CD's content. Pennylets her hair down (so Cobble Hill, BC to speak)with "Frankie and Johnny," which sheconsiders to be 38. BULlEl1N de musique folklorique canadienne 33.4 (1999)

DecemberWind. Sacred Voices. CR-7038. CanyonRecords Productions, 4143 North 16 Street, Suite 6, Phoenix, Arizona 85016, USA; 1-800-268-1141; ;

This first recording of DecemberWind is introduced with "No matter what they say, no matterwhat they do, we will still the Iroquoian languageand then the lyrics "Do not live in the survive" ("Where Are My People?"). past," which is in accord with the group's description of their The five writers and performersof this music are Mohawk, musicas "Native American Alternative Folk Rock." Their songs and their goal, as expressedby guitarist Donald Sharrow, is "to provide a rich listening experience.The rhythms are strong, the expressthe positive spirit towards mankind and our Creator." tunes memorableand the studio production skilful. All say they are tmvellers on the "Red Road," which meansa The Native American heritage of the singers infuses the life of no alcohol or drugs, of simplicity and kindness. soundsand words of the songs.For example,in "Gentle Thun- One hasthe feeling that this is "generous"music. Eachsong der," thundersounds blend with drum, rattle and guitar, and be- is long enough to createa mood and thoughtful enoughto ex- come part of the entire accompaniment.The lyrics, all by the pressa story in sound. Even the notes are sufficiently detailed leader, Atsiaktonkie, inspire a range of imagesof Native life: to show the provenanceof the music. Ovemll, the group's sin- fast, light songs ("It's All Right to Share My Blanket with cere approach to expressingNative ideals through music has You"); powerful yet sad songs ("She Likes Flowers"); a fostereda meaningfulwork. dramaticsong with violent imagesand percussivesounds ("High -Lynn Whidden Noon"); a hauntingsong sung on vocablesand chant-likewords: Brandon. Manitoba

Black Lodge. The People Dance. CR-6293. CanyonRecords Productions, as above

As one would expectof the Black Lodge Singers,this pow- has written Blackf

Quelquesnouveautes au quebeca I' automne99

Les teres de violon. Airs tordus / Crooked Tunes. Violon traditionnel Quebecois/ Traditional fiddle music of . Trente Sous Zero / Thirty Below, 1108, rue Dollard, Val-Belair, Quebec, Canada G3K lW6; reI. & fax: (418)847-9815 ; ; . Liette Remonet Guy Bouchard.Airs tordus - 25 - Crooked Tunes. Airs de violon du QuebecFiddle Tunes, 2 volumes. Trente SousZero - Thirty Below, 1996 et 1997, 51 p. et 35 p. (sanspagination).

Guy Bouchard,guitariste et violoneuxbien connude Quebec ques autres. Pour ce faire, il s'est adjoint des musiciens et et ancienmembre du groupe La Bottine Souriante,a mis sur pi- musiciennesamericains, cinq violonistes et un mandoliniste. ed, il y a quelquesanDres, une maisonde distribution de disques Pour faciliter l'apprentissagede cespieces, Ie rythme est legere- de musique tmditionnelle quebecoisefort dynamique : Trente ment plus lent et leg arrangementssoot depouillesau maximum; Sous Zero / Thirty Below. En 1977, avec la violoneuseLiette Ie seul accompagnementest la podorythrnieou parfois tine sec- Remon, il a publie deux excellentsrecueils de vingt-cinq airs onde melodie a l'alto. Cela n'amoindrit en rien l'ecoute. Les tmditionnels quebecois pour Ie violon, des airs d'origines Airs tordus se laissent tres bien goOter ; Les teres de violon irlandaiseet fran~ise, et de grandsvioloneux, tel Louis «Pitou» generentone energievivifiante qui vient du plaisir de jouer en- Boudreau, Aime Gagnon et Andre Alain. En introduction, Ie semble one musique et un repertoire d'une extreme richesse. premier recueil presenteun excellenttexte sur «Le repertoiredes L 'ere dernier, j'ai eu Ie plaisir de leg entendrea la fin juillet a violoneux du Quebec». Joliette, au Festival Memoire et racines,0\1 ils ont remporteun Pour accompagnerces recueils, Guy Bouchardfait mainte- vif sucres. nant paraitre un CD qui reprenddix-sept de cesairs, plus quel- SophiePomerleau. Toutouic la la, berceusestraditionnelles / t:raditionallullabies. SophiePomerleau, 1613, Chemin du Fleuve, Saint-Romuald(Quebec) G6W 6Z7 ; (418)834-6778.

