"Jean Derome. Born Montréal, Québec, 1955. esidence: Montréal, Québec. Composer, Performer (saxophones (alto, baritone, soprano), flutes (flute, bass flute, piccolo, alto flute, recorders), keyboards, small wind instruments (ocarinas, jew's harp, game calls, toys...), percussion, invented instruments, voice)

One of the most active and eclectic musicians on the Canadian creative music scene, Jean Derome has managed to earn the recognition of a larger public, a rare feat in that field. Thanks to his large-scale musique actuelle projects, his compositions, his work as an improviser, his jazz groups and his music for the screen and the stage, Derome ranks as a major creative force, in Québec and abroad. He is experienced and innovative on both saxophone and flute, and his unique writing style cannot be mistaken for anyone else's. Sensitive and powerful, his music often features a funny strike that makes its complex nature more inviting.

Ever since Nébu (one of Québec's first avant-garde jazz groups) in the early '70s, Derome has been consistently renewing and diversifying his approach of composition. He impressed audience and critics first with the flute, then with the saxophone, as a lead character in the musique actuelle underground. He took part to the various artists' collectives looking for new ways to express themselves freely, without esthetic or social constraints, including the Ensemble de musique improvisée de Montréal. Later, in the early '80s, he co-founded Ambiances Magnétiques, a collective and record label that raised his profile at home and introduced his name to the outside world. Among his numerous projects, let us mention the duos Les Granules, Nous perçons les oreilles and Plinc! Plonc!, the dynamic group Jean Derome et les Dangereux Zhoms, and the large-scale projects Confitures de gagaku, Je me souviens - Hommage à Georges Perec and Canot-camping. Most of these projects are based on a unique form of synergy between composition, structured improvisation and genuine creative madness, all this articulated with unmatched playfulness. In 1992, Derome became the second artist to be presented with the Freddie Stone Award (bassist Lisle Ellis was the first).

Besides improvising on a regular basis with Ambiances Magnétiques' members and appearing in their projects, Derome has also shared the stage with several musicians of international stature, among others Fred Frith, Lars Hollmer, Louis Sclavis and Han Bennink. He performs regularly all over Canada, in the US and in Europe. He received a Prix Opus in 2001 for his exposure abroad.

Lately, jazz circles have been praising his undisputable qualities as a jazzman, thanks to the Thelonious Monk tribute project Évidence, the Normand Guilbeault Ensemble (whose Mingus Erectus CD is devoted to Charles Mingus' music), and the much-lauded Derome Guilbeault Tanguay Trio.

Although Jean Derome writes tirelessly for his own projects, he is much in demand in the fields of film, theatre and dance. A short list of this side of his work would have to include his numerous scores for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), especially for films by John Walker, Jacques Leduc, Fernand Bélanger and animated films by Pierre Hébert, Michèle Cournoyer and Jean Detheux; his incidental music for Théâtre UBU, Théâtre de Quat'Sous and Théâtre du Nouveau Monde; not forgetting his work with several top choreographers, including Louise Bédard, Andrew de Lotbinière Harwood, Daniel Soulières and Ginette Laurin. Other music ensembles have commissioned works from him, including Tuyo, Bradyworks, the Hard Rubber Orchestra from Vancouver and Fanfare Pourpour. Incidentally, Derome is the musical director of the latter.

Over thirty years of music and 70 record credits later, Jean Derome still has sleeves bursting with tricks."

-ActuelleCD (http://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/derome_je/)
7/1/2025

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"Diane Labrosse. Born Montréal, Québec, 1950. Residence: Montréal, Québec. Composer, Performer (sampler, accordion, voice).

Working mainly with electronic samplers, Diane Labrosse has a very personnal approach to sounds, exploring different textures and timbres and creating an abstract but evocative music. She is a regular on several different music scenes and has performed at internationally known festivals of musique actuelle, electronic, avant-garde and improvised music all over the world (Canada, USA, Europe, Japan, Australia).

