Grand Dérangement (band)
Encyclopedia
Grand Dérangement is an Acadian folk band from southwestern Nova Scotia
whose style shows influence of Acadian
, American, Celtic, and French music. The band's name, literally, "great disturbance", comes from the French name for the Great Expulsion of the Acadians by the British
in 1755, a major turning point in Acadian history. Grand Dérangement has toured in the US, Canada
, France
, Switzerland
, and Germany
.
Members Briand Melanson, Daniel Leblanc, Jean-Pascal Comeau, and Charles Robicheau have collaborated with musicians such as Luc Tardif, Nathalie Geddry, Jeanne Doucette-Currie, Jean-Étienne Sheehy, and Alphonse Melanson, and have performed at events such as Le Gala des Prix Éloize, Le Gala de la Chanson de la Nouvelle-Écosse, and The Church Point Tsunami Fundraising Concert.
, childhood friends Daniel LeBlanc
and Briand Melanson began collaborating with local artist Michel Thibault. The three then recruited well-known pianist Jacky Comeau and started to work on their first album. In 1998, the band released its first album "Tournons la page". In 2000, the band released its second album, "Danse dans les flammes" to great critical acclaim. Though Comeau left the band shortly afterwards due to health issues, the band toured North America and Europe in support of their album, with replacement pianist Armand Dionne from New Brunswick and another new member, guitarist Jean-Pascal Comeau.
In 2004, the band's song "Je reviens au berceau de l'Acadie" was selected as the theme song of the World Acadian Congress. The song was later released on the band's third album, an EP entitled "2004" which included re-recorded versions of songs off the first album. The band followed their EP with their fourth album, "Dérangé", which was popular on the radio and brought Grand Dérangement greater popular acclaim. After the success of Dérange, Grand Dérangement brought on another member, Charles Robicheau. In late 2005, the band released "Plane un aigle", which included songs from Dérangé and 2004. The band has since brought on several step-dancers, including Suzanne Comeau and Danielle LeBlanc. On August 15, 2006, the band recorded the their first live album, "LIVE", which was released in August 2007.
The current members of Grand Dérangement are:
Past members include:
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
whose style shows influence of Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
, American, Celtic, and French music. The band's name, literally, "great disturbance", comes from the French name for the Great Expulsion of the Acadians by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1755, a major turning point in Acadian history. Grand Dérangement has toured in the US, Canada
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...
, 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...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Members Briand Melanson, Daniel Leblanc, Jean-Pascal Comeau, and Charles Robicheau have collaborated with musicians such as Luc Tardif, Nathalie Geddry, Jeanne Doucette-Currie, Jean-Étienne Sheehy, and Alphonse Melanson, and have performed at events such as Le Gala des Prix Éloize, Le Gala de la Chanson de la Nouvelle-Écosse, and The Church Point Tsunami Fundraising Concert.
History
In the 1990s, after quitting the band BlouBlou (band)
Blou is a band from Meteghan, Nova Scotia. The group claims a unique style of music which they call "Acadico" – a mix of Acadian, Cajun and Zydeco styles...
, childhood friends Daniel LeBlanc
Daniel Leblanc
Daniel LeBlanc plays fiddle in the Acadian band Grand Dérangement.-External links:...
and Briand Melanson began collaborating with local artist Michel Thibault. The three then recruited well-known pianist Jacky Comeau and started to work on their first album. In 1998, the band released its first album "Tournons la page". In 2000, the band released its second album, "Danse dans les flammes" to great critical acclaim. Though Comeau left the band shortly afterwards due to health issues, the band toured North America and Europe in support of their album, with replacement pianist Armand Dionne from New Brunswick and another new member, guitarist Jean-Pascal Comeau.
In 2004, the band's song "Je reviens au berceau de l'Acadie" was selected as the theme song of the World Acadian Congress. The song was later released on the band's third album, an EP entitled "2004" which included re-recorded versions of songs off the first album. The band followed their EP with their fourth album, "Dérangé", which was popular on the radio and brought Grand Dérangement greater popular acclaim. After the success of Dérange, Grand Dérangement brought on another member, Charles Robicheau. In late 2005, the band released "Plane un aigle", which included songs from Dérangé and 2004. The band has since brought on several step-dancers, including Suzanne Comeau and Danielle LeBlanc. On August 15, 2006, the band recorded the their first live album, "LIVE", which was released in August 2007.
Albums
- Tournons la page (1998)
- Danse dans les flammes (2000)
- 2004 (2003)
- Dérangé (2005)
- Plane un aigle (France Release) (2005)
- LIVE (2007)
Members
The current members of Grand Dérangement are:
- Daniel LeBlancDaniel LeblancDaniel LeBlanc plays fiddle in the Acadian band Grand Dérangement.-External links:...
(FiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Vocals) — Degree received from the California Guitare Institute of Technology - Briand Melanson (PercussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, lead Vocals) — Degree received from the California Percussion Institute of Technology - Jean-Pascal Comeau (Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Step danceStep danceStep dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...
) — Studied at the California Bass Institute of Technology - Monique Comeau (Step danceStep danceStep dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...
)— Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance at York University, Toronto, ON and graduate of dance performance program at George Brown College, Toronto, ON - Charles Robicheau (GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
)
Past members include:
- Jacques (Jackie) Comeau (KeyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) - Christiane Theriault, Erin Westby, Janice Comeau, Natalie Robichaud (Step danceStep danceStep dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...
) - Armand Dionne (KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) - Danielle LeBlanc (Step danceStep danceStep dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...
) - Suzanne Comeau (Step danceStep danceStep dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...
)