Ce disque contient une douzaine de berceusestirees de l' An- publi6e en 1950, de me-me que trois berceuses tmditionnelles thologie des chants populaires fran~ais de Joseph Canteloube, quebecoises. Jeune ethnolo.e:ue,Sophie est issue d'une famille de Canadian Folk Music BUUEl1N 33.4 (1999) ...39 chanteurset chanteuses.Elle possooeune voix energiquequ'elle doucesque soot ces berceuses,Ie disque p'echenecessairement doit, sur ce disque, bien entendu, retenir. Pour l'accompagner par un manque de variete. Mais elles soot cependanttres dans cette entreprise, elle s'est adjoint Ie guitariste Michel efficacespour endormir les enfants.Un disquetout simpled'une Borgeat. chanteusechaleureuse, munie d'une voix prometteuseet qui ne En consacrantun disque entier a des berceuses,Sophie demandequ'a mucicet a s'affirmer. Pomerleaus'est imposeeun dur defi a relever. Pour calmeset Les Chauffeursa pied. Rue Lavigueur. LCAP 99-2. Les Chauffeursa pied, 547, rue Lavigueur, app. 5, Quebec(Quebec) GIR IB7 ; tel. : (418)523-5336et (418)527-4530; . Ce jeune groupe est composede quatrejeunes musiciens de celles-cinous rappellent parfois Les Cailloux, Ie premier groupe Quebecet, depuispres d'un an qu'il seproduit a Quebecet dans de « French CanadianFolk SongsSingers,. avec les harmonies differentsfestivals dans la province, remporteun succesenviable et Ie banjo. M~me si les voix sont encorejeunes et pas tout a et merite. Sur ce premier disque, Les Chauffeursa pied offrent fait placees,les instruments(violon, guitare, banjo, mandoline, un repertoire de musiqueinstrumentale et de chansonsapprises flute, musiquea bouche)sont bien maltrises; une belle jeunesse aupresdes meilleurs jeunes musiciens traditionnels quebecois. Se transpiredes enregistrements.De jeunesmusiciens a surveiller, promenantde la chansona repondrea la chansonde chantier, ils peuventnous reserverdes surprises. Monique Jutras.Complaintes medievales. Chansons traditionnelles epiqueset tragiques / Medieval Ballads. Epic and Tragic Tra- ditional Songs. Musiciens invites: L 'EnsembleClaude-Gervaise. Arrangements de Jean-ClaudeBelanger. PMJ-O22.Productions Monique Jutras, 184, rue Aberdeen, Quebec (Quebec) GIR 2C8 ; tel. : (418)525-7538 ; telec. : (418)525-4712 ; < [email protected]>. Monique Jutras a derriere elle une longue carriere d'inter- et de sa famille est incamee par sa virginire, ou l'autorire pater- prete de la chansontraditionnelle quebecoise.Elle s'est produite nelle et leg vengeances sont terribles. Quelques titres : Dame dansde nombreuxfestivals et en milieu scolaire, aupresdes en- Lombarde, La belle qui fait la mol1e pour son honneur garder, fants, tant au Canadaqu'aux Etats-Unis.Apres Chantonset tur- La maumariee vengee par sesfreres, Lafille tuee par sa mere, lutons. La chansonfolklorique quebecoise(livre et cassette)en La cOUl1isane bn2lee, Le chevalier a la claire epee. Par jeu, 1994(Bulletin 30.4, 1997)et La Turlutte des Little-Delisle en Monique Jutras nous propose egalement une composition dans Ie 1997,Monique Jutrasrecidive avecces Complaintes medievales. meme style, La princesse de l'Albion, sur la princesse adulee Ce disque fait suite a une recherchequ'elle a effectueeau morte il y a quelques annees de fac;on tragique. niveaud'une maltriseen ethnologiesur les chansonstragiques et Monique Jutras possede une voix au timbre fiche et clair- epiquesde tradition fran~ise, et publieeen 1997 (Vision d'une onnant et une technique vocale sflre. Cependant, on doit mal- societe par les chansonsde tradition orale a caractereepique heureusement reprocher a ce disque sa rigidire : rigidire de et tragique par ConradLaforte et Monique Jutras, Quebec,Les I 'interpretation et rigidire classique des arrangements. Choix Pressesde l'Universite Laval). Soutenuespar des arrangements d'autant plus singulier que, depuis quelques annees, on constate et une instrumentationde style medieval(cromorne, viole, viele, une tendance chez leg groupes de musique ancienne de se rap- flute, saqueboute,cervelas, chamelie, dou~ine, guitare et procher de l'interpretation de la chanson traditionnelle. Malgre autres), Monique Jutraspropose a notre ecouteune douzainede cette reserve, ce disque presente un repertoire d'une grande complaintesepiques et tragiquesvenues en terre d' Ameriquede- richesse et selectionne avec Ie plus grand soin. II devrait compter puis la mere patrie par la transmissionorale. parmi leg classiques du genre et connaltre une bonne carriere. Tenant parfois de l'epopee, ces complaintesevoquent les Mentionnons enfin un feuillet de 38 pages bien documenre, mrersrudes des chevaliers,une epoque0\1 l'honneur d'une fille comprenant leg textes des chansons et leur traduction anglaise. Autresparutions a signaler: Barachois.Barachois. Musique Acadiennede L'Ile-du-Prince-Edouard I Acadian Music from Prince Edward Island. Distribue par House Party ProductionsLtd, Bolte postale24, R.R. #1, Wellington, I.-P.-E., COB2EO ; tel. : (902)854-3019. Barachois,ce sont quatre musiciens,2 garset 2 filles, de la groupecomme animateurs, chanteurs et musiciens,dans la par- region Evangelinea I 'lle-du-Prince-Edouard.Compose de pieces faite lignee desIrish Roverset compagnie.Un secondCD est en traditionnellesdes Maritimes, ce premier disqueest d'une ener- preparation. gie debordanteet met en valeur Ie savoir-fairedes membres du Bertrand Deraspe. Contre vents et marees... Traditions musicales des lles de la Madeleine. Bertrand Deraspe, C.P. 486, Havre-aux-Maisons,lles de la Madeleine(Quebec) GOB IKO; tel. : (418)969-2639. Disquefort sympathiqued'un chanteuretmusicien tradition- comparable,avec one voix et un coup d'archet bien gasp6siens. nel madelinot des plus actifs. Il nous proposeun repertoire de Produit avecla collaborationde CBGA Radio-Canada,Gasp6sie- seslIes d 'un granderichesse, interprete avec un magnetismein- Les Iles a Mataneen 1997. 40...BlJUEllN de musiquefolklorique canadienne 33.4 (1999)

