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This is the second CD from Les Poules — Joane Hétu on alto sax, Diane Labrosse on motion sampler and Danielle Palardy Roger on percussion, all three artists using their voices to create this highly organic sonic exploration. This CD rustles and sighs its way through a series of complex emotional soundscapes that reach deep into the listener’s subconscious to awaken long-forgotten sensations. It is powerful and disturbing, yet somehow familiar and comforting at the same time — perfect listening with a cup of hot tea, when trapped by a dark snowy night.
blogue@press-3039
press@3039
The 19th annual Seattle Improvised Music Festival took place this winter over two week-ends in Febuary. This year brought a turning point for the festival, as the long-term orginizers turned over the reins to musicians newly very active in the scene, all of whom are directly or indirectly affialited with Open Music Workshop. Open Music Workshop (or OMW) is a relatively young entity, less than two years old, but has constitued something like a second wave in the improvised music scene in Seattle. This shift in leadership was reflected in the shape of the festival this year, which cast a wider net and included a broader range of approaches to music making.
The next weekend I also managed to catch Les Poules (Montréal) at Consolodated Works, a large warehouse-like art gallery and performance space. Les Poules have beon playing together for over a decade, and every passing minute of their long history and musical intimacy. Joane Hétu (vocals, alto sax) staked out a minimalist territory of voiceless fricatives and static noises, which she mined over the course of the performance. Diane Labrosse (electronics) explored a similarly focused territory, while Danielle Palardy Roger’s percussion poured out speechlike with orchestraly various gestures accumulating over time into a complex field. A drama of highly attuned listening slowly emerged full of simultaneous starts, frequent finishing of each others’ sentences, and sudden collective laughter. Occasionally, certain silences were allowed to move with grace to the center of the circle.
blogue@press-2558
press@2558
With the notable exception of sugary pop, all music styles are dominated by the male. Whether he’s grunting into the microphone, strumming his guitar, or blowing his lungs out on the saxophone, the manly man monopolizes the image of the musician, be it in corporate rock or on the new music scene. When women venture into his domain, they are often coerced into fitting the mold of the industry.
That’s why it is so surprising to find this many creative, challenging, talented women in DAME’s catalog. But one should not forget that early in its lifetime the collective Ambiances Magnétiques welcomed three artists whose musical activities, organizing minds and determination provided a force of attraction for other women. Of course, I am talking about Joane Hétu, Diane Labrosse and Danielle Palardy Roger.
Our three protagonists met at the turn of the ‘80s in Wondeur Brass and pursued their association into Les Poules and Justine. First an anarchist/feminist big band, Wondeur Brass was a laboratory to Joane, Diane and Danielle. They honed their skills — Joane, self-taught, literally learned to play music while playing music in it. Their own blend of modern poetry, free jazz and rock-in-opposition already took center stage on the LP Ravir. From the sextet featured on this first effort, the group scaled down to a quartet (with bassist Marie Trudeau as the fourth member) by the time of Simoneda, reine des esclaves. This line-up soon took the name Justine for three more albums (credited to the name of the individual musicians, La légende de la pluie can be seen as a collaboration between Justine, Zeena Parkins and Tenko) and the feminist discourse got gradually subsumed, making way for a growing playfulness that reached its peak on the phenomenal album Langages fantastiques.
Soon after the release of Langages fantastiques, the three girls launched their solo careers. Linguistic marvel and a rough delivery keep singer and saxophonist Joane Hétu close to the field of outsider art. First she formed her own group Castor et compagnie (with Labrosse, Jean Derome and Pierre Tanguay) which has recorded two albums of sensual and twisted songs in direct relation to Justine’s music. Later she turned to improvisation, first in a duo with her life partner Jean Derome as Nous perçons les oreilles (We Pierce Ears) and later solo with the intensely intimate album Seule dans les chants. She recently proved her worth in large-scale composition with her marvelous Musique d’hiver.
Toward the end of Justine’s life, Diane Labrosse traded in her keyboard for a sampler. After a solo album, Face cachée des choses, a duo album with percussionist Michel F Côté (Duo déconstructiviste) and a guest spot in the latter’s group Bruire (on Les Fleurs de Léo), she wrote a piece for improvisers (Petit traité de sagesse pratique) before devoting her time to improvisation. Parasites (her ongoing collaboration with Martin Tétreault) and Télépathie (with Aimé Dontigny) show how it is possible to handle a sampler with grace and sensibility.
Since the disbanding of Justine, Danielle Palardy Roger’s discography has been growing slowly — she’s very busy organizing concerts as head of Productions SuperMusique. Her children’s tale L’oreille enflée (featuring the voices and instruments of Derome, Hétu and André Duchesne among others) speaks to a young audience with an intelligence too rarely found in such projects. And Tricotage, her improv session with French bassist Joëlle Léandre, reminds us how refined her drumming can be.
