Say the name Emilie-Claire Barlow to just about anyone in Quebec, and you will receive a positive reaction. The Torontonian, who became a Montrealer and fell in love with Quebec and the Francophonie in general, has won the hearts of Quebecers for several years now. 15th album of her career, second 100% sung in French (a third, Lumières d’hiver, was mostly but not entirely), La plus belle saison offers versions sometimes jazz, sometimes bossa/samba, sometimes pop, always dressed in elegant arrangements by François Richard, of several titles mostly from Quebec, with a few detours to France (Charles Trenet with Dans les rues de Québec).
If Je suis en amour (Diane Tell) remains quite close to the original, like J’ai rencontré l’homme de ma vie (Diane Dufresne), others such as Les deux printemps (Daniel Bélanger) take on a more resolutely jazz feel. A beautiful and twilight version of Le vent m’appelle par mon prénom brings a rather pleasant subdued light to the hit carried by Marie-Pierre Arthur. Elsewhere, Quelles sont les chances by Damien Robitaille takes advantage of the presence of the main interested party in a duet with Emilie-Claire, in a velvety arrangement where the two protagonists seem to enjoy teasing the flames of flirtation.
Other visits to highlight: the legendary Gilles Vigneault on a sumptuous and almost classical Pendant que, and Jim Corcoran, still as inimitable as ever in a very successful version of the raucous D’la bière au ciel. It would be too long to name each musician in the ensemble, which is well-staffed, but it is enough to know that they are top-notch musicians from Montreal (with some visitors from Toronto). And by the way, the list is provided below.
Starting March 8, Emilie-Claire will be touring all over Quebec, but also elsewhere in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
INFO AND TICKETS FOR EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW’S FUTURE CONCERTS
Musicians
François Richard – piano, harmonium, Wurlitzer, and Mellotron
Ben Riley – drums and percussion
Adrian Vedady – double bass
Kiko Osorio – drums
Joe Grass – guitar and mandolin (6, 8, and 9)
Reg Schwager – guitar (1, 2, 4, and 7)
François Bourassa – piano (3 and 10)
John Sadowy – piano (2 and 5)
Lex French – trumpet
Mario Allard – flute, baritone saxophone, tenor and alto saxophone (solo 7)
André Leroux – clarinet, flute, and tenor saxophone (solo 3 and 9)
Guillaume “Guibou” Bourque – clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor and baritone saxophone Melissa Pipe – bassoon, baritone saxophone, and flute
François Pilon – first violin
Mélanie Bélair – violin 2
Véronique Vanier – viola
Sheila Hannigan – cello
Beautiful Granddaughter – voice
Judith Little-Daudelin – voice
Karine Pion – voice
