Jazz / post-bop

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal : Avishai Cohen Trio with symphony orchestra à la Maison symphonique

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Un spectacle mettant en scène le dynamique trio d’Avishai Cohen — contrebasse, batterie et piano —, enrichi par l’intégration sophistiquée et légitime d’un orchestre symphonique qui ajoutera une dimension additionnelle à sa sonorité distinctive.
Vous pourrez entendre des compositions de jazz contemporain et de musique du monde, des chansons traditionnelles hébraïques et ladino orchestrées, ainsi que des œuvres classiques, le tout, avec des arrangements qui couvrent des configurations pour solo, trio et orchestre complet.
Le résultat sera une expérience musicale exaltante, à la fois intime et percutante. Laissez-vous emporter par la beauté de la musique et perdez-vous dans le monde qu’Avishai Cohen et tous les musiciens ont créé pour vous.

A performance featuring the dynamic core trio of Avishai Cohen — double bass, drums, and piano — enhanced by the sophisticated, legitimate integration of a symphonic orchestra that lends an added dimension to their distinctive sound.
You will hear contemporary jazz and world music compositions, orchestrated traditional Hebrew-Ladino songs, as well as classical works — with all arrangements covering configurations for solo, trio, and full orchestra.
The result is an exhilarating musical experience, intimate yet with high impact! Let yourself be carried away by the beauty of the music and lose yourself in the world that Avishai Cohen and all the musicians have created for you.

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Ce contenu provient de Place des Arts et est adapté par PAN M 360

expérimental / contemporain / orgue

Suoni per il Popolo : Kara-lis Coverdale (orgue solo) + Beast (orgue & vielle à roue) + Noam Bierstone (percussion) & Daniel Áñez (ondes Martenot) à l’Église du Sacré-Cœur-de-Jésus

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Célébrez le 25e anniversaire de Suoni lors d’une soirée de clôture spéciale présentée en collaboration avec Les Vespérales & No Hay Banda & New Feeling à l’Église du Sacré-Cœur-de-Jésus. Plongez dans l’univers sonore unique de l’artiste de renommée internationale Kara-Lis Coverdale, qui interprétera un captivant set d’orgue solo au sein de l’acoustique exceptionnelle de l’église, explorant des textures spectrales et des harmonies éthérées. La soirée sera enrichie par la présence immersive du duo local Beast, dont la vielle à roue hypnotique et les claviers historiques créent de profondes ambiances sonores acoustiques inspirées du spectralisme et de la musique ancienne. Ensemble, ils tisseront une expérience sonore inoubliable pour conclure un quart de siècle d’audacieuses découvertes musicales à Montréal. Du royaume inventif de No Hay Banda, les ondes Martenot éthérées de Daniel Áñez se fraient un chemin à travers les paysages rythmiques dynamiques façonnés par le percussionniste Noam Bierstone, leur art partagé promettant une captivante soirée.

Celebrate Suoni’s 25th anniversary with a special closing night presented with Les Vespérales & No Hay Banda & New Feeling at the Église du Sacré-Cœur-de-Jésus. Immerse yourself in the unique sound world of internationally acclaimed artist Kara-Lis Coverdale, performing a captivating solo organ set within the church’s stunning acoustics, exploring ethereal spectral textures and harmonies. The evening will be enriched by the immersive presence of local duo Beast, whose hypnotic hurdy-gurdy and historical keyboards create deep acoustic soundscapes inspired by spectralism and early music. Together, they will weave an unforgettable sonic experience to conclude a quarter-century of bold musical discoveries in Montreal. From the inventive realm of No Hay Banda, Daniel Áñez’s ethereal ondes Martenot weaves through the dynamic rhythmic landscapes crafted by percussionist Noam Bierstone, their shared artistry promising a captivating soirée.

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Ce contenu provient de Suoni per il Popolo et est adapté par PAN M 360

Hip Hop / orchestre / rap

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal : Nas ILLMATIC: LIVE w/ Symphony Orchestra à la salle Wilfrid-Pelletier

