CANADIAN FOLK PROGRESSIVE :
Canada is a rich musical country. It has brought forth several great singer songwriters.
- (like Joni Mitchell ; from whom I can recommend her first 5 acoustic releases : *****, Bruce Cockburn, really noteworthy for his 2nd-6th accoustic release, (different from his electric period), John Martyn's most of his acoustic period, and his first super band, Heather McLeod, from whom I can recommend at least her "Funny Thing" CD, (with 2 releases reviewed at the Singer-Songwriters review page), Veda Hill, from whom I can recommend anything, Neil Young, from whom I can recommend Harvest, Everybody Knows, After The Gold Rush as starters, and some more).
Beside that it has also brought forth a unique form of folk progressive music, mostly out of Quebec, the French speaking part. The style of it is heavily inspired by French singer song writing but also by composed progressive music (like French ones too, may be like Ange,..). The compositions are dreamy, tempered, pastoral, almost chamber music like, with a very tempered rhythm, nicely flowing...
Groups within that range and mostly within this style are listed here beneath.
GENERAL LINKS :
Canadian progressive music : http://www.kinesiscd.com/canada.htm
Introduction Canadadian progressive http://www.borderlinebooks.com/canada/introduc.html
from on line prog encyclopedy http://www.borderlinebooks.com/canada/canada_f.html
Canadian music encyclopaedia : : http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicPopEncycloPages/home.html
Music in Canada Encyclopaedia at http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/4/17/index-e.html
Canada on line rock encyclopaedia at http://www.borderlinebooks.com/canada/canada_f.html
Canadian Pop music encyclopaedia at
Pop encyclopedy at http://www.quebecpop.com/
60's groups at http://www.oricom.ca/jgagne/
Canadian sixties punk page at http://www.kiwi-us.com/~hitomi/nightmare.htm
Canadian Classic Rock at http://www.ilos.net/~denden/CCRP.html &
Canadian Music magazine's musicians list http://www.canadianmusician.com/cmbands.htm
Canadian Music Periodical Index : http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/wapp/cmpi/jt_e.htm
Canadian artists at http://www.community-media.com/doubledouble/Artists.html
History of Folk music in English Canada : http://folkmusichistory.com/outline.shtml
Canadian Classic Rock : http://www.ilos.net/~denden/CCRP.html
Sony Music in Canada : http://www.sonymusic.ca/about_labels.html
Canadian Jazz at http://www.vancouverjazz.com/canada/
Contempory composers from Qébec at http://members.tripod.com/~Lassonde/Mus-qc.html#mus-qc
Cajun links at http://www.cajunculture.com/LinkMusicArt.htm
More interesting musical links at http://members.tripod.com/~Lassonde/fr-gauch.html & http://www.cleverjoe.com/canada.html & http://www.wezel.com/music/links/linksmus.htm
INDIVIDUAL NAMES,LINKS :
AGAPE
Private
Agape : Le troisième seul (CAN,197?)*****
Agape : Le troisième seul (CAN,197?)*****Seamingly spiritually inspired, highly original and clear music. On first track some bizarre church organ, somewhat like a less heavy Jacula, with flute, drums, bass, some electronic, some collage. Further lots of Quebec folk prog. Third track is like first tracks of the first album of Sisa (with typing machine,..).
ANNO DOMINI
Private Anno Domini (CAN,2002)****
Anno Domini (CAN,2002)****Beautiful mostly instrumental chamber like item with folk and romantic elements with use of diverse acoustic instruments, including piano and sitar..
JIM CORCORAN & BERTRAND GOSSELIN
Kébec DiscJ.Corcoran & B.Gosselin : La tête en gigue (1976)**
J.Corcoran & B.Gosselin : La tête en gigue (1976)** Like a soft Mallicorne sometimes. The very long guitar duo track is superb.
Web Sites : (in French) http://www.comnet.ca/~rg/jim_bert.htm
Jim Corcoran's Web site : http://site.ifrance.com/leparolier/quebecois/classartistes/j/jimcorcoran.htm & http://www.quebecpop.com/c.htm#Corcoran_Jim
Bertrand Gosselin's Web Sites : http://site.ifrance.com/leparolier/quebecois/classartistes/b/bertrandgosselin.htm
with official site at : http://www3.sympatico.ca/bertrand.gosselin/
Contact : bertrand.gosselin@sympatico.ca
BRECHE
Beautiful Mallicorne like music, and some nice acoustic arrangements.
