La Volée d'Castors
Encyclopedia
La Volée d'Castors is a Quebec folk
band formed in 1993. Since the end of the 90s they have gained a lot of fame in Quebec and internationally and have toured 15 countries.
region was formed in 1993 by Nicolas Froment, Mathieu Lacas, Martin Mailhot and Sébastien Parent. Their first album, Galant
, was released in 1994.
In 1995 they were joined by Frédéric Bourgeois from Sainte-Marie-Salomé and, for the first time they performed outside the province of Quebec
, at the Northern Lights Festival Boréal
in Sudbury, Ontario
. Réjean Brunet was added to the line-up in 1996, and for a whole year the Castors were the official musicians of a traditional Lanaudière dance ensemble, les Petits Pas Jacadiens. They also made occasional concerts in and around Montreal and Quebec City.
1997 marked a turning point for the band when they produced themselves at a world folk festival in Saint-Malo
, France, in their first international performance. In 1998, their second album, Par monts et par vaux, was launched, and the Castors were invited to various radio and televised live performances which helped increase their popularity. They played for the first time in the United States in 1999 at the New Music Festival
, in Vermont
, and at the same time they produced a video for Belle embarquez!.
The new millennium saw them performing in concerts all across Canada and also in the United States, notably at the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance
in Cleveland, Ohio
. Their third album, VDC
, recorded in Saint-Calixte, was released the same year and earned the group a nomination at the Juno Awards 2000 in the Best Roots and traditional album-group.
In 2001 they went on a tour that took them across Canada, Europe, and Quebec where they collected a Félix at the ADISQ
awards for the best traditional album. The following year, original member Nicolas Froment quit the band, to be replaced by Steve Boulay from Gaspésie, and again the band embarked on a European tour, in which they took part at the Hebridean Celtic Festival
in Scotland and the Tonder Folk Festival in Denmark. Back in Quebec they also performed live with La Bottine Souriante
and toured across the province.
In 2003 their fourth album, Migration, was released and the band toured North America, Europe, and for the first time, played in Japan, Malaysia, at the Rainforest World Music Festival
, Australia, at the WOMADelaide
, and New-Zealand. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Vancouver Folk Festival also welcomed the Castors, who were joined that year by André Dupuis, a percussionist experienced in Cuban and Latin music.
Since 2004, the band has taken care of itself independently, and has continued to make concerts in Europe and North America. In 2005, their first live album, Y'a du monde à messe, was released. A new member, Frédéric Beauséjour, was welcomed the same year.
Former members
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...
band formed in 1993. Since the end of the 90s they have gained a lot of fame in Quebec and internationally and have toured 15 countries.
Biography
The band from the LanaudièreLanaudière
Lanaudière is one of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada, situated immediately to the northeast of Montreal. It has a total population of 429,053 inhabitants.-Geography:...
region was formed in 1993 by Nicolas Froment, Mathieu Lacas, Martin Mailhot and Sébastien Parent. Their first album, Galant
Galant
In music, Galant was a term referring to a style, principally occurring in the third quarter of the 18th century, which featured a return to classical simplicity after the complexity of the late Baroque era...
, was released in 1994.
In 1995 they were joined by Frédéric Bourgeois from Sainte-Marie-Salomé and, for the first time they performed outside the province of 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....
, at the 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...
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....
. Réjean Brunet was added to the line-up in 1996, and for a whole year the Castors were the official musicians of a traditional Lanaudière dance ensemble, les Petits Pas Jacadiens. They also made occasional concerts in and around Montreal and Quebec City.
1997 marked a turning point for the band when they produced themselves at a world folk festival in Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
, France, in their first international performance. In 1998, their second album, Par monts et par vaux, was launched, and the Castors were invited to various radio and televised live performances which helped increase their popularity. They played for the first time in the United States in 1999 at the New Music Festival
New Music Festival
Since 2004–2005, influenced by the Eurovision Song Contest and the large Internet community, online music contests are being realized all over Europe but in Net. NMF is one example of the large number of that contests and it is, currently, in Edition 2, held in Madrid Arena, Spain...
, in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, and at the same time they produced a video for Belle embarquez!.
The new millennium saw them performing in concerts all across Canada and also in the United States, notably at the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance
North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance
The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance is a non-profit organization that sponsors an annual conference that is an industry focal point for folk music and dance...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Their third album, VDC
VDC
VDC is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings:In technology:* Virtual Design and Construction, modeling software and techniques to design and evaluate possible construction processes* Volts of Direct Current...
, recorded in Saint-Calixte, was released the same year and earned the group a nomination at the Juno Awards 2000 in the Best Roots and traditional album-group.
In 2001 they went on a tour that took them across Canada, Europe, and Quebec where they collected a Félix at the ADISQ
ADISQ
The ADISQ is a nonprofit organization with the mission to help the music industry in Quebec. It was created in 1978....
awards for the best traditional album. The following year, original member Nicolas Froment quit the band, to be replaced by Steve Boulay from Gaspésie, and again the band embarked on a European tour, in which they took part at the Hebridean Celtic Festival
Hebridean Celtic Festival
The Hebridean Celtic Festival is an international Celtic music festival, which takes place annually in Stornoway on Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The biggest headliners to date have been Runrig, The Waterboys, Proclaimers and Van Morrison...
in Scotland and the Tonder Folk Festival in Denmark. Back in Quebec they also performed live with La Bottine Souriante
La Bottine Souriante
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...
and toured across the province.
In 2003 their fourth album, Migration, was released and the band toured North America, Europe, and for the first time, played in Japan, Malaysia, at the Rainforest World Music Festival
Rainforest World Music Festival
The Rainforest World Music Festival is an annual 3-day music festival celebrating the diversity of world music, held in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, with daytime music workshops, cultural displays, craft displays, food stalls, and main-stage evening concerts...
, Australia, at the WOMADelaide
WOMADelaide
WOMADelaide is an annual world music and dance festival, which was first held in 1992 in Botanic Park, Adelaide, South Australia as part of the WOMAD series of music festivals. WOMAD events are a showcase of different sorts of music, arts and dance. They encourage people to experience the music of...
, and New-Zealand. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Vancouver Folk Festival also welcomed the Castors, who were joined that year by André Dupuis, a percussionist experienced in Cuban and Latin music.
Since 2004, the band has taken care of itself independently, and has continued to make concerts in Europe and North America. In 2005, their first live album, Y'a du monde à messe, was released. A new member, Frédéric Beauséjour, was welcomed the same year.
Members
- Frédéric Beauséjour 2005-
- Frédéric Bourgeois (Accordion, feet, harmonica, voice) 1995-
- André Dupuis (Percussions) 2003-
- Mathieu Lacas (Violin) 1993-
- Sébastien Parent (Guitars, banjo, voice) 1993-
Former members
- Martin Mailhot 1993-2006
- Nicolas Froment 1993-2001
- Steve Boulay 2001-2005
Discography
- 19941994 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
: Galant - 19981998 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
: Par monts et par vaux - 20002000 in musicSee also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
: VDC - 20032003 in music-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
: Migration - 20052005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
: Y'a du monde à messe - 20062006 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
: L'album du temps des fêtes - 20102010 in music2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music...
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