sebastienDionne. L 'accordionne, Volume 1. DIOS-9901 (Cassette).sebastien Dionne, Quebec(Quebec) 694-0224. Originaire de la Gaspesie,sebastien est un jeune accorde- des pieces tirees du repertoire traditionnel, de Messervier et oniste qui a appris aupresde Marcel Messervier,accordooniste quelques-unesde sescompositions. Un talent prometteur. et facteur d'accordoonrepure, de Montrnagny. II nous presente Enfin, je ne sauraispasser sous silence la parution toute pour permettreune plus large diffusion aupresdes professionnels r&:ente d'un recueil d'articles sur la danseet la musique tra- et des passionnes.Mentionnons quelquestitres : «Au dela du ditionnelle quebecoises : Les Cahiers Mnemo. Danse et (Introduction a la musiquetraditionnelle instrumentaleque-

musique traditionnelles du Quebec, Vol. I, Drummondville, becoise»>; «Du set au cotillon ." (Introductiona la dansetradi- Editions Mnemo, 1999, 101 p. ; ; tionnellequebecoise et a sesgenres) » ; «A propos du rigodon» . Les articles que regroupece re- ; «La transmissionde la musiquetraditionnelle par la radio» ; cueil ont ereauparavant publies dansIe bulletin de l'organisme. «Origine du set carre» ; «Portrait d'un chercheur - Marius Vu Ie manqueflagrant d'ecrits sur la danseet la musiquetradi- Barbeau(1883-1969»>. -Donald Deschenes tionnellesquebecoises, Pierre Chartrand, Ie directeurde Mnemo, Beauport, Quebec avec son equipe, ont decidede regrouperles meilleurs articles New QuebecReleases for Autumn 99 Les tetesde violon. ("Fiddleheads")Airs tordus / Crooked Tunes. Violon traditionnel quebecois/ Traditional fiddle .Trente SousZero / Thirty Below, 1108, rue Dollard, Val-Belair, Quebec,Canada G3K lW6; Tel. & Fax: (418) 847-9815; ; . Liette Remonand Guy Bouchard.Airs tordus - 25 - Crooked Tunes. Airs de violon du QuebecFiddle Tunes, 2 volumes. Trente SousZero - Thirty Below, 1996 and 1997, 51 pp. et 35 pp. (without page numbers).