Her most recent projects take different forms: Endangered Species, a sound and visual installation/performance based on obsolete objects such as rotary dial phones and ticking alarmclocks; Dactylotactiles, performance for 3 typewriters and live video (Sébastien Cliche); Petit Bestiaire, naïve songs for a quintet (texts by Guy Marchamps); Sagesse pratique, a series of miniature pieces based on proverbs and O.V.N.I., a sign language for an improvising orchestra of variable sizes.

As a composer, using conventionnal or graphic scores, she wrote for many different ensembles: Array Music and The Burdocks (Toronto), L'Ensemble SuperMusique and Espaces Sonores Illimités (Montréal), NOW Orchestra and 999 years of Music, (Vancouver). She also wrote for less conventionnal instruments, such as ship horns (Harbour Symphonies), train whistles, air bottles and toy pianos. She worked with director Robert Lepage and co-signed (with percussionist Michel F Côté) the music for two of his plays: La Géométrie des miracles and Zulu Time.

As sound designer, she created music for dance (Louise Bédard, Crystal Pite, Andrew Harwood, Marc Boivin, Deborah Dunn, Catherine Tardif, Harold Rhéaume, Richard Siegal), film (Montréal vu par..., Pendant que les arbres tombent, L'Entrevue, Plan de fuite) and radio (Le Navire Night, Les Décrocheurs d'étoiles) and theatre (Nuit d'orage, Je suis d'un would-be pays, Bliss, 38 Contes shakespiriens...).

She has created multimedia installations for Danish company Tura-ya-moya (in situ performances in an old chalk mine), and Scottish-based Theatre Cryptic (Wall of Secrets in situ installation for 20 speakers) as well as the Centre de Musique Canadienne (a sound garden playing ramdom sound tracks on surround speakers).

In 1980, she founded Productions SuperMémé/SuperMusique with Joane Hétu and Danielle P Roger. She remained Co-Artistic Director of this company presenting many concerts and events of innovative music from 1980 to 2008. With long-time colleagues Hétu and Roger she created the groups Wondeur Brass, Justine, and Les Poules. She collaborated with many musicians such as Jean Derome, Pierre Tanguay, Michel F Côté, Martin Tétreault, Ikue Mori, Philippe Lauzier.

Her discography comprises more than 50 recordings mostly recorded on Montreal based label Ambiances Magnétiques. She has received several grants from Canada Arts Council as well as Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec."

-ActuelleCD (http://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/labrosse_di/)
7/1/2025

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"Joane Hétu. Born Montréal, Québec, 1958. Residence: Montréal, Québec. Composer, Performer (alto saxophone, voice), Author/

It has been more than 30 years now since self-taught composer, vocalist and saxophonist Joane Hétu has been following her own highly distinctive path through the vast territory of creative, contemporary music. From her beginnings with song-based new-rock bands such as Wondeur Brass, Justine and Les Poules, Hétu turned to composition (the evocative triptych comprising Musique d'hiver, Filature and La femme territoire ou 21 fragments d'humus) and improvisation, more often than not combining both within her general approach to music. She has co-directed the Ensemble SuperMusique since its founding in 1998, as well as the weekly series Mercredimusics since 2002. More recently she gave birth to La chorale bruitiste Joker (2012). Joane Hétu was awarded the prestigious Freddie Stone Award in 2006."

-ActuelleCD (http://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/hetu_jo/)
7/1/2025

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"First and foremost a double-bass player, composer, jazz and musiqueactuelle performer, he is very active in the provincial and national musicscenes and is highly regarded in the field. The tone, rhythm, and style of Guilbeault explain why he has played with Montréal's most creativemusicians (Jean Derome, Robert Marcel Lepage, Pierre St-Jak, René Lussier,and others) and why he has recently teamed up with excellent singers (suchas Lou Babin and Geneviève Letarte). Out of his ambitious projects havecome accomplished and very inspired and spirited works (Hommage à Mingusand RIEL Plaidoyer Musical). Along with other musicians (Pierre St-Jak, François Marcaurelle, and Jean Vanasse) is also the prime mover, programplanner, and organizer behind the Montréal OFF Festival de Jazz, at whichhe presented the first part of his PARKEROUAC, a project wedding poetry andjazz.

