All Artists
Avila LeBlanc
Louis Leger
Avila was born March 14th, 1914 and died July 13th 2010 at Gros-Cap in the Magdalen Islands off the coast of Canada. He was 96 when he died and during his lifetime he was celebrated as a fisherman, folklorist and fiddler. He fished for lobster and herring in Baie de Plaisance with his father and brothers. During his lifetime he gathered stories about the life and times of the Madelinots and was a respected storyteller and oral historian. He was a friend of Père Anselme Chiasson, the great collector of folklore and a co-author with Jean-Claude Delorme of the book « Histoires Populaires des Iles » (A Popular History of the Islands). He is cited in another book as the guardian of the oral tradition of the islands: « Deux Cents Ans d’Histoire aux Iles de la Madelaine » (Two Hundred Years of History in the Magdalen Islands). Above all, Avila was a great fiddler. His father bought him his first fiddle for 38 cents. Finally, his uncle bought him a Simpson/Sears fiddle for $50 and this is the one he played for gatherings and dances through the 1950’s to the 1970’s. Many of his tunes were recorded by the department of folklore studies at the Université Laval and there are also recordings at the University of Moncton. Robert Richard, the Archivist at the Centre d'Etudes Acadiennes Anselme Chiassson has graciously sent us some recordings of Avila Leblanc which we share below along with an approximate notation. Many of Avila's tunes are without titles and are known as either Rabestans (short pieces), Cotillons, Reels, and Gigues (Stepdances). La Bottine Souriante featured one of his tunes "Air de Cotillon" in a Pot-Pouri (medley) called "Surf and Turf" on their CD: "Tout Comme au Jour de l'An". Another great fiddler who knows and plays many of Avila's tunes is Lisa Ornstein. On her CD: "Par un Beau Samedi d'Eté" (One Fine Summer Day), she plays a medley of a cotillons sandwiched between two rabestans in "La Suite des Madelinots".
Lisa Ornstein also posted one of Avila's rabestans on her monthly blog of fiddle tunes. Click on the link for her version of Le Petit Métier.
http://www.lisaornstein.com/quebecois-tune-of-the-month-le-petit-metier/
André à Toto Savoie
Louis Leger
André à Toto Savoie is a fiddler from Shippagan who gained fame and notoriety from his appearance in the 1972 film by André Gladu called "Reel du Pendu". He still lives in a small housing unit in Shippagan and still plays for concerts, festivals and dances. When asked where he got the moniker "Toto" he told the story that his father would help out the grandfather who was a carpenter. When the grandfather asked for a hammer, André's dad as a little kid would run to fetch it and cry out "toto, toto, toto" which was his way of saying the french word for hammer: "marteau". Since there are many families with the same last names in Acadie, the father is often given a nickname and the son is always associated with the father with the word "à" which means "of". It's much like the O'Leary's and MacLeans of Irish and Scottish families.
André graciously allowed us to make a video of his playing during our visit:
One of the most popular of André's tune is simply called "Reel à Toto" and has been performed by many great fiddlers, including André Brunet who plays the tune in the video below. One of the reasons for our visit to André Savoie in Shippagan was find out from him if the tune had a real name, and sure enough he called it "Reel à Belzebuth" and he got it from his father. So here is "Reel à Belzebuth" aka "Reel à Toto" played by André Brunet.
Another tune that we wanted to track down was "Reel du Coqueron". We first heard the tune on a field recording that Robert Richard found for us in the archives of the Unversity of Moncton. It was recorded at a festival in Shippagan that André Savoie attended every year and he gave the name "Coqueron" to the festival and the tune. We tried to find out what the word "coqueron" meant but came up empty each time. Finally, André told us that in the early days, the festival was held right next to the "cook room".
Eloi LeBlanc
Louis Leger
Eloi LeBlanc was born in College Bridge, New Brunswick on November 26, 1909, died June 21, 1978 in Beaumont and was buried in Pré d’en Haut. He started playing fiddle at an early age, inspired by his fiddling maternal grandfather and uncle. Throughout his lifetime played for local dances and weddings, getting the nickname “The Fiddler of Memramcook Valley”. He had a phenomenal memory for tunes as well as a great knack for composition. Many of his tunes live on thanks to other fiddlers such as Den Messer who made them even more popular. He performed with Bob White’s Moncton Ploughboys, then on the Maritime Farmer’s radio show, and finally joined up with Kidd Baker and the Pine Ridge Mountain Boys in Ontario. He stayed with this band for 12 years and spent the final years of his life living with his sister Laura who was also his piano accompanist. Eloi recorded only one record album, “Eloi and his Fiddle” (Eloi et son Violon) on Les Productions Acadiennes LPA-1001-1977. Some of his tunes include: Le Reel de l’Hiver, Anne Marie Reel, Reel des Maritime Farmers, Narcisse à John (named after his maternal grandfather), and Eric à Théotime à Six Pouces (named after his uncle).
