Afro Fusion / Afro-Electro / afro-pop / Jazz

POP Montréal | SAM.IITO, A Promising New Cycle

by Michel Labrecque

In the small, sparsely packed Rialto Hall on Thursday evening, SAM.IITO (Samito) introduced us to his new musical project, Des–Dobramento (deployment), whose main theme is shame.

For the Mozambican-born musician, who has lived in Montreal for almost two decades, this project is a return to his roots: after having worked extensively in the electro sphere, this African musician trained in jazz admitted in an interview that he also listens to a lot of soft music. So, he wanted to bring all these parts of himself together in a new musical adventure.

And the result on stage is very promising, if unfinished. SAM.IITO himself said as much at the start of the concert, and even asked the audience for feedback on how to improve. SAM.IITO really doesn’t do things the way most people do them, and that’s what makes him so endearing.

This sonic journey takes us into all kinds of musical textures, from extreme mellowness to dance party, with intriguing jazz harmonies, aided by saxophonist and keyboardist Alex Ambroise, drummer Salin Cheewapansri, violinist Elsasosa Jousse and bassist Milla Thyme, also on keyboards.

SAM.IITO sings, mostly in Portuguese, and we also play keyboards. Added to this assemblage are processed samples of choral singing, speeches and instruments played.

While some arrangements still need to be perfected, the overall experience is one of Samito’s most accomplished musical offerings. The fusion of his various musical heritages floats us in an emotional bubble. It’s at once learned and playful, lulling and challenging.

Des–dobramento is a work in progress, unfinished, but very interesting indeed. Let’s hope we’ll soon be able to witness the continuation of this embryonic project.

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Alternative / Art Folk / Experimental Folk / Folk Rock / Indie Folk

POP Montréal I Forgotten Stories with Nap Eyes

by Stephan Boissonneault

Have you ever discovered a band that feels like a warm hug from a distant friend that you may or may not have actually met? That’s Nap Eyes from Halifax. From the moment this four-piece—actually five for this show featuring the one and only Yves Jarvis on guitar and synths—took the stage, the artsy-drab basement of La Sotterenea felt a bit brighter. Nap Eyes at its best is backed by soft, yet full acoustic guitar, a steady bass and drum section, pristine, halcyon lead guitar licks, and lyrics that feel a bit Rolling Thunder Revue-era (think “Isis”) Bob Dylan. For years, I’ve been told in strange music media hype circles to check out this band live, and now I know why.

These musical tales, led by vocalist/guitarist, Nigel Chapman, are deeply descriptive, but vague, kind of like a piece of magical realism. Just check out “Passageway,” the single for Nap Eyes’ upcoming album, The Neon Gate. For most bands, the instrumentation leads the lyrics, but with Nap Eyes, it’s the reverse. I found myself floating, drifting in and out of the basement and into the Nap Eyes fantastical narrative, and then I was pulled back by the lead guitar, sometimes harmonized by Jarvis, who was just too cool on stage. I also loved how Chapman would just smile and “This is nice,” into the microphone and crack a smile like a kid who just discovered ice cream. You could tell that he, and the band, were really cherishing the moment.

The Nap Eyes show sort of felt like listening to an old Yo La Tengo record or reading Hermann Hesse; the songs are long, but rightfully so, like a story told by someone who has had a bit too much wine at a party. But because of that imagery and delirium, we all stay for the denouement. That might sound a bit too pretentious, but it’s the truth. Yes, Nap Eyes might have been one of the most authentic performances I’ve seen in some time.

Indie Rock / Shoegaze

POP Montréal I Sunnsetter’s Sound Bath

by Stephan Boissonneault

I caught the tail end of the acoustic stylings singer-songwriter styling of Devarrow (after hearing a few minutes I’ll definitely check him out) and waited a while to be bathed in sound by Sunsetter, the project of Andrew McLeod. As a consistent collaborator and live performer with Zoon, I’ve seen McLeod before, but this was my first ever Sunsetter show.