Guy Bouchard,the well-known Quebecguitarist andfiddler, others. To do this, he brought together severalAmerican musi- and former memberof the group La Bottine Souriante,set up, cians, five violinists and a mandolin player. To facilitate the a few years ago, a distribution house for discs of traditional learning of these parts, the rhythm is slightly slower and ar- Quebecoismusic: Trente Sous Zero / Thirty Below. In 1997, rangementsare stripped to the maximum; the only accompani- with violinist Liette Remon, he publishedtwo excellent collec- ment is the foot or sometimesa secondmelody with the viola. tions of twenty-five traditional Quebecoisairs for the violin, airs This doesnot reducethe listening pleasure.Les Airs tordus are of Irish and French origins, and by great fiddlers, such Louis quite tasty; The "Fiddleheads" generatea lively energy which "Pitou" Boudreau,Aime Gagnonand Andre Alain. As an intro- comesfrom the pleasureof playing as part of an ensemblea mu- duction, the first collection presentsan excellent text on "the sic and a repertoire of an extremerichness. Last summer,I was repertory of the fiddlers of Quebec." pleasedto hearthem at the end of July in Joliette, at the Festival To accompanythese collections, Guy Bouchardhas now re- Memoire et Racines,where they were quite successful. leaseda new CD that presentsseventeen of theseairs, with SophiePomerleau. Toutouic la la, berceusestraditionnelles / traditional lullabies. SophiePomerleau, 1613, Chemin du Fleuve, Saint-Romuald(Quebec) G6W 6Z7; (418) 834-6778. This disc containsa dozenlullabies takenfrom I' Anthologie By devotinga whole disc to lullabies, SophiePomerleau has des chantspopulaires fran~is of JosephCanteloube, published set herself a hard challenge. For as calm and soft as are these in 1950, as well as three traditional Quebecoislullabies. Sophie lullabies, the disc necessarilysins by a lack of variety. But they is a young ethnologist from a family of singers. She has an are however very effective in putting children to sleep. A very energetic voice, which she had to restrain on this disc. The simple disc by a warm singer, with a promising voice that only guitarist Michel Borgeataccompanies her. requirestime to matureand to affirm itself.

Les Chauffeursa pied. Rue Lavigueur. LCAP 99-2. Les Chauffeursa pied, 547, rue Lavigueur, app. 5, Quebec(Quebec) GIR IB7; Tel: (418) 523-5336and (418) 527-4530; . This young group is composedof four young Quebecoismu- harmoniesand banjo they are reminiscentat times of Les Cail-

sicians, who for about a year of performancein Quebecand at loux, the first group of "French CanadianFolk Song Singers.II different festivals have achieveda well-deservedand enviable Even if the voicesare still young and are not completelyplaced, success.On this first disc, Les Chauffeursa pied offer a reper- the instruments (violin, guitar, banjo, mandolin, flute, and tory of instrumental music and songs learned from the best mouth music) are well controlled; the recordingsare redolentof young Quebecoistraditional musicians. a beautiful youth. Young musiciansto be watched, they could Moving from responsesongs to work songs,with their have somesurprises in store for us. Canadian Folk Music BUUEllN 33.4 (1999) ...41

Monique Jutras. Complaintes medievales. Chansonstraditionnelles epiques et tragiques I Medieval Ballads. Epic and Tragic Traditional Songs.Invited Musicians: L 'EnsembleClaude-Gervaise. Arrangements by Jean-ClaudeBelanger. PMJ-022. Productions Monique Jutras, 184, rue Aberdeen,Quebec (Quebec) GIR 2C8 ; Tel: (418)525-7538; Fax: (418)525-4712; .