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Le poète intemporel et maître de la rime Nas a sorti son premier album Illmatic en 1994. Nas a ensuite publié 14 albums, dont 8 sont multi-platines et platines, notamment : Nastradamus, Stillmatic, God’s Son et Street’s Disciple.
Avec 16 nominations aux GRAMMY, Nas a sorti King’s Disease en 2020, ce qui lui a permis de remporter son premier GRAMMY dans la catégorie « Meilleur album de rap », puis King’s Disease II, la suite de l’album récompensé par un GRAMMY, produit par Nas et Hit-Boy.
Plus récemment, Nas a sorti le troisième volet de la série King’s Disease. Sans aucun featuring, King’s Disease III a été produit par Hit-Boy et produit par Nas et Hit-Boy. Plus récemment, Nas et Hit-Boy ont sorti Magic 3, qui comprend 15 nouveaux titres, marquant ainsi le dernier chapitre de la carrière légendaire du prolifique duo rappeur-producteur. Magic 3 est le sixième album du duo au cours des trois dernières années et le troisième volet de la série Magic.
Légendaire magnat du hip-hop, cofondateur de Mass Appeal Records, acteur et producteur exécutif, le vaste catalogue de Nas parle de lui-même.

Timeless poet and rhyme-master Nas, delivered his first full-length album Illmatic in 1994. Nas went on to release 14 subsequent albums, 8 of which are multi-platinum and platinum including: Nastradamus, Stillmatic, God’s Son, and Street’s Disciple.
With 16 GRAMMY nominations, Nas released King’s Disease in 2020, giving Nas his first ever GRAMMY win for “Best Rap Album,” and released King’s Disease II, a sequel to the GRAMMY Award winning album, produced by Nas and Hit-Boy. Most recently, Nas released the third installment of the King’s Disease series. With no features, King’s Disease III was produced by Hit-Boy and executive produced by Nas and Hit-Boy. Most recently, Nas and Hit-Boy released Magic 3, featuring 15 brand new tracks, also marking the final chapter of the legendary run for the prolific rapper-producer duo. Magic 3 serves as the duo’s sixth album together in the last 3 years and serves as the third installment to the Magic series.
Legendary hip hop mogul, co-founder of Mass Appeal Records, actor, and executive producer, Nas’ extensive catalog speaks for itself.

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Ce contenu provient de Place des Arts et est adapté par PAN M 360

afro-soul / Jazz-Funk

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal : The Brooks au Club Soda

by Rédaction PAN M 360

De leurs premières prestations dans l’ambiance feutrée du Dièse Onze aux grandes scènes de prestigieux festivals, d’un côté comme de l’autre de l’Atlantique, The Brooks s’est taillé une réputation de redoutable machine à groove. Au cœur du projet musical de ce supergroupe formé au début des années 2010 résident le plaisir de jouer, une véritable liberté artistique et un sens poussé de la collégialité. Électrisante sur disque comme sur scène, la musique de The Brooks est portée par des rythmiques bondissantes, des cuivres flamboyants, des claviers inventifs et d’envoûtantes lignes de guitare. Naviguant entre funk, soul, r’n’b, afrobeat et jazz, The Brooks réunit le bassiste Alexandre Lapointe, le vétéran chanteur et tromboniste Alan Prater, le guitariste Philippe Look et le percussionniste Philippe Beaudin, des virtuoses aux feuilles de route convaincantes. La formation a fait paraître cinq albums dont le plus récent, Soon As I Can (2024), qui propulse leurs grooves vers de nouveaux sommets. The Brooks est beaucoup plus que la somme de ses parties : c’est une célébration de plus de 50 ans d’évolution de la musique afro-américaine à la fois respectueuse de ses racines et bien ancrée dans le présent.

From their early performances in the intimate setting of Dièse Onze to major stages at prestigious festivals on both sides of the Atlantic, The Brooks have earned a reputation as a formidable groove machine. At the core of this supergroup, formed in the early 2010s, lies the pure joy of playing, true artistic freedom, and a deep sense of camaraderie. Electrifying both on record and on stage, The Brooks’ music is driven by infectious rhythms, blazing horns, inventive keyboards, and hypnotic guitar lines. Blending funk, soul, R&B, afrobeat, and jazz, the band features bassist Alexandre Lapointe, veteran singer and trombonist Alan Prater, guitarist Philippe Look, and percussionist Philippe Beaudin—seasoned musicians with impressive résumés. The band has released five albums, including their latest, Soon As I Can (2024), which pushes their grooves to new heights. More than just the sum of its parts, The Brooks is a celebration of over 50 years of Afro-American musical evolution, staying true to its roots while remaining firmly grounded in the present.

