La Bottine Souriante
Encyclopedia
La Bottine Souriante is a folk band
from Quebec
specialising in traditional Québécois music
, often with a modern twist.
Formed in 1976, they have toured extensively through North America and Europe. As well as the traditional accordion, fiddle
, guitar, piano and double bass, the band added a four-piece horn section in 1990 which gives an element of jazz
to the music. In 1998, they contributed a song to the Canadian Celtic music
compilation by The Chieftains
, Fire in the Kitchen
.
The group's name means "the smiling boot", which refers to the appearance of a work boot with worn-out soles.
LBS's current line-up is:
Past Members include:
Guest players
award for Best Roots/Traditional Album on three occasions for Je voudrais changer d'chapeau in 1989, Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
in 1992, and Cordial
in 2002. They have also received several Félix Award
s from the Quebec recording industry: four Best Folk Album of the Year awards for Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
in 1992, La Mistrine
in 1995, En spectacle in 1997, and Xième
in 1999, two Best Traditional Album awards for Cordial
in 2002 and J'ai jamais tant ri in 2004, and one Best Sound (Technical) of the Year award in 1993. Furthermore, they have received four gold records for Y'a ben du changement
, En spectacle, Xième
, and Anthologie and three platinum records for Tout comme au jour de l'An, Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
, and La Mistrine
. They are known for their high energy live performances and in 2000 were voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
. BBC Radio 3
has also played their music in mainstream programmes.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
from 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....
specialising in traditional Québécois music
Music of Quebec
Being a modern cosmopolitan society, today, all types of music can be found in the Canadian province of Quebec. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of Celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms...
, often with a modern twist.
Formed in 1976, they have toured extensively through North America and Europe. As well as the traditional accordion, fiddle
Fiddle
The 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...
, guitar, piano and double bass, the band added a four-piece horn section in 1990 which gives an element of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
to the music. In 1998, they contributed a song to the Canadian Celtic music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
compilation by The Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
, Fire in the Kitchen
Fire in the Kitchen
Fire in the Kitchen is a compilation album recorded by The Chieftains, in collaboration with an array of Canadian folk musical guests, and released in 1998....
.
The group's name means "the smiling boot", which refers to the appearance of a work boot with worn-out soles.
Members
LBS has changed members numerous times (not unusual for folk groups). Although founder Yves Lambert has left the group, LBS continues to perform. The composition of the band has changed too, and with it the sound. LBS started out with a very French Canadian feel with guitar, accordion and fiddle but has expanded to include other styles and instruments. A new wave of young musicians joined the group in 2002.LBS's current line-up is:
- Éric Beaudry (vocals, guitar, bouzoukiBouzoukiThe bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, podorythmie) 2002- - Pierre "Pedro" Bélisle (keyboards, piano accordionPiano accordionA piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more similar to that of an organ than a piano, as they are both wind instruments, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deiro in 1910—has remained the popular...
, piano, trumpet) 2000- - David Boulanger (vocals, violin, podorythmie, percussion)
- Benoît Bourque (accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, bonesBones (instrument)The bones are a musical instrument which, at the simplest, consists of a pair of animal bones, or pieces of wood or a similar material. Sections of large rib bones and lower leg bones are the most commonly used true bones, although wooden sticks shaped like the earlier true bones are now more...
, podorythmie, vocals) 2009- - Robert "Bob" Ellis (bass trombone, tubaTubaThe tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, percussion) 1990- - Jean Fréchette (saxophone, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, penny whistle, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, percussion, vocals) 1990- - Jocelyn Lapointe (trumpet, flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
) 1993- - François Marion (electric bass, acoustic bass guitarAcoustic bass guitarThe acoustic bass guitar is a bass instrument with a hollow wooden body similar to, though usually somewhat larger than a steel-string acoustic guitar...
) - Sandy Silva (percussive dance)
- André Verreault (tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
) 1990-
Past Members include:
- Régent Archambault (double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, electric bass, vocals) 1988- - Michel Bordeleau (snare drumSnare drumThe snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
, guitar, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, feet, fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, (solo) vocals) 1987- - Guy Bouchard (spoonSpoonA spoon is a utensil consisting of a small shallow bowl, oval or round, at the end of a handle. A type of cutlery , especially as part of a place setting, it is used primarily for serving. Spoons are also used in food preparation to measure, mix, stir and toss ingredients...
s, guitar, fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, vocals) 1980 - André Brunet (violin, guitar, vocals, podorythmie, percussion) 1997-
- Gilles Cantin (guitar, feet, (solo) vocals) 1977–1981 (deceased)
- Laflèche Doré (flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
, trumpet) 1990–1993 (deceased) - Pierre-Luc Dupuis (vocals, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, harmonica) 2002 - Mario Forest (spoonSpoonA spoon is a utensil consisting of a small shallow bowl, oval or round, at the end of a handle. A type of cutlery , especially as part of a place setting, it is used primarily for serving. Spoons are also used in food preparation to measure, mix, stir and toss ingredients...
s, harmonica, vocals) 1976–1979, 1980–1984 - Denis Fréchette (piano accordionPiano accordionA piano accordion is an accordion equipped with a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano or organ. Its acoustic mechanism is more similar to that of an organ than a piano, as they are both wind instruments, but the term "piano accordion"—coined by Guido Deiro in 1910—has remained the popular...
, flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
, piano, trumpet, vocals) 1988–1999 (deceased) - Yves Lambert (accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, jaw harp, harmonica, melodeonMelodeon (organ)A melodeon is a type of 19th century reed organ with a foot-operated vacuum bellows, and a piano keyboard. It differs from the related harmonium, which uses a pressure bellows. Melodeons were manufactured in the United States sometime after 1812 until the Civil War era...
, (solo) vocals) 1976- 2002 - Jacques Landry (bonesBones (instrument)The bones are a musical instrument which, at the simplest, consists of a pair of animal bones, or pieces of wood or a similar material. Sections of large rib bones and lower leg bones are the most commonly used true bones, although wooden sticks shaped like the earlier true bones are now more...
, bodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
) 1977 - Pierre Laporte (fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, (solo) vocals) 1977–1981 - André Marchand (guitar, feet, (solo) vocals) 1976–1988
- Lisa Ornstein (piano, fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
) 1979 - Martin Racine (guitar, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, feet, fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, vocals) 1980–1997 - Daniel Roy (flageoletFlageoletThe flageolet is a woodwind musical instrument and a member of the fipple flute family. Its invention is ascribed to the 16th century Sieur Juvigny in 1581. There are two basic forms of the instrument: the French, having four finger holes on the front and two thumb holes on the back; and the...
, jaw harp, bonesBones (instrument)The bones are a musical instrument which, at the simplest, consists of a pair of animal bones, or pieces of wood or a similar material. Sections of large rib bones and lower leg bones are the most commonly used true bones, although wooden sticks shaped like the earlier true bones are now more...
, bodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, (solo) vocals) 1982–1985 - Bernard Simard (guitar, (solo) vocals) 1984–1986
Guest players
- Dominique D'Haiti (fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
) on Je voudrais changer de chapeau - Ron di Lauro (trumpet, flugelhornFlugelhornThe flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
) on La Mistrine - Michel Dupire (percussion) on La Mistrine
- Jacques Landry (bodhránBodhránThe bodhrán is an Irish frame drum ranging from 25 to 65 cm in diameter, with most drums measuring 35 to 45 cm . The sides of the drum are 9 to 20 cm deep. A goatskin head is tacked to one side...
, bonesBones (instrument)The bones are a musical instrument which, at the simplest, consists of a pair of animal bones, or pieces of wood or a similar material. Sections of large rib bones and lower leg bones are the most commonly used true bones, although wooden sticks shaped like the earlier true bones are now more...
) on La traverse de l'Atlantique - Danielle Martineau (piano) on La traverse de l'Atlantique
- Dominique Messier (drums) on La Mistrine
- Lisa Ornstein (fiddleViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, piano) on Les Épousailles, Chic & Swell and Je voudrais changer de chapeau - Anne Perrot (cello) on Je voudrais changer de chapeau
- Daniel Plamondon (violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
) on Je voudrais changer de chapeau
Discography
- Y'a ben du changementY'a ben du changementY'a ben du changement is a 1978 album by La Bottine Souriante.-Track listing:# "Sur la montagne du loup" , – 4:10# "Trinque l'amourette" , – 3:51...
(1978) – (Gold) - Les ÉpousaillesLes ÉpousaillesLes Épousailles is a 1980 album by La Bottine Souriante.-Track listing:# "Les p'tits plaisirs de Basile" # "Le Réel des deux Lisa|Le Réel du cordonnier" ...
(1980) - Chic 'n SwellChic 'n SwellChic 'n Swell is a 1982 album by La Bottine Souriante.-Track listing:# "Le Batteux" , La grande gigue simple – 2:58# "La Tapinie" , Le reel des voyageurs – 3:50...
(1982) - La Traversée de l'AtlantiqueLa Traversée de l'AtlantiqueLa Traversée de l'Atlantique is a 1986 album by La Bottine Souriante.-Track listing:# "Sur le pont d'Avignon", – 3:18# "Le meunier et la jeune fille", – 3:15# "Le reel des vieux/Le reel à Jules Verret", – 2:57...
(1986) - Tout comme au jour de l'An (1987) – (Platinum)
- Je voudrais changer d'chapeau (1988)
- Jusqu'aux p'tites heuresJusqu'aux p'tites heuresJusqu’ aux p’tites heures is a studio album by Canadian folk band La Bottine Souriante. Released in 1991, it contains an assortment of reels as well as traditional songs with the addition of modern instruments. The theme of alcohol is recurrent in this album...