Monique Jutrashad a long careerof interpreting traditional and her family was incarnate in her virginity, where paternal Quebecoissong. She has appearedin many festivals and has authority and vengeancewere terrible. Sometitles: "DameLom- worked in educationalcircles with children in Canadaand in the barde," "La belle qui fait la morte pour son honneur garder," United States.After Chantons et turlutons. La chanson folk:- "La maumarieevengee par ses freres," "La fille tuee par sa lorique quebecoise (booklet and cassette)in 1994 (Bulletin mere," "La courtisanebrQlee," "Le chevalier a la claire epee." 30.4, 1997) and La Tur1utte des Little-Delisle in 1997, By turn, Monique Jutrasalso proposesto us a composition Monique Jutras repeatswith thesemedieval Laments. in the samestyle, La princessede I' Albion, on the adulatedprin- This disc followed upon researchthat she carried out for a cesswho died a few yearsago in such a tragic way. Masters degree in Ethnology on traditional French tragic and Monique Jutrashas a voice with a rich and resonanttimbre epic songs, and published in 1997. (Vision d'une societe par and a surevocal technique.However, one must unfortunatelyre- les chansonsde tradition orale a caractereepique et tragi que proachthis disc for its rigidity: rigidity of interpretationand the by ConradLaforte and Monique Jutras,Quebec, Les Pressesde classicrigidity of its arrangements.A choiceall the more singu- I 'Universite Laval). Supportedby arrangementsand an instru- lar since, for a few years, one hasnoted a tendencyamong early mentationof medieval style with period instruments,Monique music groupsto approachthe interpretationof traditional songs. Jutras offers for our listening a dozen epic and tragic laments In spite of this reservation, this disc presentsa repertory of a brought to from the motherlandby oral trans- great richness, selectedwith the greatestcare. It should count mission. among the classicsof the genreand do well. Tending at times to the epic, theselaments evoke the harsh Finally, let us mention the well-documentedbooklet of 38 moral standardsof the knights, a time when the honor of a girl pages,including the texts of the songsand English translations. Other releasesto note: Barachois.Barachois. Musique Acadienne de L'De-du-Prince-F.douardI Acadian Music from Prince Edward Island. Distributed by House Party ProductionsLtd, PO Box 24, R.R. #1, Wellington, PEl, COB2£0 ; Tel: (902)854-3019. Barachoisis four musicians, 2 guys and 2 girls, from the spotlightsthe know-how of the membersof the group as leaders, Evangelineregion of PEl. Composedof traditional piecesfrom singersand musiciansin the perfect lineageof the Irish Rovers the Maritimes, this first disc is overflowing with energy and and company. A secondCD is in the works. Bertrand Deraspe. Contre vents et mar6es... Traditions musicales des Des de la Madeleine. Bertrand Deraspe, C.P. 486, Havre-aux-Maisons,Des de la Madeleine(Quebec) GOB lKO; TEL: (418)%9-2639. A very pleasantdisc from one of the most active Madelinot voice and bow that are distinctly Gaspesian.Produced with the singersand musicians. He offers us a rich repertoire from the collaboration of CBGA Radio Canada, Gaspesie-LeslIes at islands, interpretedwith an incomparablemagnetism, with a Matane in 1997. sebastienDionne. L 'accordionne, Volume 1. DIOS-9901 (Cassette).sebastien Dionne, Quebec(Quebec) 694-{)224. Originally from the Gaspe,sebastien is a young accordionist from the traditional repertoire, by Messervierand someof his taught by Marcel Messervier,an accordionistand renownedac- own compositions.A promising talent. cordion makerfrom Montmagny. Sebastienpresents pieces taken

Finally, I could not let pass in silence the recent release of lovers of the music. To mention sometitles: "Au dela du reel a collection of articles on tnlditional QuebtX:oisdance and music: (Introduction a la musique traditionnelle instrumentale que- Les Cahiers Mnemo. Danse et musique traditionnelles du becoise)" ; "Du set au cotillon ... (Introductiona la danse Quebec, Vol. I, Drummondville, Editions Mnemo, 1999, 101 tmditionnelle quebecoiseet a ses genres)"; "A propos du rigo- p.; ; . don" ; "La transmissionde la musique traditionnelle par la These articles were previously published in the bulletin of radio"; "Origine du set carre; "Portrait d'un chercheur-Marius the organization. Considering the obvious lack of writing on tra- Barbeau(1883-1969)." ditional Quebecois dance and music, Pierre Chartrand, the direc- -translated by StevenMethot, tor of Mnemo, with his team, decided to gather together the best Calgary, Alberta articles to DeTroita larger distribution among professionals and 42... BUUBllN de musiquefolklorique canadienne 33.4 (1999)

Cordesen Folie. 6 Expresso. C 2536-01. Festival Distribution, 1351 Grant Street, Vancouver, BC, V5L 2X7; seepage 33 for completeaddress