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Ce contenu provient du Club Soda et est adapté par PAN M 360

expérimental / contemporain / Grindcore / Jazz / Métal

FIJM | Clown Core: the theatre of extremes, between Pennywise and Krusty

by Frédéric Cardin

Clown Core is a duo of anonymous musicians wearing clown masks who have achieved cult status since 2010. Despite only three albums, the longest of which is 17 minutes long, their totally truculent homemade videos (in a chemical toilet, in a van, etc.) and, above all, their violent mix of genres have made Clown Core famous among a fringe of the underground.

The two guys (we assume) from Nevada set the M Telus alight last night. How to describe the CC product? Musically speaking, they go from hellish grindcore with added free jazz to cheap muzak, from deep growling to childish post-polka ritornello, without any transition and in flights of fancy that last no more than a few dozen seconds, for the most extended. Spiritual heirs to Mr. Bungle, less intellectual. All this with saxophone, drums and electronics.

But there’s so much more to a Clown Core show. The visuals and staging are reminiscent of trash-absurdist art, happening style. High art and low art copulating wildly. A giant screen projects images at breathtaking speed, from cosmic epics to morphing genitals and seniors’ porn to organic nausea and unhealthy food. A few dynamic breaks take us to an American suburb, or to digital reefs of pieces of steak on a strange sea.

The mostly metal crowd was delighted, if occasionally impatient with the very slow introduction that eventually led to the show itself. Clown Core are a bit provocative, you see. Case in point: for about twenty minutes before their entrance (itself delayed by long minutes of nothing on a background of astronomical images of planets), a masked guy (seen in their videos) sits in front of the audience, smokes a cigarette and listens to New Age tunes on his phone….

That said, the wait was rewarded with a performance that shattered eardrums and conventions alike. The audience screamed out loud (for joy). Montreal band Karneesh had warmed up the room adequately beforehand, but it was mainly a picture of four cute orange-white kittens that got everyone excited before the clowns arrived (an honest mistake, or a strategic one?). So much so that when it was removed, everyone wanted it back and started shouting ‘Cats, cats, cats’! Who said the hearts of metalheads were as hard as steel?

Clown Core is unclassifiable and above all memorable. Never bring your grandmother there, unless she’s the coolest in History.

Avant-Garde / Contemporary / expérimental / contemporain / Free Jazz

Suoni 2025 | Farida Amadou ++: an apotheosis of adrenaline discharge

by Frédéric Cardin

I didn’t go to all the concerts at Suoni 2025 (I’d need the gift of ubiquity for that), but my respectable experience of shows of all kinds leads me to think that last night was probably one of the most memorable of this edition of the avant-garde and experimental music festival.

The Alberta-based duo of Jairus Sharif and Mustafa Rafiq, the Montreal quartet Egyptian Cotton Arkestra and Brussels bassist Farida Amadou followed each other on stage. The intensity of the different musics on offer brought a broad smile to the faces of the many music lovers at the Casa del Popolo.

Jairus Sharif et Mustafa Rafiq Suoni 2025 cr.: Pierre Langlois

Sharif and Rafiq (sax and guitar + electronic) kicked off the evening with their waves of molecular abstraction, building to an enveloping tide of timbral saturation. This was followed by the four members of the Egyptian Cotton Arkestra (James Goddard, saxophone, Lucas Huang, percussion, Markus Lake, bass, and Ari Swan, violin) and their slow but irremediable, and above all irresistibly exciting, constructions, like an imposing crescendo from almost nothing to an unleashing of free power. This band is to jazz what Godspeed is to rock.

Farida Amadou, alone with her bass, did not let herself be imposed upon. She extracted a remarkable sonic punch from her instrument, which she plays both traditionally and as a percussion instrument (laid flat on her knees, and struck in all sorts of ways and with all sorts of sticks). Her musical architectures are made up of rhythmic drones through which a few thematic motifs thread their way. Pulsating noise that’s both inspiring and addictive!

LISTEN TO THE ALBUM WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS BY FARIDA AMADOU, ON BANDCAMP

And then, as a big bonus for the attentive and participative audience, Jairus, Mustafa and the four acolytes of the Egyptian Cotton Arkestra hopped on stage with Farida and jammed together two thrilling adrenalin discharges, veritable sonic tsunamis of musical freedom and creative incandescence. We would have taken another hour of this, easily. I’d even go so far as to suggest that Jairus, Mustafa and Farida move to Montreal just to hear them regularly offer us this kind of holistic and liberating catharsis. It wouldn’t be kind to Alberta or Brussels, but when it’s as good as this, being selfish is justifiable.

More! More!

