Le Vent du Nord
Encyclopedia
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
group from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The band, formed in 2002, performs traditional Québécois music
Music of Quebec
Being a modern cosmopolitan society, today, all types of music can be found in the Canadian province of Quebec. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of Celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms...
(which is heavily influenced by Celtic music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
from both Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
) in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. The group's membership consists of Réjean Brunet (vocals, diatonic button accordion
Diatonic button accordion
A diatonic button accordion or melodeon is a type of button accordion where the melody-side keyboard is limited to the notes of diatonic scales in a small number of keys...
, acoustic bass guitar
Acoustic bass guitar
The acoustic bass guitar is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to, though usually somewhat larger than a steel-string acoustic guitar...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and jaw harp), Simon Beaudry (vocals, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Irish bouzouki
Irish bouzouki
The Irish bouzouki is a development of the octave mandolin adapted for Irish traditional and other folk music from the late 1960s onward.-Adoption for Celtic music:...
), Olivier Demers (vocals, fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, foot-tapping
Foot-tapping
names = Foot tapping, podorythmyimage =classification = percussion related = step danceFoot tapping or podorythmy is a percussion technique that uses the feet as a musical instrument to produce sound by hitting the feet on the floor. Some people consider it a dance, but it...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), and Nicolas Boulerice (vocals, hurdy gurdy
Hurdy gurdy
The hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin...
, piano accordion
Piano accordion
A piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more similar to that of an organ than a piano, as they are both wind instruments, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deiro in 1910—has remained the popular...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
). All five of their recordings have been nominated for multiple awards; the first two have received awards.
History
Le Vent du Nord was formed in 2002. Nicolas Boulerice and Olivier Demers began the band with Sébastien Dufour and Frédéric Samson. This configuration lasted only a short time, changing once they met Benoit Bourque (vocals, diatonic button accordionDiatonic button accordion
A diatonic button accordion or melodeon is a type of button accordion where the melody-side keyboard is limited to the notes of diatonic scales in a small number of keys...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, bones
Bones (instrument)
The bones are a musical instrument which, at the simplest, consists of a pair of animal bones, or pieces of wood or a similar material. Sections of large rib bones and lower leg bones are the most commonly used true bones, although wooden sticks shaped like the earlier true bones are now more...
, and step dancing) in Vancouver later the same year. With the same interest and passion in folk music, and in spite of the fact that all were engaged in other musical groups at that time, they decided to continue together. Bernard Simard also joined the group on guitar and vocals in the same period. The band officially started in September 2002. In 2004, Simard was replaced by Simon Beaudry. Benoit was replaced by Réjean Brunet in 2006.
Recordings
- 2010 Symphonique - Radio-Canada disque
- 2009 La part du feu - Borealis records
- 2008 Mesdames et Messieurs - Borealis records Live recording from the Mémoire et Racines festival in Joliette on the 26th of July 2008.
- 2007 Dans les airs - Borealis records
- 2005 Les amants du Saint-Laurent - Borealis records
- 2003 Maudite Moisson! - Borealis records
One of their tracks also appears on Putumayo World Music
Putumayo World Music
Putumayo World Music is a New York City based record label, now specialising in compilations of music from various nations, regions or musical styles which may be classified as world music.-Etymology:...
's 2008 Québec collection.
Awards
- 2011 winner of Micro d'art 103,5 at the gala ecelsior Grand Joliette
- 2011 winner of Juno AwardJuno Awards of 2004The Juno Awards of 2004 were presented on April 4, 2004 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and were hosted by Alanis Morissette.Singer-songwriters Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan, and Nickelback led the nominations with five nominations each...
"Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Group" for La part du feu - 2010 winner of Canadian Folk Music Awards "Ensemble of the Year" for La Part du Feu
- 2010 nominated for ADISQADISQThe ADISQ is a nonprofit organization with the mission to help the music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978....
"Traditional Album of the Year" for La part du feu - 2009 nominated for ADISQADISQThe ADISQ is a nonprofit organization with the mission to help the music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978....
"Traditional Album of the Year" for Mesdames et messieurs! - 2008 nominated for Canadian Folk Music Awards "Traditional Band of the Year"
- 2008 nominated for Canadian Folk Music Awards "Traditional Album of the Year" for Dans les airs
- 2008 nominated for ADISQADISQThe ADISQ is a nonprofit organization with the mission to help the music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978....
"Traditional Album of the Year" for Dans les airs - 2006 winner of North American Folk Music & Dance Association "Best Traditional Artist"
- 2005 nominated for ADISQADISQThe ADISQ is a nonprofit organization with the mission to help the music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978....
"Traditional Album of the Year" for Les amants du Saint-Laurent - 2005 winner of Canadian Folk Music AwardsCanadian Folk Music AwardsThe Canadian Folk Music Awards are an annual music awards ceremony, presenting awards in a variety of categories for achievements in both traditional and contemporary folk music, and other roots music genres, by Canadian musicians...
"Best Traditional Album" for Les amants du Saint-Laurent - 2004 nominated for ADISQADISQThe ADISQ is a nonprofit organization with the mission to help the music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978....
"Traditional Album of the Year" for Maudite Moisson - 2004 winner of Juno AwardJuno Awards of 2004The Juno Awards of 2004 were presented on April 4, 2004 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and were hosted by Alanis Morissette.Singer-songwriters Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan, and Nickelback led the nominations with five nominations each...
"Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Group" for Maudite Moisson!