The sound man at La Sotterenea seemed to be having some trouble with McLeod’s microphone, but after around 15 minutes of Tim Carelton’s “Opus No. 1” (you know if from being on hold on the phone anywhere in Canada) blasting on the speakers, McLeod strummed his cherry red SG, of which he had three, and the show was on. Sunnsetter utilizes a healthy mix of shoegaze with pedals that, added up, probably cost thousands of dollars, but their tones are just like honey. He also loves to loop a line off one guitar and switch to the next. I was half expecting him to pull out a whammy bar and slam some glide guitar vibratos, but he didn’t which was a breath of fresh hair. Too many shoegaze artists overuse the Kevin Shields techniques.

The vocals for Sunnsetter, for the most part, are quite simple, coming from Mcleod’s worn voice, sometimes a combination of Billy Corgan’s and Mark Gardener’s, touching on the themes of death, isolation, and love; very shoegazey. The audio levels seemed to be all over the place, bouncing from extremely loud to hushed murmurs, which definitely lost some people. Regardless, those down for a sleepy sound bath got one. I’ll definitely be checking out the upcoming album, Heaven Hang Over Me, in November, especially when I have the urge to astral project.

Folk / Folk Pop / Indie Rock / Pop

Basia Bułat: a luminous twilight

by Marianne Collette

On Thursday evening, composer and multi-instrumentalist Basia Bulat set the Montreal skies ablaze with her dynamic, catchy folk tunes. It was an excellent appearance at the POP Montréal festival by a singer who interrupted her The Garden Tour for one evening to treat her audience to a succulent selection of some of her best songs.

“I feel like we’re the Beatles!” exclaimed Basia Bulat at the start of the show. It’s true that in terms of location, you can hardly do better than the roof of the Rialto, especially when the concert takes place at the same time as the sunset. As the first chords of Heart of My Own sounded, the sky turned to pink and the golden, vibrant atmosphere of twilight enveloped every track of this short, but very successful concert.

Speaking of location, let’s not forget the undeniable talent of the sound team, who perfectly balanced zither, guitars, bass, keyboards and drums, all in a space that was both outdoor and limited. It’s a tour de force we’d be wrong to forget, especially when it comes to folk music: despite the challenges of the environment, the audience was able to appreciate the works on all their levels, from the energy of the percussion to the sweetness of the vocals to the more delicate ardor of the string instruments.

Fans of Basia Bulat were in full force, as the show quickly sold out. The adopted Montrealer even took the time to say hello to a few familiar faces. In the end, it seemed as if the musicians were playing for their friends – old and new alike – infusing the event with a warm, casual feel that in no way detracted from the quality of the performance. The singer was generous with her audience, even going so far as to perform three completely new songs, My Angel, Disco Polo and Baby. The theme of family was at the heart of all three songs, and Basia Bulat candidly confessed that her next album would draw heavily on her experience as a new mom.

Baroque Pop / Indie Rock / Musiques du Monde / psychédélique

Vampire Weekend at Place Bell | Hardened and generous

by Sami Rixhon

Ezra Koenig and his band of vampires set foot on Quebec soil for the first time in five years this Wednesday, as the band presented their fantastic new album, Only God Was Above Us, to the Place Bell audience. For over two hours, Vampire Weekend drew perfectly on their different eras to demonstrate the immense musical palette they are capable of conceiving.

Four days after welcoming the legendary PJ Harvey, the Place Bell audience was once again spoiled by talented American alternative artists, namely the New York trio Vampire Weekend.

The set kicks off at around 8:20 p.m. in classic fashion, with “Campus, Boston (Ladies of Cambridge)” and “One (Blake’s Got a New Face)”, all from their 2007/2008 career. The trio stand in front of a curtain with the band’s name spelled out soberly in white on black, until… well, until the curtain falls on the climax of “Ice Cream Piano”, revealing four more musicians, a retro-futuristic backdrop and another set of spotlights. In the back of our minds, we had a sneaking suspicion that the performance wasn’t going to be quite so conventional throughout. An effect like this in concert is always a big yes.