BOULE DE SON
Beautiful Cano/Troisieme Rive like private release.
PrivateBoule de Son : Just'en passant... (1975)***°
Boule de Son : Just'en passant... (1975)***°CANO
I posess their first three releases. The release "Tous dans l'même bateau" is nice. Most of all the long tracks are beautiful. The texts are inspiring within a colder environment. Au Nord the Notre Vie continued like that, with some nice long tracks.
A&M rec.Cano : Tous dans l'même bateau (1976)***° ?
Cano : Tous dans l'même bateau (1976)***° ?A&M rec.Cano : Au Nord de notre vie (1977)***
Cano : Au Nord de notre vie (1977)***This item with sound at http://www.apcm.ca/cano3.html
A&M rec.Cano : Eclipse (1978)*
Cano : Eclipse (1978)*According to Laser's Edge : "Beautiful and at time fragile French Canadian progressive folk. Cano were a rather large ensemble (8 members) which began as a spinoff from a commune. Strangely although they were from Ontario and not Quebec they embraced French culture (this is reflected in their vocals). The male/female harmonies are backed by a wide array of instrumentation: acoustic and electric guitars, piano, violin, bass, and drums. The music has a rather delicate and refined quality."
French article at http://www.infomag.ca/magazine/nouveau/fra_v4n6_1.htm
Contact label apcm@sympatico.ca
( CATHARSIS
Spalax Music Catharsis : vol 1,Illuminations (F,1971)*****
Catharsis : vol 1,Illuminations (F,1971)*****Pastoral and bizarre mostly accoustic prog with lots of church organ,like quiet version of Suspiria from Goblin or Jacula, possibly influenced by them. With female ethereal singing. In last tracks a bit more piano and bizarre electronic or semi-accoustic sounds in clear compositions, with some Pink Floyd influences. Highly original, unique. PS. Used in Canadian prog Folk radioshow, but this is actually French ).
Sound files at http://www.ventricle.com/Catharsis.htm
Spalax MusicCatharsis : Le Bolero (CAN, 1972)***'
Catharsis : Le Bolero (CAN, 1972)***'Much more hammond organ lead compositions. Much more melodic compositions. Symphonic. Somewhat like Italian symphonic. Tr.14 is with wonderfull organ/bass some sitar etc.
CONFRERIE DES FOUS
Very chamber music like folk ?
About Jean Blanchart's cooperation at http://www.musicwords.nl/blanchard.eng.htm
CONVENTUM
Very chamber-like prog with folk influences
CadenceConventum : Lu bureau central des utopies (CAN, 1979)****'
Conventum : Lu bureau central des utopies (CAN, 1979)****'COURAGE OF LASSIE
Third Mind Rec. Courage of Lassie : Sing or die (CAN,199?)**'
Very good folk (pop) and ssw flavored item. Half of it sounds like L.Cohen, and lots like male/female duo tracks like Cohen's duo singing period with adition of good arrangements. Sometimes I wonder how much a Cohen wannebe. Female vocalist is most gifted. I like her aditions at most.
RAÔUL DUGUAY
Writer genius. He made nice records in the seventies. Nothing very different in style, somewhat folk flavoured, but his character and odd approach to language makes these records original. He made also some recordings within an anarchistic dadaistic project "l'infonie". This item has a very Captain Beafheart like character, and is recommended to fans of Beefheart and Zappa. I have separate pages about Raôul Duguay, with a separate page about l'infonie too. The recent theatrical project about the Golghota, also with the contempory composer Boudreau,is a rewarded (release expressing a) reflection of 'human' suffering but it is hell to listen to as well.
Contact : raul.duguay@sympatico.ca
Some introduction at http://www.quebecpop.com/d.htm#Duguay_Raoul
Mucho G. L'infonie (dir.Walter Boudreau)(1969)****°
(label entry at http://www.fusion3.com/album/14857/ and my own entry at http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/infonie.html)
My review of "Golghota" you can read at http://www.electrocd.com/press.e/401000.html
CapitolRaôul Duguay : L'Envol (1976)**
Raôul Duguay : L'Envol (1976)**CapitolRaôul Duguay : M (1977)***°°
Raôul Duguay : M (1977)***°° Capitol Raôul Duguay : Allo Toulmond (1975)***
L'ENGOULEVENT
Beautifully composed full embodied folkrock, mixed with chamber music like ideas. Highly recommended.