We found this great field recording of Eloi Leblanc playing "Mack à John" thanks to Robert Richard, the archivist at the Centre D'Etudes Acadiennes Anselme Chiasson at the University of Moncton. Towards the end of the recording, Eloi explains that he got the tune from Mack, John's son and John was his great grandfather ("le père à mon grand père). Many of his tunes are named after family members. He also calls this tune a "double temps" a double time or in other words a jig (6/8 time).
Robin LeBlanc
Louis Leger
“Robin is a marvelous fiddler from a long line of Acadian fiddlers from Memramcook. He learned from his uncle, Ira, and his grandfather, Fériol, but also learned by traveling all over North America searching out old tunes and ancient Acadian routes. We visited with him at his farmhouse outside Bathurst, New Brunswick, where he grows most of his own food and grinds his own wheat for bread”
Robin Leblanc and Jeannot Savoie play Quadrille de Montcalm and Reel de la Tuque Blue/
Here's the link to Robin LeBlanc's new CD: "SUR L'AN PREMIER pour danser". Lots of great "tounes" from the old French Acadian fiddling tradition.
Voici le lien pour le nouveau disque compact de Robin LeBlanc avec plein de vielles "tounes" dans la tradition des violoneux Acadiens d'antan.
I took the liberty of transcribing one of the "tounes" on the CD: "Sarazine" for those who like to decipher the squigglies. Once again this is just a static rendition and needs to be reference back to original audio recording.
Robert Lavoie
Louis Leger
Robert Lavoie was born in Tracadie in 1953. He started playing at the age of 22 and played at the Historic Acadian Village for seven years. He formed and led a band called Monvertou and has composed tunes such as Yellow Glove, Reel Benoit and Uncle Ernest's Jig.
From left to right: Robin Leblanc, Martin Aucoin, and Robert Lavoie
Reel à Nazaire
Interprété par Robert Lavoie de Pont-Lafrance, NB
Vieux reel provenant du village de Leech, interprété par Robert Lavoie de Pont-Lafrance, péninsule acadienne, Nouveau Brunswick.
Uploaded by Robert Lavoie on 2011-02-13.
J'ai appris ces deux gigues d'une vieille cassette. J'pense que c'était Théodore à Sandy Fournier qui les jouait.
Une très vieille gigue Acadienne. Il y a seulement Catherine et moi qui la joue ast'heurre. Je l'ai joué en toute simplicité, comme ça doit. La musique Acadienne c'est ça. Ce n'est pas le Bluegrass, ce n'est pas une jeune fille qui court sur scène avec son violon, ce n'est pas de la musique jouée à 128, ni la musique traditionnelle commerciale que certains vont jouer en France non plus.
Reel appris de Pat Gauvin. Pat est un des meilleur pour faire dancer.
Uploaded by Robert Lavoie on 2011-05-04.
Très ancienne gigue Acadienne que l'on entend plus du tout.
Gilles Losier
Louis Leger
Gilles Losier, born June 12th 1936 at Rivière à la Truite in the region of Tracadie-Sheila. He was from a family of 13 children. He plays violin, piano, organ, and electric and acoustic bass, as well as composers tunes and is one of Canada's finest piano tuners and accompanists. He was Jean Carignan's piano accompanist and arranger for 20 years, as well as the resident piano tuner for Place des Arts in Montréal. He has toured extensively and played worked with The Chieftains, Boys of the Lough, Aly Bain, Graham Townsend, Alasdair Fraser, Philippe Bruneau, Denis Pépin, Edith Butler, Angèle Arsenault, and the list goes on. Gilles is now retired and living back in New Brunswick.
Discography:
"Salut, Belle Acadie" - Gilles Losier, Amical AMI 2001 L.P. (1984)The First Time in 40 Years - Eddie Poirier and Gilles Losier - Piano arrangements
A Summer’s Night, Gilles Losier with Montreal - Stormy Forest - Piano, acoustic bass, arrangements
Jean Carignan - Philo FI 2001 - Piano, arrangements
Ti-Jean Carignan, Gigue à Deux - Tout Crin/CBC - Piano, arrangements
Hommage à Joseph Allard, Jean Carignan - Philo FI 2012 - Piano, arrangements
Jean Carignan Plays Coleman, Morrison and Skinner - Philo FI 2018 - Piano, arrangements
Jean Carignan et l’Orchestre des Grands Ballets Canadiens - McGill University Records - Piano, arrangements
Ti-Jean Carignan, Archives - Tout Crin/Canadian Museum of Civilization - Piano, arrangements
Soirée Québecoise Vol. 2 - Promoson JPA-7503 - Piano, arrangements
La Veillée des Veillées w/ Jean Carignan, Yves Verret and John Wright - Kebec Disc - Vocals, solo violin
Hommage à Madame Bolduc, Jean d’Arc Charlebois & Carignan - Philo 2021 - Piano, arrangements
Ti-Jean Carignan/Ginni Grant/Fiddey & Millar - CBC LM438 - Piano, arrangements
Ti-Jean Carignan - Le Violoneux - Jade ADS-8618 - Piano, arrangements, mixing
Seamus Connolly, Here and There - Green Linnet GLCD 1098 - Piano arrangments
Paul Gosselin, Hommage à Jean Carignan - Piano, arrangements
Boys of the Lough, The Piper’s Broken Finger - Philo 1042 - Piano
Down East, Out West Traditional Fiddling, Frank Ferrel - Voyageur Production- Piano, arrangements,