Vampire Weekend presents hits from its first four albums(Vampire Weekend, Contra, the excellent Modern Vampires of the City and Father of the Bride), but naturally focuses on its latest offering, Only God Was Above Us, released just over five months ago. In all, nine of the opus’ 10 songs will be performed. Let’s talk about the album, by the way: after a slightly more “classic” pop turn with Father of the Bride in 2019, this year the Vampires treated themselves to a return to their roots with indie rock, baroque pop, shoegaze, Latin and Caribbean rhythms… name it. A jewel to be listened to in one go, and personally my album of the year.

Koenig is an excellent frontman, not the most expressive in his movements or attitude, but he does exactly what is asked of him in the case of Vampire Weekend: excel in all styles. Sentimental on “Unbearably White”, reflective on “Mary Boone” and powerful on “Capricorn”. To bring the full musical richness of the tracks to the stage, the musicians move from instrument to instrument, including Ezra Koenig, who takes a saxophone solo on the wacky “New Dorp. New York”. Multi-instrumentalists of the kind you see less and less these days. In my humble opinion, Vampire Weekend are certainly one of the most talented and innovative bands on the alternative scene since 2008, the year of their recording debut.

Between songs, the Vampire Weekend frontman addresses a 9-year-old fan of the band in the audience, who learns that this is her first concert, thanking her for coming. He also takes the opportunity to say hello to the people of Laval, but especially those of Montreal, knowing that Place Bell isn’t particularly full of North Shore residents (also knowing that they’re simply not in Montreal at the moment). It’s little touches like these that confirm that the band doesn’t go completely on autopilot during a tour.

After a two-hour concert, Vampire Weekend close the regular part of their show with “Hope”. One by one, the members leave the stage, until the band’s bassist, Chris Baio, plays the last notes, alone in front of the audience.

As a reminder, Vampire Weekend proposes an original and perilous exercise, to say the least: take any request for songs not written by Vampire Weekend. From “Don’t Look Back in Anger” to “Chop Suey!” not forgetting “So Long Marianne”, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “I’m Still Standing”. Each time, the interpretations are haphazard, with Koenig admitting every other song that half the band doesn’t know the chords. An amusing, good-will closing.

Until next time, dear Vampires.

PLACE BELL CONCERT SETLIST

1. Campus
2. Boston (Ladies of Cambridge)
3. One (Blake’s Got a New Face)
4. Ice Cream Piano
5. Classical
6. Connect
7. White Sky
8. Step
9. This Life
10. Sympathy
11. New Dorp. New York (SBTRKT cover)
12. The Surfer
13. Unbearably White
14. Oxford Comma
15. Capricorn
16. Gen-X Cops
17. Diane Young
18. Cousins
19. A-Punk
20. Prep-School Gangsters
21. Mary Boone
22. Obvious Bicycle
23. Harmony Hall
24. Hope

RAPPEL

1. Tempted (Squeeze cover)
2. Don’t Look Back in Anger (Oasis cover)
3. So Long Marianne (Leonard Cohen cover)
4. Here Comes Your Man (Pixies cover)
5. Chop Suey! (System of a Down cover)
6. How You Remind Me (Nickelback cover)
7. Dangerous Night (The Night Is a Knife cover)
8. The Boys Are Back in Town (Thin Lizzy cover)
9. Man! I Feel Like a Woman! (Shania Twain cover)
10. You’re Still the One (Shania Twain cover)
11. I’m Still Standing (Elton John cover)
12. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (Talking Heads cover)
13. Walcott

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IDLES is the air fryer of post-punk & English Teacher is a class-act

by Vanessa Barron

On a crisp autumn night, the punk-adjacent congregations of Centre-Ville gathered at the sold-out MTELUS, donning their finest black band t-shirts, to witness the advent of English post-punk quintet IDLES with support from English Teacher.

My prior knowledge of these acts came from a speed-run listen of their discographies along with a few conversations with IDLES fans over the years that suggested this band garners a passionate fanbase. Like the “I’ve seen them five times and got their lyrics tattooed” kind of passion. English Teacher is fresher to the scene, but they’re already making a big impression, as their first LP This Could Be Texas released this year won the esteemed Mercury Prize.

