[FR]
Paul Lafrance, violin, and Marc-André Marchand, guitar
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The paintings shown on the album cover and in the videos are presented with the kind permission of the plastician artist Patrick Pépin
The title À jeu découvert (which could be translated by “Showing your hand”) was well chosen. “Unplugged”, Paul Lafrance and Marc-André Marchand play their instruments quite simply, straightforwardly. Sometimes you’ll stomp your feet to the rhythm, but mostly you’ll want to listen to the music, maybe while enjoying–literally or virtually–a sweet afternoon under the shade.
Track titles
- Les rois Watch video
- La belle rose Watch video
- Off to California
- Coilantogle, Petticoats Loose
- The Kirn
- O’Carolan’s Concerto
Music by Turlough O’Carolan (public domain) - O’Carolan’s Farewell Watch video
Music by Turlough O’Carolan (public domain) - Jenny’s Welcome to Charlie Watch video
- Josefins Dopvals
Music by Roger Tallroth (by permission) - The Rover Reformed
- L’alouette et le rossignol
- Suite klezmer
- Mont-Saint-Hilaire
Music by Paul Lafrance - Les vieux, La grande gigue simple
- Ma grand-mère Odile Watch video
- La danse des jaloux
- Charlevoix
***All music is traditional, unless otherwise indicated***
Recorded at studio barock, in the Outaouais, fall of 2016 and winter of 2017
© Les éditions barock, 2017
Track description
1. Les rois Watch video
Québecois traditional version of the American breakdown Arkansas Traveler. Dominique Tremblay and Philippe Gagnon played it in an inimitable fashion on their album Ça roule, back in 1973. Here we render it without a poker face, but “à jeu découvert” (all cards laid on the table)!
2. La belle rose Watch video
Beautiful melody published in La fleur du rosier, Acadian Folksongs (UCCB Press and Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1988).
3. Off to California
How often do we dream of a better place to be, wishing we could live elsewhere! Anyways, this is our “let’s all be merry” tune.
4. Coilantogle, Petticoats Loose
This strathspey bears the name of a village in Pertshire County, Scotland. The jig that follows, well, speaks for itself!
5. The Kirn
This word can have many meanings. Your choice will be ours!
6. O’Carolan’s Concerto
The blind Irish harper Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738) composed hundreds of tunes. A man of his time, he was strongly influenced not only by Irish folk melodies but also by baroque music. His Concerto certainly reveals these two influences.
7. O’Carolan’s Farewell Watch video
It is said that O’Carolan, after improvising this melody, laid in bed until he passed away a few days later. Paul plays it solo on his fiddle.
8. Jenny’s Welcome to Charlie Watch video
How blissful coming back home where our beloved one was patiently waiting for us, when she opens her arms!
9. Josefins Dopvals
Roger Tallroth, Swedish musician and member of the band Väsen, composed this piece for his niece’s baptism. Marc-André plays it here on solo guitar.
10. The Rover Reformed
Two quite nostalgic English folk tunes, with some baroque undertones.
11. L’alouette et le rossignol
When playing the Irish set dance Lark in the Morning and the English air The Tuneful Nightingale, the fiddle seems to believe it’s a little bit of those two birds one loves to hear in the fresh and clear morning breeze.
12. Suite klezmer
Three folk tunes from the Jewish community of Eastern Europe: Beym rebns sude, Funder chuppah, Odessa bulgar.
13. Mont-Saint-Hilaire
This music by Paul Lafrance was used a the theme song on a promotional video for the City of Mont-Saint-Hilaire. First we reflect on the beautiful silhouette of the Monteregian Hill, then we gladly go pick up apples or eat at the sugar bush on its slopes.
14. Les vieux, La grande gigue simple
Two well-known Québec reels (although one is said to be a “grondeuse” and the other one a “gigue”), combined in our own way. Can you easily pick up the transition bar?
15. Ma grand-mère Odile Watch video
Odile Boudreault, Louis ‘Pitou’s grandmother, loved dancing on this rather hard to recognize version of the famous Fisher’s Hornpipe. Ça brasse les puces, y a pas à dire!
16. La danse des jaloux
A two-piece suite, simply titled Set carré (square dance) on Louis ‘Pitou’ Boudreault’s album.
17. Charlevoix
In a few minutes, we pass through three iconic villages of Charlevoix, one of the most beautiful regions of Québec: Reel de Pointe-au-Pic, Galope de La Malbaie, Les Éboulements. Safe journey!
🔊💰 Stream or buy album
Bandcamp Page
Major Online Platforms
To buy the CD, please contact us.
We would like to acknowledge the fact that many of the tunes from À jeu découvert were learned from the book English, Welsh, Scottish & Irish Fiddle Tunes selected, introduced and annotated by Robin Williamson (Oak Publications, New York, 1976). A classic for many musicians! Paul’s copy is more than threadbare…
Paul Lafrance 