CANO
Encyclopedia
CANO were a Canadian
progressive rock
band in the 1970s and 1980s. They were the most popular and internationally successful musical group in Franco-Ontarian
history.
of Northern Ontario
), an artists' collective established in Sudbury, Ontario
in 1970. The cooperative was responsible for developing many of the current cultural institutions of the city's franco-Ontarian community — the Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario
, the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario
, La Nuit sur l'étang
and the band CANO all evolved out of projects launched by artists associated with the cooperative.
and Rachel Paiement
, violinist Wasyl Kohut, guitarists Marcel Aymar
and David Burt, pianist Michel Kendel, bassist John Doerr and drummer Michel Dasti. The band was formed in the fall of 1975 and performed their first major concert in December at La Slague in Sudbury.
The band performed both traditional French folk songs and original material by Aymar, the Paiements and Robert Dickson
. With their third album, Eclipse, they began performing English-language songs as well. The band were most successful on francophone pop charts in Quebec
and France
, but they had notable hits in English Canada as well. Eclipse and Rendezvous, notably, both charted on CFNY
. "Rebound" reached #97 and "Carrie" reached #78 on the RPM charts in 1979 and 1980.
In 1978, André Paiement committed suicide.
Spirit of the North, a compilation issued in 1980, traced CANO's integration of pop, rock and jazz influences into what was originally a folk-based style.
Following the departure of Rachel Paiement in 1980, the remaining musicians recorded the album Camouflage under the name Masque.
Kohut died in 1981.
In 1984, Aymar, Burt, Ben Mink
and Mary Lu Zahalan
revived CANO for a tour. They recorded the band's final album, Visible, and played concerts in Ontario, Quebec and Japan
before the band was retired for good.
s in Sudbury, the bilingual folk festival Northern Lights Festival Boréal
and the franco-Ontarian cultural festival La Nuit sur l'étang
. Both festivals continue to operate today.
In 2003, Universal Music Canada released a CANO greatest hits
compilation as part of their 20th Century Masters series.
In early 2008, the band announced plans to begin re-releasing their music on iTunes
. The band re-released Rendezvous in the iTunes Store
in summer 2008, and Eclipse in spring 2009. The band performed a reunion show at the 2010 La Nuit sur l'étang festival, with Monique Paiement, André and Rachel's younger sister, on lead vocals.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band in the 1970s and 1980s. They were the most popular and internationally successful musical group in Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarian
Franco-Ontarians are French Canadian or francophone residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. They are sometimes known as "Ontarois"....
history.
Origins
CANO evolved out of the Coopérative des artistes du Nouvel Ontario (Artists' CooperativeCooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
of Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
), an artists' collective established in Sudbury, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1970. The cooperative was responsible for developing many of the current cultural institutions of the city's franco-Ontarian community — the Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario
La Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario
La Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario is an art gallery in Sudbury, Ontario,Originally launched in 1974 by artists associated with the Cooperative des artistes du Nouvel-Ontario, the gallery was first established as part of La Slague, a local Franco-Ontarian community centre...
, the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario
Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario
Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario is a Canadian professional theatre company. Located in Sudbury, Ontario, the company produces French language stage productions from this city for its community, for Ontario, for Canada and overseas too....
, La Nuit sur l'étang
La Nuit sur l'étang
La Nuit sur l'étang is a Canadian music festival, held annually in Sudbury, Ontario.Established in 1973 by Fernand Dorais and a group of students from Laurentian University, the festival presents a concert program of francophone musical artists over a night...
and the band CANO all evolved out of projects launched by artists associated with the cooperative.
Musical group
The group consisted of singer/guitarists André PaiementAndré Paiement
André Paiement was a Canadian playwright and musician. He was one of the most prominent Franco-Ontarian artists, playing a key role in developing many of the cultural institutions of the community....
and Rachel Paiement
Rachel Paiement
Rachel Paiement is a Canadian musician and songwriter. She is best known as a former member, singer and songwriter for the franco-ontarian band CANO in the 1970s...
, violinist Wasyl Kohut, guitarists Marcel Aymar
Marcel Aymar
Marcel Aymar is a franco-ontarian singer originally from Baie Sainte-Marie, Nova Scotia. He moved to Sudbury, Ontario in 1972 as a teen and was involved in the popular franco-ontarian group CANO, playing guitar...
and David Burt, pianist Michel Kendel, bassist John Doerr and drummer Michel Dasti. The band was formed in the fall of 1975 and performed their first major concert in December at La Slague in Sudbury.