English Teacher was a pleasure to have in class, so to speak. I wouldn’t normally describe a rock band as elegant, but a lot of rock bands don’t feature piano and upright bass, do they? Vocalist Lily Fontaine gracefully navigated spoken word and full-throttle belting, moving between rawness and clarity in her tone. “Nearly Daffodils” showcased this full range of vocal flexibility along with some crisp 7/8 time signature breakdowns from the strings that created both a tense and energetic atmosphere. I was unexpectedly reminded of the indie-Brit-pop singer Kate Nash (who, by the way, is coming to Foufounes Electrique in October) in the way that the lightness of the plinky piano chords and guitar arpeggios complemented the punchy lyrics and warm basslines.

Then the crowd did, in fact, go fucking nuts for IDLES. I witnessed at least two walls of death and an innumerable number of flying sweatshirts and appendages from crowd-surfers. The energy of both the crowd and the performers was equally matched: guitarist Mark Bowen swung his instrument around like a hula hoop, drummer Jon Beavis had no hesitation to fire off blast beats on the kick drum, and the lead singer Joe Talbot maintained an unbridled shout-singing voice for a whopping hour and a half. It felt like these songs were really designed with the live performance in mind; they sounded more complete with hundreds of raspy voices providing the backing vocals to the singer’s thick-accented declarations on tracks like “Gift Horse,” screaming “LOOK AT HIM GOOOOO” in a blissful and unified fervor. It’s like listening to “Seven Nation Army” on YouTube in comparison to hearing a football stadium hooting and hollering along to the infamous bassline.

I vibed with IDLES the most when they ventured into groovier tracks with snare rim-clicks and syncopated beats like on “Samaritans” and “POP POP POP” from their newest album TANGK. At worst, I found songs like “Car Crash” to drag on with a monotonous drone and a plodding beat, more aptly comparable to a deflating tire than an explosion. Nevertheless, there’s no denying that IDLES’ intensity and drive remained unwavering throughout the show, with the audience fully matching their raw enthusiasm.

classique / période romantique

OM Goes Big with Bruckner’s Final Symphony

by Alain Brunet

On Sunday, the Orchestre Métropolitain played the unfinished symphony by Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), the Ninth, of which he was unable to write a satisfactory version of the last movement after having attempted several sketches, because he was very ill and “overwhelmed by his own genius”, which means unable to conclude such strong movements, particularly the scherzo, the 2nd, “so imposing, with a visceral, telluric force”, to use Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s epithets, before he explains the addition of the Te Deum, a choral work by Bruckner, as a complement to the symphony, at the suggestion of its creator.

“If there’s one composer who has accompanied the orchestra, it’s Bruckner,” emphasizes the Quebec maestro in his opening remarks. YNS conducted the composer’s 9th for the first time in 2002, then again in 2009, as part of a vast project to record all Bruckner’s symphonies from 2006 to 2017, with the critical success we all know.

The opening program is a “ceremony” without applause, without pause. Bruckner’s 9th was thus coated with Te Deum at the end and beginning, as has been the case for some years now with an Auotchtone composition by Cree artist Andrew Balfour, Mamachimowin. According to the composer, this 6-minute choral and orchestral work expresses the difficult relationship between the spirituality of the aboriginal nations and the influence of the Catholic religion on these peoples, who were mistreated by the Westerners who came to settle in the Americas. An eminently colonial relationship between the monotheistic French conqueror and the native polytheism and shamanism deemed primitive by the Europeans.

Thus, this spectral contemporary work was a judicious choice to introduce the unfinished symphony. Bruckner is arguably a signature repertoire for the OM and its conductor, and his performance on Sunday was exemplary. Indeed, much of the first movement and the entire second movement reveal an uncommon density and power, surely among the most remarkable achievements of 19th-century symphonic music. The horns, trombones and trumpets lend such force to Bruckner’s orchestral discourse. In the end, this humble, pious man was inspired to the point of foreshadowing what was to come, allowing himself an almost modern harmonic audacity, paving the way for his successors, starting with Gustav Mahler.

Obeying the conductor’s instructions, the audience was exemplary, silent until the end of this hour and a half of contemplation. The only blot on this masterly picture was the soloists seated with the choir for the Te Deum: at the very back of the orchestra, the voices of tenor Limmie Puliam (especially), mezzo Jennifer Johnson Cano and bass Ryan Speedo Green were hard to make out in space, while soprano Latonia Moore cut through it as she should.

