Le Vent du Nord

2004 Juno Award winners for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year/Group for Maudite moisson

Depuis sa fondation en août 2002, Le Vent du Nord a connu une ascension fulgurante. Récipiendaire de nombreux prix prestigieux – dont un Juno – le quatuor est désormais l’une des formations trad québécoises les plus estimées à travers le monde. Le groupe est aujourd’hui formé des chanteurs et multi-instrumentistes Nicolas Boulerice, Simon Beaudry, Olivier Demers et Réjean Brunet. Les chansons qu’interprète Le Vent du Nord sont des œuvres tirées du répertoire traditionnel et des compositions originales. Sur scène, les quatre complices atteignent des sommets de pur bonheur qu’ils ont le don de partager avec tous les publics. Le Vent du Nord a le talent de livrer en spectacle une musique qui fait danser toutes les foules autant qu’elle sait émouvoir. Une musique qui, sans aucun doute, est bien de son temps.

Nicolas Boulerice

He grew up with the family repertoire and the songs collected by his father. His passion for traditional music led him to Ireland and France, where he learned to play the hurdy-gurdy. A young, talented and charismatic musician, Nicolas has been roaming the folk circuit for the last ten years, starting out with Ad vieille que Pourra and MontcorbieR. Alongside Olivier Demers, he then recorded the album Le vent du nord est toujours fret… , which was the genesis of Le Vent du Nord. He has also worked alongside several other artists such as the jazz septet Ovo, Les Batinses, Dobacaracol, Les Zapartistes, Benoit Charest and Michel Faubert. He is a founding member of Roues et Archets, a record label specializing in québecois traditional music, and is also co-founder of the Chants de Vielles festival in Calixa-Lavalee, Québec.

Olivier Demers

Trained as a violinist and also a solid guitarist, Olivier started out in chamber music and later moved on to jazz. His great versatility allowed him to work with a wide range of artists (La Bottine Souriante, Michel Faubert, The Bills, Dany Bédar, Boom Desjardins, Les Ours, Mario Pelchat, Ovo) as well as to compose music for the NFB and commercials. He now describes himself as a violoneux (fiddler), having devoted the past ten years of his life to traditional music. He has played with MontcorbieR, was part of the duo Boulerice-Demers (two albums, among which Un peu d’ci, un peu d’ça, rewarded as Canada’s best traditional music album for 2006) and has been very active in promoting the tradition as co-organiser of La Veillée de l’avant-veille (for the last 10 years), of the Chants de Vieilles festival and as co-founder of the Roues et Archets record label.

Réjean Brunet

Réjean started playing québecois traditional music as a very young boy. After performing with his brother (André, well-known for his work with la Bottine Souriante and the Celtic fiddle festival) as a duo and recording three albums, Réjean joined La Volée d’Castors. He toured with them for 8 years, performing in Europe, Canada and the U.S. as they released 5 albums. Réjean is also frequently invited by traditional musicians such as Sabin Jacques, Richard Forest and Gaston Nolet to join them on stage or in the recording studio. Réjean grew up in the village of Lacolle, Québec; he now showcases his great talent around the world.

Simon Beaudry

Hailing from Saint-Côme, Québec, an environment where tradition is still very much alive. Simon inherited a solid family musical background from both his grandfathers (one a fiddler, the other a singer) and went on to polish his craft by earning a music degree at Joliette College. He started out by performing, as a solo artist and in a duo with his brother Éric, traditional repertoire and songs from the great québecois songwriters in many cafes around his hometown. Later on, he accompanied the « Petits pas jacadiens » troupe of Saint-Jacques-de-Montcalm before joining Le Vent du Nord, with whom he now travels the world, displaying his sweet voice and his rich, personal guitar playing.

André Brunet

ANDRÉ BRUNET was born in Lacolle, in Quebec’s Montérégie region. Growing up, it was his parents who first noticed his keen interest in music and encouraged him to follow his passion. André’s first love was for the violin and, at the age of nine, he began taking lessons. Along with brother Réjean, he created Les Frères Brunet and went on to record several albums and perform at various concerts around the world. In 1997, André’s unwavering energy and refined style earned him a spot with La Bottine Souriante, with whom he toured more than 15 countries over the course of 10 years. Although his journey with La Bottine Souriante came to an end in 2006, André remained immersed in traditional music. At the Grand Masters Fiddling Competition in August 2008—an event showcasing more than twenty violinists from across Canada— André took home top honours as “Grand Master of Canada”. It was the first time a Quebecer had won the prestigious award since the competition’s inception in 1990. Whether he’s accompanying his wife Martine Billette for a piano duet, or playing alongside fiddle stylists Kevin Burke (Ireland), Christian Lemaître (Brittany) and Ged Foley of Celtic Fiddle Festival, André feels right at home on any stage. Today, his passion for traditional Quebec music continues to pave the way for dance and swing enthusiasts the world over—a true journey of musical discovery.

Reviews

“As near perfect a record in the Quebec tradition … absolutely essential. ”

Penguin Eggs

“Their talent and experience come together in a joyous musical family reunion of Quebec and Brittany … a sound that swings, reels, jigs and sings with centuries of joie de vivre dancing toward a new horizon.”

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

“Le Vent du Nord epitomizes the infectious verve and bonhomie of the current roots music revival in Québéc.”

Tony Montague, FROOTS

“Arrangements simples et harmonies magiques. Une belle brise fraiche et novatrice dans le paysage trad québécois”

Trad Magazine

“The band has hit on the right formula: one smiles, laughs, is moved (even to tears, at times); in short, they get all the reactions that a good band should get from their audience.

“Le Vent du Nord is the most exciting group I have seen in a long time!”

Helene Korolenko quoted byJoanna McQuillan

The Standard Times, New-Bedford, 2003

Awards

Les amants du Saint-Laurent was chosen album of the year at the 2005 Canadian Folk Music Awards

2004 Juno Award winners for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year/Group for Maudite moisson

Photos

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