Alternative / Pop-Rock

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal : Amanda Marshall au Théâtre Maisonneuve

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Amanda Marshall, autrice-compositrice-interprète, est reconnue pour avoir assuré la première partie de Whitney Houston lors d’une tournée mondiale.  Elle a sorti trois albums multi-platines depuis 1995.
Son premier album éponyme est l’un des 18 albums canadiens à avoir atteint le statut de Diamant au Canada et, à ce jour, il s’est vendu à plus de 6 millions d’exemplaires dans le monde.
En 1999, elle a sorti Tuesday’s Child, produit par Don Was (B-52’s, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Michael McDonald, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones), et comprenant des collaborations avec des poids lourds de l’écriture de chansons, Carole King et Eric Bazilian.
En 2001, Everybody’s Got A Story marque un changement de style et de son pour Marshall, avec une orientation R&B plus marquée. Produit par le légendaire Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King), l’album a produit trois singles classés dans le Top 10 et a été certifié quadruple disque de platine dans les dix semaines qui ont suivi sa sortie.

Amanda Marshall, singer-songwriter, is known for opening for Whitney Houston on a world tour.  She has released three multi-platinum albums since 1995.
Her eponymous debut is one of only 18 Canadian albums to ever achieve Diamond status in Canada, and to date it has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.
In 1999, Marshall released Tuesday’s Child, produced by Don Was (B-52’s, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Michael McDonald, Iggy Pop, Bonnie Raitt, The Rolling Stones), and featuring collaborations with song writing heavyweights Carole King and Eric Bazilian. 
2001’s Everybody’s Got A Story marked a change in style and sound for Marshall, with a more noticeable R&B direction. Produced by the legendary Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Carole King), the album produced 3 Top 10 hit singles and was certified quadruple platinum within 10 weeks of its’ release.

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Ce contenu provient de Place des Arts et est adapté par PAN M 360

Avant-Garde / expérimental / contemporain / Post-Minimalist

Suoni 2025 | Bozzini + Sarah Hennies: contrasts in post-minimalism

by Frédéric Cardin

Sarah Hennies is an American percussionist and composer who currently teaches at Bard College in New York State. Suoni per il popolo welcomed her last night in a two-part performance strongly marked by contrasting post-minimalisms.

In the first part, she was accompanied by her colleague Tristan Kasten-Krause on double bass, in a piece that unfolded slowly and built like a dynamic arch. Frictional drones on both double bass and vibraphone (Hennies rubs the keys of the instrument with the bow) open the piece, which is eventually disrupted by the use of objects such as a metal bar, cowbells and other resonant instruments. Then it’s back to the high-pitched rubbing, plunging the Sala Rossa into a bath of intense tinnitus. If Kitty and Puppy had been there, they would have had epileptic fits. That said, I really enjoyed this offering, a kind of study of timbres that are as much fusional as they are clashing.

In the second half, Hennies made way for the Quatuor Bozzini, who performed her score Borrowed Light, a Canadian premiere. A substantial and demanding work lasting an hour, it requires sustained concentration to grasp the subtleties of the transformations created in the endlessly repeated motifs.

To me, the first half seemed to lack breath and discursive purpose. Seduction too. I would have cut a good part of it. In this genre, Morton Feldman does it better, and more poetically. I was just about to give up when the second half-hour gathered momentum and became more interesting, with more dynamic architectural constructions that held the attention better. A friend present at the venue, who is used to the avant-garde and has seasoned ears, thought the opposite: she enjoyed the first half more, the second much less. Of course, I make no claim to the truth.

All in all, an evening of music of mixed quality and pleasure, but of impressive quality nonetheless.

Classical

Montreal Chamber Music Festival | But it was a nice concert…

by Frédéric Cardin

The next-to-last concert of the Montreal Chamber Music Festival, last Saturday, marked two days associated with June 21: the 40th anniversary of the Ordre national du Québec and National Aboriginal Peoples’ Day. After a blessing by spiritual leader Kevin Deer, the “official” theme of the Order, a neo-romantic miniature composed by Steve Barakatt, was played by a string quartet, followed by a number of arias sung by Elisabeth St-Gelais, in exquisite form. Two melodies by Métis-born composer Ian Cusson, bathed in post-French melodie writing, were logically followed by two (melodically superior) examples by Cécile Chaminade, Villanelle and Infini, which the Innu soprano recorded on her album released last year (a gem, which you can READ THE REVIEW of here). A short but lovely piece for violin and piano by Andrew Balfour followed (Karakett Nitotem), before moving on to the evening’s “classical” repertoire: Debussy’s Sonata for violin and piano in G minor, L. 140 and Dvorak’s Serenade for strings. Mohawk violinist Tara-Louise Montour gave a distinctive performance of Debussy, and the Festival strings played Dvorak with élan.