The band performed both traditional French folk songs and original material by Aymar, the Paiements and Robert Dickson
Robert Dickson (writer)
Robert Dickson was a Canadian poet, translator and academic.Dickson formerly worked as a professor for le Département d'études françaises et de traduction at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario...
. With their third album, Eclipse, they began performing English-language songs as well. The band were most successful on francophone pop charts in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but they had notable hits in English Canada as well. Eclipse and Rendezvous, notably, both charted on CFNY
CFNY-FM
CFNY-FM, promoted under the branding 102.1 The Edge, is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.1 FM. The station rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s due to its freestyle DJing format and unique choice to play alternative music...
. "Rebound" reached #97 and "Carrie" reached #78 on the RPM charts in 1979 and 1980.
In 1978, André Paiement committed suicide.
Spirit of the North, a compilation issued in 1980, traced CANO's integration of pop, rock and jazz influences into what was originally a folk-based style.
Following the departure of Rachel Paiement in 1980, the remaining musicians recorded the album Camouflage under the name Masque.
Kohut died in 1981.
In 1984, Aymar, Burt, Ben Mink
Ben Mink
Ben Mink is a Canadian songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer.Born of Polish parents, Mink was raised in Toronto Ontario. He got his start performing with the rock/country group Mary-Lou Horner, which became the house band at bar and nightclub....
and Mary Lu Zahalan
Mary Lu Zahalan
Mary Lu Zahalan is a Canadian rock singer and actress.Born in Renfrew, Ontario and raised in Oakville, Zahalan was a Miss Canada finalist in 1976 before embarking on a career as an entertainer. She was a performing arts teacher at Oakville's Sheridan College.She received a nomination for a Juno...
revived CANO for a tour. They recorded the band's final album, Visible, and played concerts in Ontario, Quebec and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
before the band was retired for good.
Legacy
The band was also the subject of the National Film Board documentary CANO, Notes on a Collective Experience. As well, CANO were involved in the creation of two music festivalMusic festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
s in Sudbury, the bilingual folk festival Northern Lights Festival Boréal
Northern Lights Festival Boréal
Northern Lights Festival Boréal is an annual folk festival in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's oldest music festival, in continuous operation since 1972...
and the franco-Ontarian cultural festival La Nuit sur l'étang
La Nuit sur l'étang
La Nuit sur l'étang is a Canadian music festival, held annually in Sudbury, Ontario.Established in 1973 by Fernand Dorais and a group of students from Laurentian University, the festival presents a concert program of francophone musical artists over a night...
. Both festivals continue to operate today.
In 2003, Universal Music Canada released a CANO greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation as part of their 20th Century Masters series.
In early 2008, the band announced plans to begin re-releasing their music on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. The band re-released Rendezvous in the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
in summer 2008, and Eclipse in spring 2009. The band performed a reunion show at the 2010 La Nuit sur l'étang festival, with Monique Paiement, André and Rachel's younger sister, on lead vocals.
Discography
- 1976 - Tous dans l'même bâteauTous dans l'même bâteauTous dans l'même bâteau was the debut album by Canadian progressive rock group CANO, released in 1976. The album was produced by Luc Cousineau and Jon Red Mitchell.-Track listing:# "Viens nous voir"...
- 1977 - Au nord de notre vieAu nord de notre vieAu nord de notre vie is an album by CANO, released in 1977.Au Nord de Notre Vie was Cano's second album and last with Andre...
- 1978 - EclipseEclipse (CANO album)Eclipse was the third album by Canadian progressive rock band CANO, released in 1978. The album was produced by Gene Martynec. It was the band's first album to include English language material...
- 1979 - RendezvousRendezvous (CANO album)Rendezvous was the fourth album by Canadian progressive rock band CANO, released in 1979. The album was produced by Jim Vallance, who later married CANO singer Rachel Paiement....
- 1980 - Spirit of the NorthSpirit of the NorthSpirit of the North was a compilation album by Canadian progressive rock band CANO, released in 1980. The album compiled tracks from the band's four studio albums.It was the band's final release in its original form...
- 1981 - CamouflageCamouflage (CANO album)The Camouflage album was recorded by CANO members Aymar, Dasti, Burt, Kendell, Doerr and Kohut who called themselves, Masque.It was released on the A&M label...
(as Masque) - 1985 - VisibleVisible (album)Visible was an album by Canadian progressive rock band CANO, released in 1985.It was the band's final studio album. Marcel Aymar, David Burt, Michel Dasti and Michel Kendell were joined on Visible by Ben Mink replacing Wasyl Kohut, who died of a brain aneurism, and Mary Lu Zahalan replacing Rachel...
- 2003 - 20th Century Masters: The Best of CANO