Normand Guilbeault, who first became known through his work with Jean Beaudet, Yannick Rieu, Nelson Symonds, Bernard Primeau, and other jazz musicians, has gained public acclaim with the Normand Guilbeault Ensemble (winner of the Prix de Jazz duMaurier at the 1994 Festival international de Jazz de Montréal), whose 1994 album Dualismus [Red Toucan] was followed by Basso Continuo in 1995 and, with guest artist Jean Derome, Hommage à Mingus in 1996 [both on Justin Time]. The Jazz Report Magazine (Canada) voted the ensemble "Acoustic Group of the year" for 1997.

Since 1995 some of the people he has worked with have included Jean Derome (on music for film, theatre and dance, and as part of a jazz trio and a jazz quartet), René Lussier (Les Boudines, Pour un Punch Hawaiien, music for film), Robert Marcel Lepage (music for film, theatre and dance), Michel F Côté (Bruire / Les Chants Rupestres, and music for dance), and trombonist Tom Walsh with the group NOMA.

In May 1998, the 15th Festival international de musique actuelle de Victoriaville opened with his most recent project, Riel, which brought together thirteen of Montréal's most creative musicians and two talented narrators. He also presented the work at the Open Waters Festival of New and Improvised Music in Halifax, and at the Lion d'Or in Montréal on 20 and 21 February 1999. Recordings of these concerts were used to produce the double album entitled Riel Plaidoyer musical / Musical Plea, which appeared on the Ambiances Magnétiques label [AM 073] on 15 November 1999. Recently, performance of Normand Guilbeault's Riel project, in Confederation Park, was one of a the highlights of the Ottawa International Jazz Festival (July 17, 2000)."

-ElectroCD (https://electrocd.com/en/artiste/guilbeault_no/normand-guilbeault/biographie)
7/1/2025

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"Nicolas Caloia. Born Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 1968. Residence: Montréal, Québec. Performer (double bass).

Since 1990 Nicolas Caloia has worked at creating a contemporary music generated by using accurately composed textures to channel collective improvisation. The goal is a music that erases the lines between improvised and composed, pop and avant-garde, good and bad. He hopes this music will satisfy the body, the mind and, above all, the heart. He has worked as a performer, composer, and organizer in Montréal and has toured in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has performed and recorded in a vast array of contexts with the most important members of Montréal's creative music community as well as with internationally renowned musicians like the ICP orchestra, Marshall Allen, John Butcher, Joe McPhee, Steve Lacy, William Parker, Hassan Hakmoun, Tristan Honsinger and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. His concerts and numerous recordings have been critically acclaimed both at home and abroad. Currently, the majority of his work as a composer and improviser finds a voice in: The Ratchet Orchestra - a 30-piece big band; Tilting - the Nicolas Caloia Quartet, Ring - a sextet, Spell - a 10-piece marching band, Trephining - a quintet, Mercury - a duet Lori Freedman as well in solo performances."

-ActuelleCD (http://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/caloia_ni/)
7/1/2025

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Over the last fifteen years contemporary jazz musician Rainer Wiens has developed one of the most original guitar styles. He has composed music for dance, theater, television, and film. During the Õ80s Wiens appeared in performances across Canada and in Europe with his jazz group, Silk Stockings. Along with Tom Walsh, he was a founding member of the group N.O.M.A., and he also started Sound Image Theater. Rainer Wiens works closely with Malcolm Goldstein, John Heward, and Frank Lozano, and he has released a compact disc, Bonunca Dream Music.-Rainer Wiens Website (http://rainerwiens.com/rainer-wiens-biography/)
7/1/2025

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"Quebec City, Québec, 1956: Composer, Performer (drum set, percussion, voice)

