Térez Montcalm
Encyclopedia
Térez Montcalm is a Canadian
singer-songwriter
. She describes herself as "a jazz
singer with a very 'rock
' attitude". As a musician Montcalm sings and plays acoustic guitar
, which she has played since a young age, as well as playing double bass
. Her influences include artists from a variety of genres, including Jimi Hendrix
, Elvis Presley
and Billie Holliday and her music has been compared to that of Edith Piaf
and Janis Joplin
. Her career started in 1981 and during her early years as a musician, she performed as a warm-up act for bands such as Cowboy Junkies
.
As of October 2009, she has released five studio album
s. Her first album, Risque was released in 1994 and saw Montcalm nominated for five ADISQ
awards in 1995. The tour following the release of the album consisted of over 100 shows in Canada and around Europe. Her second album, Parle Pas Si Fort was brought out in 1997 and this was followed by an eponymous album in 2002. In 2006, she released the album Voodoo, her first sung in the English language. The album achieved a peak position of #43 in the French albums chart
, and was on the chart for 30 weeks. Her most recent album, Connection, fared even better in France, reaching a top position of #37 on 3 October 2009.
, Canada
in 1963. At the age of seven, she formed an ambition to forge a career out of singing after seeing the René Simard
film "Une enfant comme les autres". After being introduced to Jimi Hendrix
and Elvis Presley
by her brother, she took up acoustic guitar
several years later. During her early musical life she opened for such artists as Cowboy Junkies
and Robert Charlebois
while working at Popico's theatre in Alberta
. After a short period in Montreal
as part of the duo Beaux Esprits in the autumn of 1993, Montcalm returned to Quebec
and entered the recording studios to produce her début studio album
. She released Risque in 1994, an album which featured performances from fourteen different musicians and earned her five Félix Award
nominations in 1995, including Female Singer of the Year, and Best Pop/Rock Album. The album proved popular and was followed by a major tour consisting of over 100 concerts in Canada, France, Belgium and Switzerland.
Three years after the release of her first album, she released the record Parle Pas Si Fort in 1997 on Universal Records
. The album was again followed by a tour, which was this time limited to shows in the area around Quebec. After the excessive amount of touring, Montcalm took a break from performing live and devoted the following three years to writing new material and practising the double bass. In February 2002, she released her third studio album, the eponymous Térez Montcalm.
For her fourth album, Montcalm hired jazz guitarist Michel Cusson as a producer. After four years without an album, she released Voodoo on 21 March 2006 in Canada. The album was her first to be sung in English
; her previous three recordings had been in French
. The album consisted of a mixture of original compositions, interpretations of jazz classics and adaptations of songs by such artists as Elton John
and the Eurythmics
. In November 2006, Dreyfus Records released the album in Europe. After entering the French albums chart at #150 over a year after its initial release, the record reached a peak position of #43 in May 2007. She embarked on a tour of Europe in the same year, playing over 150 dates in cities such as Paris, Milan and Rome. To date, Voodoo has sold more than 60,000 copies worldwide.
In 2008, Montcalm returned to the studio and again hired Cusson to produce her fifth album. Connection was released in her homeland on 10 February 2009. The album was brought out in Europe in the autumn of the same year and again achieved a respectable position in France, entering the albums chart at #37 in October 2009.
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...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She describes herself as "a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer with a very 'rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
' attitude". As a musician Montcalm sings and plays acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, which she has played since a young age, as well as playing double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
. Her influences include artists from a variety of genres, including Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and Billie Holliday and her music has been compared to that of Edith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
and Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
. Her career started in 1981 and during her early years as a musician, she performed as a warm-up act for bands such as Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Margo Timmins , Michael Timmins , Peter Timmins and Alan Anton ....
.
As of October 2009, she has released five studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s. Her first album, Risque was released in 1994 and saw Montcalm nominated for five ADISQ
ADISQ
The ADISQ is a nonprofit organization with the mission to help the music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978....
awards in 1995. The tour following the release of the album consisted of over 100 shows in Canada and around Europe. Her second album, Parle Pas Si Fort was brought out in 1997 and this was followed by an eponymous album in 2002. In 2006, she released the album Voodoo, her first sung in the English language. The album achieved a peak position of #43 in the French albums chart
Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique
The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry...
, and was on the chart for 30 weeks. Her most recent album, Connection, fared even better in France, reaching a top position of #37 on 3 October 2009.
Biography
Thérèse Montcalm was born in QuebecQuebec
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...
in 1963. At the age of seven, she formed an ambition to forge a career out of singing after seeing the René Simard
René Simard
René Claude Simard is a pop singer from Quebec, chiefly popular in the 1970s. He was discovered and managed by Guy Cloutier...
film "Une enfant comme les autres". After being introduced to Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
by her brother, she took up acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
several years later. During her early musical life she opened for such artists as Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies
Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Margo Timmins , Michael Timmins , Peter Timmins and Alan Anton ....
and Robert Charlebois
Robert Charlebois
Robert Charlebois, OC, OQ is a Quebec author, composer, musician, performer and actor. He is an important figure in French language song....
while working at Popico's theatre in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. After a short period in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
as part of the duo Beaux Esprits in the autumn of 1993, Montcalm returned to 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....
and entered the recording studios to produce her début studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
. She released Risque in 1994, an album which featured performances from fourteen different musicians and earned her five Félix Award
Félix Award
The Félix Award is a music award, given on an annual basis to artists in the Canadian province of Quebec.The first Félix awards were presented on September 23, 1979, by the Association du disque, de l'industrie du spectacle québécois...
nominations in 1995, including Female Singer of the Year, and Best Pop/Rock Album. The album proved popular and was followed by a major tour consisting of over 100 concerts in Canada, France, Belgium and Switzerland.
Three years after the release of her first album, she released the record Parle Pas Si Fort in 1997 on Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
. The album was again followed by a tour, which was this time limited to shows in the area around Quebec. After the excessive amount of touring, Montcalm took a break from performing live and devoted the following three years to writing new material and practising the double bass. In February 2002, she released her third studio album, the eponymous Térez Montcalm.
For her fourth album, Montcalm hired jazz guitarist Michel Cusson as a producer. After four years without an album, she released Voodoo on 21 March 2006 in Canada. The album was her first to be sung in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
; her previous three recordings had been 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 album consisted of a mixture of original compositions, interpretations of jazz classics and adaptations of songs by such artists as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and the Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Eurythmics were a British pop rock duo, formed in 1980, currently disbanded, but known to reunite from time to time. Consisting of members Annie Lennox and David A...
. In November 2006, Dreyfus Records released the album in Europe. After entering the French albums chart at #150 over a year after its initial release, the record reached a peak position of #43 in May 2007. She embarked on a tour of Europe in the same year, playing over 150 dates in cities such as Paris, Milan and Rome. To date, Voodoo has sold more than 60,000 copies worldwide.
In 2008, Montcalm returned to the studio and again hired Cusson to produce her fifth album. Connection was released in her homeland on 10 February 2009. The album was brought out in Europe in the autumn of the same year and again achieved a respectable position in France, entering the albums chart at #37 in October 2009.
Albums
- Risque (1994)
- Parle Pas Si Fort (1997)
- Térez Montcalm (2002)
- Voodoo (2006) - FRA #43
- Connection (2009) - FRA #37
- Cafe Elektric (2009) - Cusson, Mervil, Montcalm