Photo Credit: François Goupil for OM

Jazz

Back In the Ella Days With Caity Gyorgy and ONJ

by Vitta Morales

Thursday night, the Orchestre National de Jazz, together with two-time Juno winner Caity Gyorgy, treated a sold out Cinquième Salle to ninety minutes of Irving Berlin compositions as they were arranged for Ella Fitzgerald. Gyorgy was not shy to divulge just how impactful the music of Fitzgerald has been in her own career and it was immediately obvious how much she has studied and internalized this repertoire.

Homage concerts necessarily leave one open to extra scrutiny since it is often the case that audiences will know the music well and have certain expectations with respect to how it should sound. I’m happy to report, however, that the ONJ and Gyorgy’s combined powers resulted in a concert which respectfully and accurately paid homage to Berlin and Fitzgerald while also being tastefully stylized at times.

Musically, everyone played their role effectively and nearly everyone had moments to solo throughout the show; of course, Gyorgy herself was no exception and she showed off her improvisational prowess early on in the evening soloing over “Blue Skies.” Notably, her note selection did not falter during the denser 16th note flurries of her solo. Even some saxophonists tend to get lazy in this regard so it is admirable and impressive that she chose to sing these passages with clarity and confidence instead of faking something only semi serviceable.

Other notable soloists came from the usual suspects including trumpeter Bill Mahar and pianist Marianne Trudel who injected some more modern vocabulary in what was otherwise a night of straight forward swing. Even the occasional lapse in concentration took basically nothing away from the evening; the drums coming in with a different tempo from the rest of the band on “Heat Wave,” a flubbed lyric on “You Can Have Him” and a strange application of reverb out of nowhere on Gyorgy’s voice during “Putting on the Ritz” were really the only ones I noted.

However, despite everyone’s combined talent and effort, (and despite the inclusion of two non Irving Berlin compositions), I must admit feeling some fatigue about three quarters into the show. Big band swing music is a testament to great arranging and high energy at the best of times, but this music was written to grace the dancefloors. And so after nearly ninety minutes I began to feel the weight of how repetitive swing music could be; something compounded by that we have, largely, left behind the tradition of dancing to this music in favour of sitting down and listening to it with reverence.

My interest only picked up again during the encore, which was decided in typical jam session fashion, that is to say on the fly. Gyorgy and the ONJ rhythm section played a version of “Mack the Knife” at the audience’s request. Gyorgy sang the song with half remembered lyrics which she compensated for by improvising melodies and making up her own verses both in English and clunky French. It was such a spontaneous and skillful display one couldn’t help but laugh along with them.

We are now nearly a century removed from when this music was new and from when Ella Fitzgerald first gained notoriety for singing with Chick Webb’s band. As such, much of the audience, and even the orchestra itself, was either grey-haired or no-haired; but for those who periodically fear for the future of jazz and how its traditions will be remembered and passed down, I have good news: there are still skillful young adults who champion, perform, and keep this music relevant for future audiences. Caity Gyorgy being one of them, it goes without saying.

Auspiciously, I even happened to be seated beside two university jazz students who remained invested throughout the entire show. I think that as long as they have access to shows like the one put on by the ONJ and Caity Gyorgy last night, the kids will probably be alright; and so too will jazz.

classique

Successful Start to The OSM Season

by Alexis Desrosiers-Michaud

The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal opened its 91st season this week with Arnold Schoenberg’s rare and impressive Gurrelieder, to mark the 150th anniversary of his death.

This is a rare and impressive work, due to the sheer number of performers required: a very large orchestra (on Friday, for example, there were 7 trombones and 14 double basses), 6 soloists and a huge choir; in other words, between 300 and 350 performers for a duration of around 1 hour 45 minutes.