A percussionist, composer and inveterate inventor, Pierre Tanguay is one of the most sought-after Montréal musicians on the Quebec scene. Since the beginning of the 80s, he has participated in an impressive number of ensembles, including Jean Derome and the dangereux zhoms, Évidence, Castor et compagnie, the Jean-François Groulx Trio, the ODD (a danse orchestra), Villemure Ô Carré, the Pierre Cartier Ensemble and Projet Riel. Among his collaborators are Jean Derome, Normand Guilbeault, Pierre Langevin, René Lussier, Karen Young, Fred Frith, Michel Donato, Daniel Mille, André Duchesne and Antoine Berthiaume. He is very active in the fileds of medieval and traditional music, jazz and musique actuelle. He is the co-founder of Strada, Midi Tapant, Derome/Tanguay.

He has composed works for dance (Lucie Grégoire, Andrew Harwood, Irène Stamou and Francine Gagné), as well as works for the theatre and film (Allan Booth, Imago and Roberto Ariganello). He regularly tours throughout Canada and Europe."

-SMCQ (http://www.smcq.qc.ca/smcq/en/artistes/t/tanguay_pi/)
7/1/2025

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"Guillaume Dostaler studied classical piano at the École de musique Vincent-d'Indy in Montréal. Since the beginning of the 1980s he has played in many jazz, musique actuelle, and funk groups with musicians drawn from both the local and the international scenes, such as Jean Derome, Michel Ratté, Yannick Rieu, Malcolm Goldstein, Butch Morris, Karen Young, and Greg Abatte. He took part in the performance of Nathalie Derome's Les 4 ronds sont allumés with René Lussier in 1999; in the same year he began playing with the rock/funk group Cosmik Débris. In 2000 he took part in the Les Moyens du Bord project with poet Patrice Desbiens and René Lussier as well as in Pierre Hébert's etching-on-film improvisation project. Since 2001 he has participated in René Lussier's Grand Vent project with François Chauvette, Maxime Lepage, Tom Walsh, and Lori Freedman and in the funk/techno group Rollan 77 with Benoît Charest, François Chauvette, and Maxime Lepage. He has also collaborated on music for films, plays, dance performances, and radio broadcasts and has taken part in a number of large-scale events. He can be heard on a number of compact discs."

-Ambiances Magnetiques Website (https://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/dostaler_gu/)
7/1/2025

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"Martin Tétreault. Born Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Rouville, Québec, 1957. Residence: Montréal, Québec. Composer, Performer (turntable), Artist.

Martin Tétreault is an internationally-renowned sound artist based in Montréal. He is a leading figure in improvisation using turntables, unusual vinyl surfaces and objects. Tétreault's trajectory includes various productions on compact disc and live performances with a range of collaborators: Diane Labrosse, René Lussier, Érik M, Michel F Côté, i8u, Otomo Yoshihide, Xavier Charles, Kid Koala, and many more. He is the composer and director of a turntable quartet Quatuor de tourne-disques founded in 2006. His work has appeared under several labels including Ambiances magnétiques, Erstwhile, Japanimprov, Oral, Victo and Vand'œuvre. Commissioned for music, dance, theatre, poetry and installation, Tétreault has been the recipient of many grants and awards."

-ActuelleCD (http://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/tetreault_ma/)
7/1/2025

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"Jean René. Born Victoriaville, Québec, 1956. Residence: Montréal, Québec. Performer (viola), Conductor.

Jean René has a Bachelor's degree in composition from the Université de Montréal. He has studied viola and conducting; Raffi Armenian, Michel Longtin, and Bruno Guiranna were his professors. From 1991 to 2002, he was associate principal violist with l'Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal. He still freelances with a number of ensembles. Since 1990 he has collaborated with many artists, including André Duchesne, Pierre Cartier, Jean Derome and René Lussier. He also headed the group from the Ensemble SuperMusique for the Symphony of the Millennium."

-ActuelleCD (http://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/rene_je/)
7/1/2025

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