French - Canadian Music
French -Canadian music is, foremost, a way to express the French Canadian culture. It reflects that culture and criticizes it through sometimes humorous, sometimes ironic lenses. It also exploits different styles (pop. blues, country, traditional, rock, jazz¡K), which demonstrates the influences that it has been exposed to. It remains always rich in emotions, and these are wonderfully expressed by its authors and interpreters.
Traditional Quebecois Music
by Danielle Tremblay
Original French
Our traditional music, from its first appearance four centuries ago, has constantly evolved over the years, adapting itself to social and cultural influences. It took on a more urban flavor at the beginning of the twentieth century, thanks to the brilliant work of Conrad Gauthier and was further nurtured in the 1930's by the innovative approach of musical storytellers such as La Bolduc.
Today, traditional francophone music s'habille de nouvelles couleurs due to the influence of other francophone cultures in Canada and elsewhere in the world. Our old songs of love, celebration, legend, and woe are played to the beat of Latin Jazz, Calypso Antillais or even African Soukous!
Here are some recommended sites giving an overview of contemporary traditional francophone music:
Les Productions Mille-Pattes
To find out everything about Michel Faubert, Danielle Martineau and Rockabayou, and La Bottine Souriante. All are veritable pioneers in exploring traditional francophone music styles.
La Vesse du Loup
An excellent group of musiciens whose well-documented site is complete with texts and sound clips.
La Volée de Castors
A promising young group from Lanaudière whose site, in spite of being under construction, nevertheless contains impressive sound clips and dynamic color photos.
And don't forget to visit Trente sous zéro/Thirty below, a site with the latest news about and links to sites discussing the most popular traditional francophone artists in Canada, Europe and the U. S.
Francophone Women in Music
Since the beginning of the century, there have been hundreds of female musicians, authors and composers of songs of all types across French Canada. Of all these creative women, only a few are present on the Web: but what a presence! Their sites are often the best designed, the most complete and the most dazzing of all musical sites. Let me introduce you to la crème des sites. Some are official sites, maintained by the singer or her record company. Others were developed by fans and avid collectors.
Diane Dufresne :
The most original. Includes the biography, discography and the best press releases from this non-conformist québécoise singer and songwriter. Also includes several multi-media projects and works in progress coordinated by the artist and her production house: an interactive journal, a collective Web novel, etc. A must-see! In French.
Passion Céline Dion par Sylvain Beauregard
The most complete site I've seen developed by a devoted fan. An exhaustive discography, many rare pieces (promotional souvenirs, song lyrics, photos and post cards, etc.) and the latest news on the career of Quebec's diva of Pop. In six languages: French, English, Italian, Dutch, Danish and Afrikaan.
Édith Butler
The first Web site developed by a female francophone musician. This Acadian artist is a pioneer at many levels. Radio Cyber-Édith is being revamped, but should be back soon and better than ever! In French.
Kate et Anna McGarrigle
Bilingual (English-French) duo from Québec, are part of the attractive catalog from Rykodisc. English.
Annette Campagne
The first solo album for this ex-member of the group Hart Rouge, from Saskatchewan. Her debut album, Sauter de haut, has a pop-rock style. Annette is with the Québec record company Zéro Musique. French.
Four of the most interesting authors-singers-songwriters in Quebec have inspired these lovely pages at the Web site of their record company, Audiogram: Marie-Michèle Desrosiers, Laurence Jalbert, Geneviève Paris and Sylvie Tremblay.
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Tonight,
Montreal's Molson Center
is the place to be for
the farewell concert of
the world's best-selling
solo artist, Celine Dion.
The concert, which also
features rocker Bryan
Adams and the stars of
the hit play Notre-Dame-de-Paris,
will be broadcast live on
the TVA television network.
The
international superstar,
who has sold over 100
million albums in the
last decade, will be
taking a well-deserved
break from her hectic
performance schedule to
relax and start a family
with her husband, Rene
Angelil.
"For
now, I want to step back
a little bit from the
spotlight. I want to
enjoy the simple things
in life for a change. I
want to spend more time
with my family, my
friends and especially
with René." -
Celine Dion
Born
March 30,1968 in
Charlemagne, a small town
30 miles east of
Montreal, Celine Dion is
the youngest of 14
children. Her parents,
both musicians,
operated a small club, Le
vieux Baril (The Old
barrel), a piano-bar
restaurant in her home
town. On weekends, the
entire family performed
and entertained the local
population, with Celine's
father playing accordion
and her mother the
violin.
Celine
began performing at the
age of five. By the age
of twelve, she had
decided to pursue a
career as a singer. That
year, Celine recorded a
song, Ce
n'était qu'un rêve (It was only a dream),
she wrote in
collaboration with her
mother and her brother
Jacques.
The
demo tape containing the
song was sent to Rene
Angelil, who was
managing the career of
Celine's idol, Ginette
Reno. Angelil was so
impressed with her talent
that he mortgaged his
house to finance Celine's
first recordings. They
eventually married on
December 17, 1994, in
Montreal.
Celine
Dion is now known
throughout the world and
has won numerous awards,
among them five Grammy
Awards and two Academy
Awards, including one
last year for " My
Heart Will Go One ",
theme song for the film
"Titanic". She
also received three
American Music Awards, seven World Music Awards and seven
Billboard Music Awards. In Canada, she
has won 20 Junos and, in
Quebec, 42 Felixes! |
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