Territoires

Beautiful, passionate songs of Eastern Canada rendered by a five-person group using traditional forms, sung in wonderfully clear and understandable French in lively tempos and yet every song is unique; evoking many different mental and physical “territories”

NO FCC's; Favorite tracks: (all are good) 1, 3,8. 9

*1—Le Pays de Samuel –3:05—the dream of Samuel de Champlain to build a bridge between indigenous and European nations in Eastern Canada

2—Adieu du Village –4:05 – lively fiddling, drumming, and singing

*3—Cotillon du Capitaine – 4:06-- put on your dancing shoes for this one; all instrumental with hurdy-gurdy in the background-- switches beat and adds piano partway through

4 –Le Soir Arrive –3:46 – Celtic vibe; nice rocking beat; the singer dreams

5 –Le Jardinier 3:17 – Q&A with a gardener; lively playing, with call and response

6 –Le Step a Alexis –3:54-- instrumental step dance. Great fiddling!

7 –Louisbourg - -2:53—a capella recounting of the loss of the first city in “New France”; nice harmony!

*8 –La Mere a l'Echafaud—5:20-- tragic ballad of how a woman who killed her lover needs to find someone to bring up her son before she is executed

*9 –Evolution Tranquille—3:37-- the amazing history of Quebec from feudal to capitalist in a mere 100 years set to lively Celtic-tinged music

10--Au Regiment –4:30-- ballad of a man leaving for the regiment and leaving his lover; strong chorus and fiddling

11—Chaousaro –4:10-- loch ness monster of Lake Champlain

12—Turlute a Bassinette—5:16 – pretty cradle song with accordion and drone; mouth music at end

13—Cote-Nord –2:44 –pretty and slightly more contemplative instrumental