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Anomalie is the emerging Quebec jazz project that is generating the most excitement among a new generation of jazzophiles world wide.
Led by Montreal keyboardist, composer and arranger Nicolas Dupuis, Anomalie takes on the likes of Snarky Puppy, Louis Cole, Ezra Collective, Domi & JD Beck and Kokoroko.A viral phenomenon on the web, Anomalie has built its audience without using traditional marketing processes, with old media lagging behind to showcase such an eloquent niche product.
Anomalie is a new fusion big band based on groove, chanson, soul/R&B, funk and hip-hop – in short, the kind of music that’s easy to get along with for anyone who loves the beat and the dance floor. This speaks volumes about the conquering, entrepreneurial and visionary instincts of its leader… which PAN M 360 invites you to discover in this conversation.
PAN M 360: So you’re part of this new movement of large ensembles based on groove and the most recent additions of pop music with jazz, hip hop and electronic affinities. We’re seeing a big response from the public, and there’s nothing artificial about that.
Nicolas Dupuis: It’s amazing sometimes, the impact you can have. Anomalie has grown a lot on the Internet. Most of the opportunities that have come our way have come from the web and social networks. So since the beginning of 2018, we’ve been touring a lot with our 4-musician onstage formula. And we’ve played venues of the same capacity wherever we’ve performed, whether here, in America, Europe or Asia. We’re still in a pretty niche musical bracket, but it’s catching on and it’s a lot of fun.
PAN M 360: Please ummarize the progression from start to now:
Nicolas Dupuis: The first EP, Métropole, was released in 2017. There was a first online buzz in the fall of 2018. We released a 2nd EP in 2018, then the Galerie album in 2022. Since then, things have continued to grow: bigger venues, better streaming, etc.
PAN M 360: Your DIY approach is reminiscent of Michael League and Snarky Puppy. In other words, a musical product that’s quite demanding but pop, and therefore nestled in relation to the mainstream, but which is making its mark on a market that’s nonetheless important on a global scale. Congrats!
Nicolas Dupuis: That’s right. And thank you!
PAN M 360: Obviously, there are very pop beacons in your music, which explains its immediate success, at least in part.
Nicolas Dupuis: Yes, it’s nested, but we use pop forms that are similar to song structures – chorus, verse, bridge. We don’t propose any great jazz-fusion adventures, but the harmonic and rhythmic material is akin to that same musical heritage.
PAN M 360: And that’s why it works, because people recognize the song form in this music, unconsciously or not.
Nicolas Dupuis: It can also be a trap (laughs).
PAN M 360: Today, it’s not. You’ll have time to elevate your proposal by adding longer instrumental passages and take your audience on a journey. And if it stays like that, it’ll run out of steam after 4 or 5 albums.
Nicolas Dupuis: You know, some artists have made their entire careers with instrumental songs.
PAN M 360: Yes, that’s true. What we’re talking about here is conceptual breathlessness. No one is obliged to change a formula that works. You can spend your whole career doing the same things.
Nicolas Dupuis: There’s a mix of vision, objectives and artistic things that emerge naturally. But there’s always exploration. For example, we built around the upright piano and the last project was more acoustic. In fact, I work on a bit of a project basis. The next project would be to record the big band in front of an audience. And then maybe a return to electronics. It sort of ebbs and flows. I intend to continue touring with the current team and take it as far as I can.
PAN M 360: What is your own musical background?
Nicolas Dupuis: Basically, it was classical piano. I spent a dozen years with an extraordinary teacher, Yolande Gaudreau. At the same time, I was exploring jazz and composition as a self-taught production artist. At first, it was in a rudimentary form, but it led to the sound I later developed. I did a DEC in jazz and jazz arranging with Lorraine Desmarais, after which Anomalie was in its infancy with various musicians and singers, and the first recording was made.
PAN M 360: Is the big band a special project compared to the quartet?
Nicolas Dupuis: Anomalie mainly expresses itself as a quartet. At Studio TD, the big band project took place last December, which led to new opportunities. We had previously played as a quartet at Club Soda.
PAN M 360: Which big bands inspired you to take this direction, beyond Louis Cole?
Nicolas Dupuis: The swing big bands, Count Basie’s in particular, influenced me, but also the more recent formations we’ve been talking about. I’ve tried to create a personal blend of music from the past and the present.
PAN M 360: And you’ve experienced this mix in front of an audience?
Nicolas Dupuis: Yes, except during the impossible times of the pandemic, we played regularly.
PAN M 360: How many times has the Anomalie big band played?
Nicolas Dupuis: Only once so far. This will be the 2nd! There are costs associated with such an operation. If it goes well, we’ll do it again, more and more, I hope.
PAN M 360: Are the musicians on Anomalie all from your generation?
Nicolas Dupuis: Mostly, but there are some younger than me and some older, in their thirties and beyond. But it’s mostly artists in their late thirties.
PAN M 360: How do you work?
Nicolas Dupuis: At first, it’s a very solitary process, and I become something of a hermit for a while. There’s no choice, because you have to compose and also produce, because production plays a very important role in the final result. It often starts with improvisations on piano or keyboards, then layers are added. Then you have to imagine the music to be played by four people on stage or in a large ensemble. So first there’s the solitary process and then the appreciation of the work accomplished through instrumentation, arrangements and production.
PAN M 360: You’re part of this wave of jazz pop where individual performances are less important than the collective sound – Ezra Collective, Kokoroko, Snarky Puppy and so on. You are too, aren’t you?
Nicolas Dupuis: Exactly.
PAN M 360: Of course, your professional guidance must help too!
Nicolas Dupuis: I first worked with an American manager for 5 years, then since last year, I’ve been with Regime Music Group, an American management company based on the West Coast. We’ve been working with this group for a year now.
PAN M 360: These are all elements that will help propel you much higher!
AT FIJM, ANOMALIE BIG BAND IS PERFORMING TONIGHT FROM 8 PM TO 9H30 PM ON SATURDAY, RIO TINTO STAGE