In 1986, Joane, Diane and Danielle took a vacation away from Wondeur Brass to investigate the limits of the pop song format under the name Les Poules — The Chicks (Contes de l’amère loi, freshly reissued). Recently they reformed the trio, this time pushing the music toward a form of improvisation rich in subtle textures, blending quiet noise, active listening, and lyricism. Prairie orange is the first effort from this awaited return to collective work.
The presence within Ambiances Magnétiques of these three creators has attracted to the label other female artists with similar interests. The first one to join the roaster was Geneviève Letarte, who has recorded two beautiful albums of poetic songs (Vous seriez un ange and Chansons d’un jour). Lately, DAME’s catalog has welcomed performer Nathalie Derome, guitarist Sylvie Chenard, pianist Pui Ming Lee, along with Queen Mab members Lori Freedman and Marilyn Lerner who each delivered a solo album (À un moment donné and Luminance).
So, is musique actuelle a man’s world? Listen to these few hints and you’ll see for yourself.
blogue@press-3044
press@3044
Sarko, t’es foutu, Les Poules sont dans la rue! La réédition des Contes de l’amére loi (AM 009), l’année dernière l’avait laissé entendre: Les Poules sont de retour! Dix-sept ans se sont écoulés entre les deux enregistrements; de l’électro artisanale du premier disque, il reste quelques bribes étouffées ( Où est l’est?) et quelques inouïes madeleines de Proust à feuilleter (Chaud-froid). Les Poules circa 2003, c’est un trio nomade, sûr de ses souffles et de ses rebonds (Danielle Palardy Roger est exemplaire de sobriété et de rondeur d’un bout à l’autre de cet enregistrement). Joane Hétu, entre cliquetis et saxophone voilé ne cesse de pétrir, d’enflammer puis de menacer la masse sonore (Prairie orange). Vents et liquides se mélangent, nous offrant un continuum barbare, aride, déserté et déconstruit mais toujours ardent et vorace. Un kiss empoisonné en quelque sorte. Sarko, t’es vraiment mal barré!
blogue@press-2484
press@2484
Les Poules is made up of 3 Canadian musicians who have managed a quirky and moody CD of controlled improv that avoids self-indulgence as it creates emotional landscapes composed of a sack full of highly varied sounds. Nice.
blogue@press-2264
press@2264
Jeudi soir dernier, le trio féminin les Poules se réunissait à la Casa del Popolo pour le lancement d’un nouvel enregistrement: Prairie Orange. Voilà un second disque pour elles qui déphase de leur premier réalisé 15 années auparavant. Peut-être l’ignoriez-vous? Les Poules ne font plus dans la chanson. Je suis assis dans le sofa rétro de la Casa del Popolo. J’observe les murs de granges, les vieux tuyaux, le plafond imparfaitement parfait et l’éclairage de salon. Quels fabuleux contrastes avec le théâtre moderne, néonisé, et d’apparence cartésienne qui lui fait face. Je me considère chanceux d’être dans un endroit aussi sain et Saint que la Casa del Popolo. Je dis bien Saint car c’est en ses lieux que les Poules ressusciteront après 15 années. Plus que quelques minutes encore et ça y est… les Poules, Joane Hétu, Diane Labrosse et Danielle Palardy Roger, montent sur le surélevé. Ce trio nous présente alors leur nouvel album en donnant une prestation dans l’intimité du lieu. Les membres du trio sont toutes très reconnus dans l’univers de la musique actuelle montréalaise. Ses femmes nous ont offert une solide performance à la hauteur de leur réputation. Les poules nous font traverser Prairie Orange d’un seul élan. Le paysage sonore se compose de sons électroniques et acoustiques, de crépitements, de bruissements et de jeux buccaux. Avec un saxophone, un drum et un échantillonneur, les matériaux n’impressionnent pas. Par contre, ces trois femmes-là savent au moins quoi en faire. Wow! J’oublie que Joane se joue dans la bouche pour produire ses sons et me voilà transcendé. Les Iktus de Diane ouvre la marche vers un climax sonore surréaliste. Le jeu de Danielle aux percussions teint les décors et modère la progression. Les commentaires au saxe de Joane donnent parfois dans l’humour, mais sont de bon goût. Le tout se retrouve sur un autre excellent disque de l’étiquette DAME.
Les poules ne font plus dans la chanson. À en juger par le nombre de gens sortant avant même la moitié de la prestation, cela a probablement déplu à plusieurs. Un fan possible de leur premier album est demeuré lui jusqu’à la fin et a risqué de demander en rappel la Ballade du pain. La demande fut ignorée. Par contre, le touriste belge de ma droite et les trois suffragettes de ma gauche semblaient eux comblés de bonheur. Moi de même par ailleurs.
Merci aux Poules pour cette soirée unique et fabuleuse.
blogue@press-2671
press@2671
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