From http://www.gepr.net/em.html : "Quebecois ensemble incorporating strings, brass, piano, tuned percussion and acoustic guitar. Rather folky, but mainly light classical/ chamber-music styled. Some light male vocals here and there cut through the microcosmic-orchestral arrangements. On the whole, one of the nicest French-Canadian chamber-prog." -- Mike Ohman
L'Engoulevent : L'Ile Ou Vivent Les Loups (1977)****
HARMONIUM
A classic item, one of my favorites is "si on avait besoin d'une cinquième saison" (when we needed a fifth season). It contains some of the most beautiful mellotron I ever heard. One passage is the ultimate heaven to me where I might want to stay for ever. Their third item has shorter tracks, is in its folk content in the same direction, but it does not have the same magic nor any mellotron. Their 1974 item contains ok tracks. Their fourth item is orchestrated film music as far as I remember.
Gamma Harmonium (1974)**?
Polydor Harmonium : Si on avait besoin d'une cinquième saison (1975)****°
Contact : webmaster@harmonium.qc.ca
Web Sites,Web Pages : http://www.harmonium.qc.ca/ ,
with sounds at http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Cafe/8782/, (F) http://www.comnet.ca/~rg/harm.htm , http://www.quebecpop.com/h.htm#Harmonium & http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/7269/harmonium.html & http://www.gepr.net/ha.html#HARMONIUM & http://site.ifrance.com/leparolier/quebecois/classartistes/h/harmonium.htm & http://pages.infinit.net/rez2000/indispensables/page1/harmonium/
Basic info at http://www.borderlinebooks.com/canada/h1.html#Harmonium
Texts of cinquième saison : http://www.epi.logue.com/eatharm.html
LE TEMPS
Parapluie Le Temps (1975)**
Very nice arranged first track. Chanson like acoustic item.
Website (with sound fragment) at http://www.quebecpop.com/t.htm#Temps, http://acmi.canoe.ca/JamMusicPopEncycloPagesM/maneige.html
MANEIGE
Les Disques Kozak Maneige : Ni vent..ni nouvelle (1977)****
Symphonic Fusion with losts of accoustic elements.
Japanese page at http://www.mm-m.ne.jp/chipmunk/MANEIGE.html
NORTHWIND
Northwind (CAN,196?)***°Very good 60's psych pop.
PERTH COUNTY CONSPIRACY
Perth County Conspiracy : does not exist (197?)**°
Commune based group. Although being acoustic it should not be in this list for its style. This could have been American hippie music with added instrumentation.
Bigger album scan : http://music.blinkenlights.org/albums/title_pics/1040.jpg
Cedric Smith page http://www.devine-ent.com/shows/inventors/d-ilmoro.shtml & http://www.scream.interlog.com/97/smith.html & http://www.northernstars.ca/actorsstu/smithcedric.html
Milton Acorn page at http://www.scream.interlog.com/97/acorn.html
PTARMIGAN
Now re-released under the name of the performers Nordstrom/Dias : Ptarmigan this item contains some very beautiful dreamy acoustic progressive not easily to define in a category. Some consider this as the ultimate psych folk album. The newly official cdr version with thick booklet contains some bonus tracks. The later work of the duo unfortunately is not progressive any more. A recommended release. The singing reminded me a bit at S.T.Michael. I made a separate page about the group. More links at that page about Ptarmigan.
Ptarmigan (1978)****°
(TOCABIOL
French group with pastoral beauty, fitting with these Canadian items)
TROISIÈME RIVE
NagoyaTroisieme rive : Banlieuses (F,1980)*** (VG)
Troisieme rive : Banlieuses (F,1980)*** (VG)Good record, with a few long tracks. I thought this was Canadian but seems to be French. It fits however well with the Canadian items listed, so I leave it here.
Playlist with some of the reviewed items (-radioprogram 2002,Jan 9th-) click here.
A second radioprogram can be expected 2002, March 13th. Playlist here.
Do you know other interesting acoustic based progressive music from Canada ? Please E-mail me.
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