(1992) – (Platinum) - La MistrineLa MistrineLa Mistrine is an album by La Bottine Souriante, released in 1994. It contains the popular song "Martin de la Chasse-galerie", which tells of a famous Quebec legend, and is performed in cooperation with Michel Rivard.-Track listing:...
(1994) - En spectacle (1996)
- XièmeXièmeXième , like its name in French indicates, is La Bottine Souriante's 10th released album. A studio album released in 1998, it was released in the United States under the title Rock 'n Reel.-Track listing:#"Reel du Forgeron"...
(1998, also released in the United States as Rock 'n Reel) – (Gold) - CordialCordial (album)Cordial is the tenth studio album from Québécois band La Bottine Souriante. It was released in 2001 through the band's own label, Les Productions Mille-Pattes....
(2001) - Anthologie (2001) – (Gold)
- J'ai jamais tant ri (2003)
- Anthologie II, 1976-2005 (2006)
Awards and achievements
La Bottine Souriante has received the Canadian JunoJuno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
award for Best Roots/Traditional Album on three occasions for Je voudrais changer d'chapeau in 1989, Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
Jusqu’ aux p’tites heures is a studio album by Canadian folk band La Bottine Souriante. Released in 1991, it contains an assortment of reels as well as traditional songs with the addition of modern instruments. The theme of alcohol is recurrent in this album...
in 1992, and Cordial
Cordial (album)
Cordial is the tenth studio album from Québécois band La Bottine Souriante. It was released in 2001 through the band's own label, Les Productions Mille-Pattes....
in 2002. They have also received several Félix Award
Félix Award
The Félix Award is a music award, given on an annual basis to artists in the Canadian province of Quebec.The first Félix awards were presented on September 23, 1979, by the Association du disque, de l'industrie du spectacle québécois...
s from the Quebec recording industry: four Best Folk Album of the Year awards for Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
Jusqu’ aux p’tites heures is a studio album by Canadian folk band La Bottine Souriante. Released in 1991, it contains an assortment of reels as well as traditional songs with the addition of modern instruments. The theme of alcohol is recurrent in this album...
in 1992, La Mistrine
La Mistrine
La Mistrine is an album by La Bottine Souriante, released in 1994. It contains the popular song "Martin de la Chasse-galerie", which tells of a famous Quebec legend, and is performed in cooperation with Michel Rivard.-Track listing:...
in 1995, En spectacle in 1997, and Xième
Xième
Xième , like its name in French indicates, is La Bottine Souriante's 10th released album. A studio album released in 1998, it was released in the United States under the title Rock 'n Reel.-Track listing:#"Reel du Forgeron"...
in 1999, two Best Traditional Album awards for Cordial
Cordial (album)
Cordial is the tenth studio album from Québécois band La Bottine Souriante. It was released in 2001 through the band's own label, Les Productions Mille-Pattes....
in 2002 and J'ai jamais tant ri in 2004, and one Best Sound (Technical) of the Year award in 1993. Furthermore, they have received four gold records for Y'a ben du changement
Y'a ben du changement
Y'a ben du changement is a 1978 album by La Bottine Souriante.-Track listing:# "Sur la montagne du loup" , – 4:10# "Trinque l'amourette" , – 3:51...
, En spectacle, Xième
Xième
Xième , like its name in French indicates, is La Bottine Souriante's 10th released album. A studio album released in 1998, it was released in the United States under the title Rock 'n Reel.-Track listing:#"Reel du Forgeron"...
, and Anthologie and three platinum records for Tout comme au jour de l'An, Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
Jusqu'aux p'tites heures
Jusqu’ aux p’tites heures is a studio album by Canadian folk band La Bottine Souriante. Released in 1991, it contains an assortment of reels as well as traditional songs with the addition of modern instruments. The theme of alcohol is recurrent in this album...
, and La Mistrine
La Mistrine
La Mistrine is an album by La Bottine Souriante, released in 1994. It contains the popular song "Martin de la Chasse-galerie", which tells of a famous Quebec legend, and is performed in cooperation with Michel Rivard.-Track listing:...
. They are known for their high energy live performances and in 2000 were voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2....
. BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
has also played their music in mainstream programmes.
See also
- List of bands from Canada
- List of musicians from Quebec
- Music of QuebecMusic of QuebecBeing a modern cosmopolitan society, today, all types of music can be found in the Canadian province of Quebec. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of Celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms...
- Culture of QuebecCulture of QuebecThe Culture of Quebec emerged over the last few hundred years, resulting from the shared history of the French-speaking majority in Quebec. It is unique to the Western World; Quebec is the only region in North America with a French-speaking majority, as well as one of only two provinces in Canada...
External links
- Official web site
- Fan site – with details of lineup and pictures – in French
- Detailed discography – with some sound samples
- Song lyrics