Le Vent du Nord

The performance space at Le Lycee Francais de Los Angeles, Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, with the support of the Québec Government Office in Los Angeles, is pleased to present French-Canadian folk revival quartet Le Vent du Nord as part of its public performing arts series.  The highly-acclaimed band’s traditional Québécois music is heavily influenced by Celtic sounds.  The show will take place at the Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, 10361 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064 on Saturday, November 17, 2012 at 7:30pm.  Tickets cost $35 ($25 for students) and are available at https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?m=241d6077b39728479d58e072170e1c6f&t=tix.  To learn more about Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, please visit http://www.theatreraymondkabbaz.com.

Characterized by authenticity and humor, sprinkled with a touch of romanticism, Le Vent du Nord (The North Wind) pushes its Québec roots in striking global directions with a breath of fresh, cosmopolitan air.  The band delivers catchy music with rich and varied instrumentation, well-polished musical arrangements, and wonderful vocals.  Their traditional Québécois music, infused with Celtic sounds, brings together frenzied foot clapping, fiddle and accordion, merged with refined orchestrations, a savage-sounding hurdy-gurdy, superb four-voice harmonies in French, traditional airs, ballads, complaints and call-and-answer songs.

Le Vent du Nord’s members have become compelling Francophone ambassadors, winning critical acclaim and audience adoration across Europe and North America.  The group consists of Nicolas Boulerice (vocals, hurdy gurdy, piano accordion, piano), Olivier Demers (vocals, fiddle, foot-tapping and guitar), Simon Beaudry (vocals, guitar, Irish bouzouki), and Réjean Brunet (vocals, diatonic button accordion, acoustic bass guitar, piano and jaw harp).

Since forming in 2002, the quartet has become a driving force in progressive folk.  Le Vent du Nord has performed over 1,000 concerts and has racked up prestigious awards, including two Junos (Canada’s Grammys), a Canadian Folk Music Award, and “Artist of the Year” at the North American Folk Alliance Annual Gala.  The group appears regularly on Canadian, American, French, and UK television and radio.  They have collaborated and performed with Harry Manx, Väsen, The Chieftains, Breton musical pioneer Yann-Fañch Kemener, Québecois roots legend and master storyteller Michel Faubert, hip Scottish folk band Breabach, and the trans-Mediterranean ensemble Constantinople.  Le Vent du Nord also created a symphonic concert that was presented by the Portland Symphony Orchestra and the Québec Symphony Orchestra.  http://www.leventdunord.com