The Gurrelieder (pronounced Gourrelider) is one of Schoenberg’s last compositions before his breakthrough three years later, and the reason for his worldwide fame. By way of background, in 1913 with Pierrot Lunaire, he broke away from the system on which all composers had written since Bach, to treat sounds separately rather than according to the notion of scale, or tonality. To situate the reader, the Gurrelieder are halfway between Richard Wagner’s aesthetic for melodies and themes and that of Richard Strauss for orchestration. The poems are written by Danish poet Jans Peter Jacobsen, and tell the story of King Waldemar, who falls in love with Tove. His jealous bride, Dove Waldemar, causes Tove’s death. Furious, the king rages against God, whom he blames for making the event happen. The king then raises an army of the dead who, for one night, sow terror and destruction.

The first thing you notice is Rafael Payare’s incredible accompaniment skills. Constantly attentive, he manages to ensure that the huge orchestra follows the melodic line sung by the soloists with great precision. With such a large orchestra, it’s only natural that the soloists should be buried here and there, but it’s during the purely instrumental moments that we see just how restrained and attentive the musicians were. Seeing this, we’re already looking forward to the concert versions of Mozart’s operas he’ll be conducting later this season.

Speaking of soloists, two stand out; Clay Hilley (tenor, Waldemar) and Karen Cargill (alto, Dove). The former excels with clear melodic lines and convincing stage presence, and the latter is downright terrifying in announcing Tove’s death at the end of the first part. Slowly but surely, her single intervention led brilliantly into a tragic B-flat minor chord in the trombones. Her deep voice was so touching that we couldn’t even measure the length of this lied, so carried away were we. Honorable mention to Ben Heppner (narrator); by far the most audible above the orchestra.

After more than an hour of music, the choir entered the stage, and despite the distance between us, we were surprised by the men’s first, powerful “Holà”. In crisp German and surgical accuracy, they offered us another sublime moment when accompanied by a few musicians (woodwinds and trombones). Symbolizing the army of the dead, the men’s chorus with low brass brought us a rare, long moment of calm. This kind of open passage is dangerous when the sound mass has been dense for a long time; it was mastered.

This concert would have been excellent without it, but we thought it would be interesting to add a lighting effect, the cherry on top of the sundae. This addition immersed the audience in the spirit of the story, helping them to follow its course. Depending on character and emotion, the background lighting changed subtly or drastically, without ever suddenly catching our eye. A perfectly justified exception was the end of the work, where at sunrise, the entire auditorium was illuminated in a majestic apotheosis.

Photo: Antoine Saito

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Bossa Nova / Brazilian / Jazz

Brazilian Days | Saudade According to Erivan GD

by Sandra Gasana

On this second Brazilian day, we were treated to a sextet of high-calibre musicians on Duluth Avenue, to kick off the musical program. Under the direction of bassist Erivan GD, who accompanies several artists on the Montreal Brazilian scene, they concocted a colorful and emotional set.

I had the pleasure of seeing him at La Brassée a few months ago, but this time he had expanded his line-up for the occasion. So we had Jean-Philippe Grégoire on guitar, Santiago Ferrer on piano, saxophonist Thiago Ferté, Olivier Bussières on percussion of all kinds and drummer Shayne Assouline. Together, they managed to make us forget the cold weather at the beginning of September.

What I like about this type of performance, without vocals, is the length of the solos. From the very first tracks, we were treated to several solos, not always in the same order, alternating with each other. We had time to immerse ourselves fully in the musician’s world, in the meanders of his rhythms, before moving on to another musician. The percussionist varied his instruments, sometimes using a pandeiro, or other typically Brazilian instruments, among others.

“It’s cold so I need to move. If you want, you can move with me,” says Erivan, after opening with Afternoons by Milton Nascimento, who has just released an album with Esperanza Spalding.(MILTON + ESPERANZA – PAN M 360).

He then follows up with three of his own compositions, including Déjà vu. The instruments enter gradually, giving the impression that the musicians are dressing up the piece, layer by layer. Even during his solos, Erivan manages to maintain the rhythm and structure of the piece, allowing him to return with the ensemble seamlessly. In his role as conductor, he communicates with his musicians, who know when to come in and when to go out, all very subtly. The intensity was at its highest during Everything is sound, which at times included abrupt stops, before continuing with rhythmic flights.