Cordesen Folie (Crazy Strings) is a Vancouvertrio-Pierre Or perhaps there's more of a live feeling to this effort, Imbert, hurdy gurdy, Andre Thibault, flamencoguitar and Dud, which may be the reason Mr. Lazin has earned his bow. That's and SteveLazin, percussion.In fact, all membersdouble on var- what a good percussionist is supposed to do, no? Not just keep ious percussioninstruments, which makesit impossibleto single the beat, but force the leads to step lightly on it? out Lazin's contributions for praise, but given the high quality Finally, I find this recording delightful because of the vari- of musicianshiphere, there's no doubt abouthis worth. Thibault ety it offers. I won't discuss every title, but comments on a few and Imbert also sing; Sid Perezand Andre Lachance,vocal/per- of them should give some indication of what I'm talking about. cussionand , sat in with the group for this session. "Rumba Calabria," as its name suggests, is an ltalian- Readerswill perhapsremember Imbert for his brief tenure flavored Latin dance number that wouldn't be out of place in a with Daniel Thonon's Montreal basedAd Vielle Que Pourraand Fellini film. It opens with Thibault's lovely, sweet guitar, to perhaps,even earlier, for the two records(and Canadianappear- which Imbert later adds something a bit more fiery-a touch of ances)of Lo Jai, the group with which he played beforemoving Jimi Hendrix, perhaps even of post-Coltrane jazz. Imbert really from Franceto North America. The current disc openswith a is taking his instrument into striking new territory. drum roll and someLatin-rock riffs, the bassline taken by the In "Un Momentito," Thibault has the opportunity to show oud, which alternatesthe lead with Imbert's millenial, electrfied off his flamenco chops, the Moorish nature of which demon- hurdy gurdy-when you note that the tune is in fact a 16th- strates clearly what drew him to the oud. (The oud, by the way, century branle, "Le Pelerin libertin," you realize that, like Ad is the Arabic cousin to the lute; like the latter, it is pear-shaped Vielle Que Pourra, Cordesen Folie is into cultural miscegena- and strung with double courses of nylon string. Unlike the lute, tion in a big way. it is fretless and is played with a plectrum!) When Imbert enters But the two groups have very different soundsand tech- this time, he evokes the reedy vocalists of cante hondo-almost. niques.Though many of the tuneshave the samehistorical, con- Given that the hurdy gurdy lacks the dynamic range of the tinental provenanceas A VQP favors, not all are of this style, voice, I'm not sure it can compare in power to a flamenco and Cordesen Folie featuresa darker, more Latin and Arabic singer. (But give him time and some electronic whizzes, and I flavor, which I guessis obvious, consideringthe instrumenta- expect he'll work around that problem.) Still, he does manage tion. Also, as much as I admire Daniel Thonon's musicianship, some bent notes that I didn't realize the instrument could and that of all the players he gatherstogether, I feel like Imbert produce, and his work here is rhythmically quite exciting. and his partnershere have a better grasp of rock idioms, pos- The title cut is less a paean to its subject than an expression sibly of swing, and certainly of pop music atmosphericsthan of an addict's state of being: does A VQP. o,aque malin, j'en ai besoin,

Imbert has been interested in the latter for quite some The Sans music10i isje suitablyn'suis qu'un irritable.bon a nen Imbert as a singer is a Gallic Rex time-Lo Jai's secondLP, Acrobates et Musiciens (Shanachie 21009) soundedlike the soundtrackfor a movie one never got Harrison-someone who's turned the act of speech into a kind to see.To be honest,I found that disc rather lessinteresting than of song. The husky effect is put to particularly good use here. their more folky first recordingand lessinteresting than the cur- After the abrupt ending of "0 Expresso," the group eases rent outing. Why? I'm not sure. Perhapsbecause there's more listners with Thibault's gentle "Berceuse pour Lala." But it'd of a constantsense of the danceroots to the music here, perhaps take a pretty unhip baby to fall asleep during this interesting it's becauseof the few songswhich break it up, or perhapsit's music. -GWL just my own peculiar taste.

,fJ,fJ,fJ

It isn't unusual to walk into Fred Meilleur's hotel on the village's main street [in Chapeau, Ottawa Valley, Ontario] on a Saturdaytiftemoon andfind a couple of "the old lads" singing the old songsto eachother over endlessbeers and Cokeglasses full of white wine. Acrossthe street at Keon's and later on at Fred's, touring bandsplay Irish or country music or rock & roll or all three. I. SheldonPosen Bulletin 19.4 (December/decembre1985)