It was a lovely concert, even if the coherence of the program left one dubious. Your humble servant had the impression that the “native” had been artificially “glued on”, as if to check the item off a “to-do list”. But above all, this concert was bathed in a feeling of infinite sadness, as the Bourgie Hall audience was famishing, and I weigh the word. About 50 people were there (and how many of them had received free tickets?). Bourgie can accommodate 450. That’s 10% of the hall. 10%. I asked around: the 2025 season was “difficult”, attendance-wise. Not as bad as this 10%, which was the worst performance, but averaging around 50%, which is disappointing. The following day’s final concert at the Maison symphonique did better, with violinist Kerson Leong exerting his strong pull, of course, but in a special, reduced gauge (audience on stage and in the back bleachers).

What’s happening with the Montreal Chamber Music Festival? Marketing? Event branding? Personality? Programming? Compared with the Montreal Baroque Festival, which took place (and ended, as it was much shorter) on the same weekend, the difference is striking: the latter gives an impression of dynamism, youth and community involvement. Several concerts are sold out (albeit in smaller venues), and most are filled to appreciable levels (READ MY REVIEWS OF TWO MONTREAL BAROQUE FEST CONCERTS HERE and HERE). One has energy, the other seems out of fuel.

In short, it’s time to think about the future of the Chamber Music Festival. A city like Montreal can’t afford not to have a large-scale, unifying chamber music event – it would be a disgrace. But right now, we’re wondering how long it can last like this.

Baroque

Montréal Baroque 2025 | 4 seasons: welcome to the 21st century and the climate crisis, Mr. Vivaldi

by Frédéric Cardin

From Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, it seems that all manner of expressive concepts and contemporary symbolism can be drawn. It is indeed the mark of a living masterpiece that so many artists draw on it for multiple meanings, constipated purists be damned.

The final concert of the Festival Montréal Baroque 2025 presented a Climatic Crisis-linked modern version of the famous Four Seasons. On stage, in addition to the Pallade Musica ensemble, were characters evoking Nature and the humans who foul it. Between each of the seasons, a composition by Mathias Maute recalled the themes of the Four Seasons, but reworked to underline the current disruption of nature. The four solo recorder scores, often of formidable virtuosity, were impeccably rendered by Vincent Lauzer.

The choreography/staging had the good idea of not abusing the presence of the characters. Indeed, the problem I sometimes see with “collages” of choreography to existing classical music is the lack of ideas to accompany the music all concert-long. Here, the appearances were occasional, though numerous, leaving enough pauses to return to the music alone. The character of Mother Nature was continually present, but often in the background or hidden, like an observer. In short, the balance was right.

As for the music, Pallade Musica’s rough, even violent playing is to be underlined, as they built Seasons characterized by a rare emotional and physical intensity, often deviating from the principle of “beautiful sound” to get to the heart of their incendiary vision. On some notes, accuracy was sometimes lost, and this should not be overlooked completely, but transcending this fact, we were treated to a 21st-century post-punk vision, and an approach that, in truth, is not at all out of keeping with the current climate crisis.

Of course, this kind of attitude can be highly displeasing to self-proclaimed professors of good taste, such as those in a well-known Montreal daily. That’s to be expected. A recent review of the journalist in question drew a comparison with the same Four Seasons presented the same day by the Montreal Chamber Music Festival at the Maison symphonique, with the brilliant Kerson Leong as soloist (link to the article at bottom of the page). There’s no need to put the two versions back to back: their nature is totally different.

Leong is sovereign as soloist throughout (at Pallade Musica, a different soloist was featured in each season). He is one of the most dazzling violinists of his generation. He and his ensemble have indeed built a luminous and perfectly balanced edifice, tonally ideal and technically flawless. Pure, inspiring seasons.

But the underlying argument of this well-known critic is that this is the only way to conceive this masterpiece. Once again, I underline the mediocrity of his argument, as I did previously on another subject (READ THE COMMENT Diversity and inclusion are not punching-bags).

A masterpiece that couldn’t stimulate a variety of interpretations, and precisely the most extreme ones, would be condemned to gather dust. Everyone is free to appreciate or not, of course, but the insinuation that one way is justified and the other not is ridiculous.