“The third piece is very special to me on this day, and is called Saudade, which is a Portuguese term that’s difficult to translate into French, a bit like nostalgia,” Erivan explains, before playing a jazz / bossa, my favorite of the show. The progression was a natural one, with moments of solos but also instruments in unison. At this point, the percussionist adds his pandeiro to accentuate the group’s Brazilian touch, before ending the piece in the same way they began it.

We couldn’t end the mini-concert without including another classic, Tom Jobim’s Samba de Verão, with its goosebump-inducing piano solos. And not just because of the cold, but above all because of the intense emotions felt by the audience, who grew in number throughout the show.

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Bossa Nova / Brazilian / Brazilian jazz / Música Popular Brasileira

Brazilian Days | Bianca Rocha: A Lot of Calor In The Cold!

by Michel Labrecque

Sunday September 8 will go down in Montreal history as an unusually cold day. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Journées Brésiliennes, which celebrate the culture of a tropical country. But the Brazilian artists didn’t let it get them down. Bianca Rocha injected warmth into our souls, with inspired MPB (Brazilian popular music) that delighted a large audience, some of whom knew most of the lyrics.

Bianca Rocha’s smile is totally infectious when she sings. Irresistible. Her music is a blend of bossa nova, Afro-Brazilian music, gaucho music from southern Brazil, pop and jazz, impeccably arranged by guitarist Rodrigo Simoes. Everything flows naturally, with highly competent musicians, including drummer/percussionist Lara Klaus, who instantly conveys the joy of making music…even when it’s freezing.

Bianca has a versatile vocal range, alternating between meditative sweetness and power. Most of her songs are sung in her native Portuguese, but she did deliver a composition in French, about the possibility of creating paradise on earth; as well as a very feminist song by the excellent Canadian-Colombian artist, Lido Pimienta.

Bianca Rocha is also a committed singer, but with a playful perspective. Even her song Fim Do Mundo (End Of The World) makes you want to dance. In fact, it’s the title of her only album, released in 2021.

This woman, originally from Curitiba in southern Brazil, came to Montreal in 2019 because of the rise to power of far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro, she tells me in an interview after her show. Her partner landed an interesting professional opportunity and the family moved north. Since then, Bianca Rocha loves to live Montreal and plans to stay here, while eventually opening up to the Brazilian music market.

Bianca Rocha is thus a welcome addition to Montreal’s increasingly rich Brazilian musical ecosystem, as we heard this weekend.

Let’s face it: there’s musical talent from all over the world in Montreal. And all these people are mixing and creating together. No matter what some politicians think, it makes Montreal great. Even for native Quebecers, who were present at the Journées brésiliennes.

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Electro-Punk

Palomosa | Pelada Lays Down Their Swords

by Lyle Hendriks

Though I haven’t been around for much of Pelada’s reign across Montreal’s scene, it’s hard to go anywhere without hearing them mentioned.

Comprised of Chris Vargas (vocals) and Tobias Rochman (instrumentalist, producer), Pelada has long been known for their unique blend of tense, almost punk-inspired influences alongside more danceable club tracks.

Pelada has created an impressive legacy over 10 years of performing—which is why it was sad to hear that Palomosa was Pelada’s last ever set. The pair put on a rousing performance, especially considering their early time slot and the never ending rain. Vargas is ferocious on the mic, growling in Spanish and English with a frenetic, ever-climbing energy that makes them impossible to ignore.

Gritty and piercing, each pointed phrase cuts into us like a knife, with Pelada’s already-intense energy only elevated by the knowledge that it’s the last time. Like a cloud heavy with acid rain, there’s an impending overhang when Pelada is onstage, with Vargas’ larger-than-life persona perfectly supported by Rochman’s grungy, skillful instrumentation.

In the final moments of what I suppose is Pelada’s final performance as a duo, Vargas led the crowd in chants of “Palestina Libre!”. Where a lesser artist might have taken this moment to hear their name chanted one final time, this powerful gesture just shows that the punk rock vitality at the core of Pelada was never just for show. In the end, Palomosa offered a worthy send-off to the unforgettable life and work of Pelada.