QUEBEC

Putumayo Presents | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 24, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Putumayo World Music
• ASIN: B00187PNBU
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,596 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #38 in Music > Pop > Euro Pop > French Pop

Track Listings

1. Cette Ville - Mathieu Mathieu

2. Etrange - DobaCaracol

3. Je m'demande - Martin Leon

4. Un Homme - Annie Villeneuve

5. Brulots - Chole Sainte-Marie

6. Nitshiuenan - Florent Vollant

7. Au Chalet - Marie-Annick Lepine

8. Il Fait Dimanche - Myreille Bedard

9. Les Visceres - Polemil Bazar

10. La Brunette Est La - La Bottine Souriante

11. Vive l'amour - Le Vent Du Nord

Editorial Reviews

Putumayo joins in the 400th Anniversary celebration of one of the world's most fascinating and beautiful cities with the new release Québec. This collection features an array of Québécois songs ranging from traditional folk to contemporary singer-songwriters, and even includes a song by a Native Canadian artist singing in the rare Montagnais language. Designated as a World Heritage City, Québec City has a proud musical tradition. Drawn from a variety of influences such as French and Celtic folk traditions and European pop, Québécois music includes a broad range of sounds and styles. Through this enchanting selection of songs, Putumayo seeks to introduce listeners to the compelling music of this unique province. With their modern hippie attitude, DobaCaracol is a bit of an anomaly on the Québec pop music scene, but their enchanting fusion of funk, reggae vibes and African rhythms with French-language pop has earned them a wide following. Singer Chloé Sainte-Marie, after establishing herself as a film actress, has earned her place as a popular and respected vocalist whose songs draw from the poetry of French, Québécois and Inuit writers. One of the most recognizable figures in Québécois popular music, Annie Villeneuve was a celebrated winner of the television program Star Académie, the Québécois equivalent of American Idol. Singer-songwriter Florent Vollant writes most of his songs in his native Montagnais language, an Algonquian language spoken by over 11,000 people. As part of the successful Native American pop group Kashtin, Vollant has helped bring indigenous Canadian music to a wide audience throughout Canada. Québec also features 7 other artists who have drawn from a diverse range of influences to create their own unique sounds. A portion of the proceeds from Québec will be donated to Jeunes Musiciens du Monde (Young Musicians of the World), a Québec-based non-profit organization

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vive le Quebec!, August 5, 2008

By 

Sarah - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: QUEBEC (Audio CD)

Ever had that amazing sense of deja vu? As I was in my local Texas Barnes and Noble, I heard an in-store CD that shocked me for its obscurity; I was sure that the voice belonged to one of the members of Kashtin, a First Nations Innu band from Quebec that had disbanded some time ago as both members pursued solo careers. I thought "that's impossible, why would they be playing Quebecois First Nations music in Texas? And from a band as obscure as Kashtin?" (Kashtin's Akua Tuta received airplay on the Due South: The Original Television Soundtrack). I ran back to the music department only to find that Putumayo's latest compilation embraced my first love, Quebec.

As someone who has a French major with an emphasis on Quebec Studies and studied for two summers at Universite Laval in Ste-Foy, Quebec, I can attest that this special anniversary CD (the 400th anniversary of Quebec City's founding by Champlain) is a bit eclectic to thoroughly represent the broad range of Quebecois music, but it makes a brave attempt. This ranges from call-and-response courtesy of well-known Quebecois bands La Bottine Souriante (Anthologie) and Le Vent Du Nord (Maudite Moisson !)to more modern fusion stylings from DobaCaracol, a track from Annie Villeneuve (Quand Je Ferme Les Yeux), the winner of Quebec's version of Pop Idol, and a nod to Quebec's rich First Nations heritage (there are eleven tribes) from Florent Vollant.

I wasn't familiar with many of the artists (it's been six years since I lived in Quebec City), but I could think of many Quebecois artists that I wish had been included, such as Lhasa (La Llorona), whose haunting voice blends Spanish, English and French with a fusion of Mexican and world influences, early important pop figures such as Felix Leclerc (20th Century Masters) or Gilles Vigneault, or modern sensations such as Celine Dion (On Ne Change Pas), Garou (Reviens), Roch Voisine (Roch: Best of Roch Voisine), Eric Lapointe, etc. My personal favorites are the two most traditional tracks from La Bottine Souriante and Le Vent Du Nord (I have a large collection of traditional Quebecois folk music) and the haunting track sung in Montagnais by Florent Vollant; his solo CDs (Katak) are sung entirely in Montagnais (an Algonquin language) and are absolutely amazing, though pricey for those of us south of the (Canadian) border.

But these tantalizing tracks are an accurate reflection of the many cultural influences at work in Quebec, from First Nations tribes to its many Francophone immigrants from Africa and abroad, and Putumayo: Quebec serves as a perfect jumping-off point for a more in-depth exploration of the riches that Quebec's music has to offer.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful sampler, July 22, 2008

By 

Dufay "dufay" - See all my reviews

This review is from: QUEBEC (Audio CD)

Having fallen in love with Montreal and Quebec, I bought this sampler to become better acquainted with the music. This CD has turned me on to artists I did not know- which has led me to buy even more CDs by the individual artists. Be careful- you might find yourself spending more money to delve further into some of these artists.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Quebecois Cornucopia, July 22, 2008

By 

Amaranth "music fan" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: QUEBEC (Audio CD)

Putumayo's "Quebec" is a musical feast. It's gorgeous Gallic music, fit to accompany ratatouille, vichysoisse, and baguettes. "Quebec" was released on Midsummer's Day,celebrated as St. Jean Baptiste in Quebec as the day their city was founded four centuries ago. The compilation melds music both old and new, giving a stage to artists little known outside their homeland.

The opening song, Mathieu Mathieu's (the Canadian M et M?) "Cette ville" is a joyous ode to small town life. DobaCaracol's "Etrange (Strange)" is a fitting song title;it's a strange,engaging combination of reggae, funk, and chanson. Martin Leon,who studied with Ennio Morricone,has the spaghetti western song "Je m'demande." Annie Villeneuve,who was on the Quebecois version of American Idol,contributes the easy listening "Un Homme." Florent Vollant has Native American folk rock, singing in the ancient montagnais language. Myreille Bedard's "Il fait dimanche" is Quebecois bossa nova. Polemil Bazar's "Les Visceres" is Canadian swing that's about... viscera. La Bottine Souriante and Le Vent du Nord have good ol' fashioned Canadian folk. It's an enjoyable musical journey.

"Quebec" has delicious music,along with a delicious recipe (cider and rosemary lamb shanks).

A portion of the proceeds from "Quebec" goes to keeping folk music traditions alive among the young. Great music for a great cause!