Ultimately, these Four Seasons of Climate Crisis offer an original and distinctive commentary on the Vivaldi monument, trading “plastic perfection” for a provocative and memorable symbolic embodiment.

Link to the article mentioned above :

https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/musique/894091/critique-concert-deux-fois-quatre-saisons-cloture-festivals

Baroque

Montréal Baroque 2025 | Zarzuela, my love

by Frédéric Cardin

This was my very first concert in the atrium of Les Grands Ballets canadiens. As I settled in, a doubt assailed me: concrete, a brick wall, what kind of acoustics would result? Well, like an exhilarating little miracle, the result was thrilling. Perfect acoustics for low-resonance instruments such as a harpsichord and gut strings, but above all for voices, in this case a superb duo of soprano and mezzo.

The Spanish ensemble Harmonia del Parnàs, reduced in size to two Baroque violins and cello, and a harpsichord, offered a program devoted to the early lyric art of the Iberian peninsula. On the menu, then, were excerpts from zarzuelas (Spanish operettas), operas and cantatas by composers as little-known as Castro, Corradini, Duron, de Nebra, Hernández y Llana and Castel, but so commendable for their mastery of catchy melodies and lively rhythms. Nothing to envy from Vivaldi, Corelli or Handel, these gentlemen!

It would have been a pleasant moment even with a decent set of music. But fortunately, it was much more than that. A lesson in precision, participatory energy and tonal quality was offered by the Spaniards (and Argentinians, we were told), who supported outstanding vocal performances by soprano Ruth Rosique and mezzo Marta Infante. These two were clearly relishing this repertoire, at times sparkling, at others steeped in poignant melancholy. Committed, even truculent embodiments of the characters evoked (jealous wife, grieving lover, etc.) completed an experience that will remain imprinted in the memory of the spectators present.

We can only hope that these singers and this instrumental ensemble will return someday very soon.

Ruth Rosique, soprano

Marta Infante, mezzo-soprano

Hiro Kurosaki and Lucía Luque, Baroque violins

Hermann Schreiner, Baroque cello

Marian Rosa Montagut, harpsichord and direction

Hip Hop / rap / Rap français

Francos | Back in Time With Saïan Supa Celebration

by Sandra Gasana

Although the Fête de la Musique is not officially celebrated on June 21 in Montreal, as it is in France, the timing for Saïan Supa Celebration was just on point. Although they weren’t complete, two of the collective’s members having left the group, they still managed to recreate the festive atmosphere to which they had accustomed us 20 years ago.

A drummer and a keyboard was all they needed in terms of musicians, since the rest was done through singing, rapping and beat boxing. Recordings of vocals could be heard at times, as at the very start of the concert, but that’s all it took for the crowd to start screaming. They opened with Raz de marée, one of their biggest hits from their debut album KLR, released in 1999, a classic of French rap.

Their on-stage energy was unchanged, with some of them looking a little older, while others remained in top shape. In fact, they wanted to see if their fans were just as fit by making them dance, but above all by asking them to get up and down on one of their songs. The average age in the room was around 45-50, but I was surprised to see so many young people in their twenties and thirties.

Short choreographies, breakdancing, jerky dance steps, and total mastery of the stage. With four members, it’s not always easy to find your place and occupy it without it looking too chaotic. Sometimes, one of them was alone on stage, then in a duo, then in a trio, then back to the full band. In short, we were treated to every possible scenario, but each time, the complicity between the artists was palpable, especially in Soldat, when one sings, the other continues with rap.

They challenged the crowd to “see if we have a voice in Montreal”, a challenge they took on proudly. They had fun on stage, teasing each other, interacting with humor, but it was clearly Sly Johnson who stole the show that night. With his chilling soul voice, he performed a short cover of Marvin Gaye’s Sexual Healing, which left no one indifferent. He also masters the art of beatboxing and uses humor on stage.

Of course, they didn’t just play their biggest hits, but also some lesser-known tracks, as well as the previously unreleased Étranger, which they wanted to test on the Montreal audience. We were even treated to a dialogue between beat box and drums, while on À demi-nue, from the album x raisons, they received a very warm welcome from the audience.

We had to wait until the encore to hear THE song I’d been waiting for all evening: Angela, which made this band legendary. Why was Crew replaced by Celebration? It’s a question we’d have liked to ask the band, but the interview request didn’t go through. Perhaps next time? In the meantime, we’ll be content to take a musical trip back in time to our youth.

Photo: Frédérique Ménard-Aubin

Publicité panam



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