Maudite Moisson ! (IMPORT)

Le Vent du Nord

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 2, 2003)
• Original Release Date: September 2, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Borealis Recording
• ASIN: B0000AISXV
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #113,664 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Roger Levesque, Penguin Eggs, Summer 2003
This debut disc is one the finest collections to come out of French Canada in recent memory.

Product Description
Originally founded by pianist and hurdy-gurdy player Nicolas Boulerice and fiddler Olivier Demers, the band now boasts the addition of step dancer/accordionist Benoit Bourque (Matapat) and singer/guitarist Bernard Simard. The energy emanating from these four is unstoppable and it shines through on the recording. Audiences everywhere are finding it impossible to resist moving to the music and calling for encore after encore.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traditional music with a contemporary feel, December 16, 2003

By	Jeremy Hull (Winnipeg Manitoba (Canada)) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a wonderful record of traditional music from Quebec. The music tends to be upbeat, toe-tapping music, often accompanied by foot-clogging that makes you want to get up and dance. These upbeat numbers are mixed with some beautiful waltzes and laments. Many of the songs also have the traditional Quebecoise call-and-response structure. More often than not the songs have playful, humorous lyrics, contrasting with melodies that sound like they were born of lives of hardship. Other melodies swing or have a lyrical or wistful feel to them. One traditional Quebec lament, about a man who swears off women and retires to a convent, has been given a slow, jazzy guitar and piano accompaniment that wouldn't be out of place in Porgy and Bess. The singing and musicianship on fiddle, accordion, guitar and hurdy-gurdy is great and there is a liveliness and freshness throughout. French song words are provided in the accompanying booklet, along with brief French and English notes on each piece. I have heard this band in concert, and the record captures the fun and energy of their live performances.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's French, It's Quebec, It's Wonderful Music, January 5, 2007

By	Ronnie P. Guimond "Gnostic" (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This group caught my eye on the Richmond, VA folk festival homepage. They are from Quebec, their music is French-canadian Quebecoise but mostly importantly, their music is wonderful! Almost every song on this CD is unique and well produced. If you don't understand French then go to their website and see the translation there--but you really don't need to know French to enjoy the music. This is not just some collection of esoteric folk songs, this group provides an intertaining brand of traditional music while preserving the roots of each song's musical origin. I love the foot tapping beat that accompanies almost every song. The group masterfully blends various folk instruments to include the Hurdy Gurdy.

The group's real talent though is their ability to work together in their play and in their call-and-response harmonies that will have you humming many of their tunes in your head long after you've heard them.

Among my favorites are Grand Pit/Reel a deux tetes, Vive L'amour/Reel a Ti-Zoune, and Cher Amis Buvons

Grand Pit/Reel a deux tetes--This is a great song and if you take the time to understand the lyrics it tells a great story that I seem to recall all too well in one form or another from my childhood in Northern Maine.

Vive L'amour--lively, catchy, and upbeat this is one of those songs your remember and hum to all day long.

Cher Amis Buvon--I can't help to think that this is the quebecoise version of a rap song. It's short and it's just vocals and feet but I found myself trying in vain to sing it myself--so cool.

Also great are Au bord de la Fontaine--sets the tempo for the rest of the CD. Riton/C'est dan Paris--a ballad that just is so well sung that it sends chills through me everytime I hear it.

If you're into Celtic and Folk and want to try a refreashing change of pace and good music check this group out. I have a feeling these guys will be around for quite some time putting out great music.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Celtic with a twist!, August 2, 2005

By	K. Swanson "music lover" (Rohnert Park, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Le Vent du Nord is traditional Quebecois music - that is, Celtic with a certain something that, for me, is the spirit of Quebec. With the traditional foot-tapping accompanying every song, amazing multi-part harmony by well-developed male voices, Maudite Moisson ! is a must for anyone who enjoys music with great rhythm and lots of soul! My particular favorites are tracks 1 (Au Bord de la Fontaine), 5 (Chers Amis Buvons) and 7 (Le Moine Complaisant). Don't let the language stop you! All the songs are well-described in the libretto so that, although you may not understand every word, you understand the spirit behind the sound. This album gets the highest recommendation from this music-lover.