On the compilation CD Sang 9 reviewed for Vital several months ago, the Ambiances Magnétiques label presented new and lesser known talents from Canada on the new music scene. One of them was Mélanie Auclair who now presents her first solo effort. On most of the pieces on this debut she either sings or plays cello. Most pieces have accompanied with another musician. On one piece we hear a trio and in the opening track Auclair plays a solopiece for cello. Auclair started playing cello at the age of 4 and later she was trained in classical singing. Nowadays Auclair likes to play improvised music because of her interest and drive to let emerge music spontaneously. She recorded with Joane Hétu, Bernard Falaise and Klaxon Gueule a.o. Auclair also has some experience in composing for theatre and dance productions. But now she wanted her music to stand on it’s own feet. For this project she asked and received the cooperation of several musicians she admires. We hear Auclair in duo with Vincent Réhel (piano), Guy Thouin (percussion, voice), Eric Auclair (bass, vibraphone), Charles Papasoff (bariton sax), Joane Hétu (voice) and Bernard Falaise (electric guitar). The cd closes with a trio by Eric Auclair and Michel Dubeau (Shakuachi). So it should not surprise that the 8 tracks on this cd make up a varied collection of improvisations. In all these meetings Auclair was interested in letting the improvisations come as spontaneoulsy as possible. If you ask me what they have in common, I would say that most pieces develop in the same slow pace. The intense vocal piece by Auclair and Hétu forms the exception. Because Auclair likes to play the low ranges of the cello most pieces have a dark and melancholic atmosphere, which is escpecially the case for the moving opening track. A common quality is also that most improvisations are textural explorations. Another musician mysterously named Papa Sucreah plays a role here. He seems to involved in most of the tracks doing some electronic extras that I’m unable to identify. Anyway with Puce à l’oreille Auclair delivers a improvised music that is ‘unspectacular’ but of a great emotive quality and honesty.

Triple offensive de deux redoutables poseurs de bombes-platines. Splendide désordre. La dématerialisation ne faisant rlen qu’à gagner du terrain (si l’on peut dire), prenons plaisir à parler d’un disque d’abord en tant qu’objet. Ce plaisir sera d’autant plus vif que l’objet-disque qui nous intéresse présente plusieurs signes ostensibles de non-conformismes: prenant la forme d’un coffret miniature semblable à une boîte à bijoux, il contient trois mini-cd,tous trois glissés dans une feuille de papier gris. Miniature, mini, mince… Cela signifie-t-il qu’ici tout est riquiqui? Pas du tout, mais alors pas du tout! Tout entière composée d’ondes de choc, la chaotique musique que déversent, ensemble ou séparément, Otomo Yoshihide et Martin Tétreault, tendrait plutôt, avec une vigueur vite perceptible, à un ravissement maximal des tympans. Cette saine entreprise de décrassage n’étonne guère de la part de deux trublions notoires, platinistes — un platiniste étant, sachez-le, non pas un disciple de Michel Platini, mais un manipulateur plus ou moins indiscipliné de platine-disques — véhéments, persuadés que le bruit est une aventure que chaque enregistrement réitére. Aprés tout, si ce n’est pas pour chahuter l’inconnu, à quoi bon s’en aller en studio? Studio, tel est d’ailleurs le titre du disque, abrasif exemple de dissiddence sonique, né de la rencontre entre nos chercheurs de noises. De ce Studio en splendide désordre, Tétreault a effectué un remix analogique, tandis que le kamikaze Yoshihide lui faisait subir les derniers outrages numériques. Le tout est à prendre ou à laisser. On prend.

Montréal’s own L’OFF Festival de jazz starts June 25, 2004. Don’t miss the live performances of DAME artists, Tim Brady on June 28 and Trio Derome Guilbeault Tanguay on June 30 both will be held at Le Va-et-Vient.

Les Poules will end their season with two concerts in North-America, ,June 17, at Buffalo’s Big Orbit Gallery (NY) and ,June 18, 2004, at ArrayMusic’s space in Toronto (ON) for the Leftover Daylight concert series.

The Fanfare Pourpour will launch a huge tour of the province of Québec from ,July 14 to 25, 2004,, a tour that will immerge populations into the sonorities of their latest album, Le bal. In full detail, the band will make stops at Sherbrooke’s Place de la cité on ,July 14,, at Bic’s Auberge du Vieux Bicois ,Juy 15,, at Saint-Alexis-de-Matapédia’s municipal hall on ,July 17,, at Anse-à-Beaufils’ old factory on ,July 18,, at Saint-Siméon-de Bonaventure’s Chalet de l’Île on ,July 20,, at Gaspé’s Brise-bise on ,July 23,, the band will then take part to Mont-Louis’ Festival d’art indiscipliné de la Région de l’Est on ,July 24, and finally they will take part to Québec’s Fête du Faubourg on ,July 25,.

Montréal label Alien8 Recordings is now available through our website. Submerge yourself into the soundworlds of Shalabi Effect, Merzbow, Set Fire to Flames or The Unicorns.