WAMC Performing Arts Studio
News and Reviews
| QUEBEC GROUP'S SINGING UPLIFTING; HURDY-GURDY PLAYING PART OF SHOW By Dave Singer (First published in the Daily Gazette of Schenectady, NY: Saturday, February 19, 2005) The Quebecois quartet Le Ven du Nord brought their celtic backyard dance party to the Linda Norris Auditorium in Albany Friday night, playing traditional, mostly Canadian French folk music. The foursome played uptempo jig-like tunes that meshed singing, dancing and probably a dozen different instruments to create a full, happy sound that occasionally reached deep but never darkened. With no distinct leader, all four sang, played an array of instruments with skill, and bantered warmly with the audience and each other in English and French. Nicholas Boulerice, a pianist, spent most of his time on a hurdygurdy, an ancient European instrument that he built, which requires him to wind with one hand and play notes with the other, sounding similar to bagpipes. When not on this instrument, he snapped brushes on a thin snare drum. During "Le moine complaisant," from their recent and only CD "Maudite Moisson! " step dancer and accordion player Benoit Bourque persuaded the full house to join hands with their neighbors and dance a traditional dance. Bourque took center stage to step dance to several songs, the crowd clapping loudly for support. Afterwards he seemed winded but always picked up his accordion and played with extra physical energy. Violinist Olivier Demers played a few intense solos, using his feet to stomp rhythms when Boulerice played the hurdy-gurdy, sometimes stamping beats against his fiddle tempo. While the night was marked with occasional fiery solos, for the most part the band went for one, full, forward-leaning sound that made it hard for the most discerning ear to separate the instruments. During "Vive l’amour" or "Hooray for love," guitarist Simon Beaudry sang lead, with the three others joining in the chorus. A band member would set the stage for each song, describing some as old as the 18 th century, some as traditional, and some "dirty." Lyrics almost always help enhance a song, but Le Vent’s music is so alive and uplifting that, for the non-French speaker, it’s relieving to enjoy their singing on only a musical and emotional level without literal distraction. They introduced a new song from their next CD, to be released in March, which they said was in English, and proceeded to play an instrumental without lyrics. They called the roots of their music Irish, Scottish, British and French, and said nearly all their songs or interpretations could be traced to Quebec. The show was recorded for a future broadcast on WAMC. While the group is barely three years old, based on Friday night’s performance and the audience response, the group should feel good about its present and future. Back to News and Reviews |
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