Chouïa

For the past decade this multi-instrumentalist trio have pushed the boundaries of Québécois traditional music by exploring other music cultures. Chouïa, the trio's fourth recording (celebrating their ten-year anniversary), is no exception, with hints of classical, rock and West African music. The track ‘Chez-Moi’, for example, is something of a Senegal-meets-Québec blend, featuring, as it does, percussion and vocals from Senegalese-Canadian Élage Diouf. Another guest, in this case cellist/vocalist Jorane on the track ‘Fille Abandonnée’, results in a moody, ambient piece that builds slowly through layers of vocals. And instrumental ‘Scout’ hints at a Philip Glass-like repetition of motif (had Glass decided to embrace the insistent tapping pieds that are such a trademark of the trad Québec sound).

The unifying factor for much of the album is trio leader Nicolas Pellerin's compelling tenor voice; that, and the solid harmonising of fellow trio members Simon Lepage and Stéphane Tellier. In fact, the compositions gel best when the simpatico, chamber music quality of the trio is at the forefront, while some of the more experimental fare is not always quite as successful. Regardless, kudos to these talented musicians for exploring and expanding the notion of what the trad music of Québec is all about.