Philippe Bruneau, accordion - Philo 2003 - Acoustic bass
Danses pour les Veillées Canadiennes, Philippe Bruneau - Philo 2006 - Acoustic bass
Denis Côté à son Meilleur - Totem Records - Acoustic bass
Folklore Authentique, D. Côté - Totem records - Acoustic bass
Dancer with Bruised Knees, Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Warner Bros. - Violin
Entre la Jeunesse et la Sagesse . Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Warner Bros. - Violin
Love Over and Over. Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Warner Bros. - Violin
Matapedia. Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Rykodisc - Violin
Chris Rawlings - Cooking Fat Music - Piano, violin, bass
Soupe de Jour, Chris Rawlings - Radio Canada Int’l Transcription RCI 460 - Piano, violin, bass
Pearl River Turnaround, Chris Rawlings - Cooking Fat Music - Piano, violin, bass
Le Temps est ma seule Fortune, Jean custeau - Tison - Compositions, violin, bass, arrangements
Sutherland, Gordon & Bird - SGB Productions - Violin, Piano
La Belle et la Bête, Christiane Robichaud - Productions Arabesque & Endel Corp. - Violin
Maxime Le Forestier No. 5 - Polydor - Violin
Tom Kelly Sings Wayne Pronger - RCI 494 - Violin, piano
Huxtable, Christenson & Hood - Philo & Front Hall - Violin, acoustic bass
Celtic Magic - Green Linnet/Rounder - piano
Vermont Sampler - VPAL 103 - Arrangements, piano, violin
Tradition Today - VPAL 104 - Arrangements, piano, violin
Festival Albums: Fox Hollow 1972 Volume VII; 1975 Mariposa Folk Festival; Festival Memoires et Racines 1999 Volume 2; Festival International des Arts Traditionnels de Quebec SCOR-5 2004
Recordings with other artists: Angèle Arsenault; Alan Mills; Johnny Moring; Les Frères Hachey; Michel Murty and many others
Sources:
Etienne Larocque
Louis Leger
Etienne Larocque was born in 1933 in the small fishing village of Cap Bateau on the island of Lamèque in northern New Brunswick. He has been playing fiddle since the age of 5 and by the time he was 11, he was playing for community dances most Saturdays. He worked most of his life around the fisheries on the Acadian Peninsula. Starting in the 1980's, he entered and won many fiddle contests, winning more than 40 awards. He was four times New Brunswick champion and in 1983 won the famous maritime championship in Dartmouth. In 1990, he was chosen to represent New Brunswick at the Grand Masters Fiddling Contest in Nepean, Ontario. In 1993 he was inducted into the New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame. Etienne to this day is still fiddling up a storm and gives lessons to young promising fiddlers. He still lives in Cap Bateau in a beautiful house that he built himself.
Hedar Bulger
Louis Leger
Hedar Bulger is the owner (retired) of Au Marché du Poisson Bulger Ltee. - the fish market in Le Goulet NB. His son mostly runs the business now but Hedar still drops in to check on things. In his younger years he was one of the main fiddlers, along with André à Toto Savoie to play for dances in the Shippagan region of the Acadian Peninsula. He says he doesn't play much anymore, but when we put a fiddle in his hands, he started playing all the old tunes and it was hard to get him to stop.
Gerry Robichaud
Louis Leger
Gerry Robichaud comes from Saint Paul New Brunswick. He started learning the fiddle when he was quite young, thanks to the influence of his family and a fiddler called Oscar Melanson. Oscar was bedridden and would whistle the tunes for Gerry to learn. Here's how Gerry tells it: “When we were kids, all we had in the house was the fiddle. My mother used to play and that’s where we picked it up. She had a very good bowing arm. I started when I was eight years old and I had a hard time reaching the floor to tap my feet when I was sitting down. And my fingers were so small I had a hard time to reach the finger board, too. So my mother would tell me, “I think you should wait another year or two,” but I’d say to myself, “I think I can learn those tunes that she plays.” So every time she’d go out of the house and I got a chance, I’d pick up that fiddle. The first thing she knew, I could playa few tunes. And then I got a lot of help from her – she used to come over and tell me, “Hey, do this or do that a certain way.” And in no time I could pick a number of tunes. I got as many tunes as I could from my mother and even more from my brother Fred. And other old time fiddlers used to come and play in the kitchen and I picked up a lot from them, too. I’d sit down and listen, and as soon as they left, I’d pick up the fiddle and try to do the same thing as they did. Later on, Harvey and Bobby got a guitar and we’d put the guitar with the fiddle and it would sound a lot better. Pretty soon they started coming to get us to play for parties – what we called ‘kitchen rackets."
http://www.backtothesugarcamp.com/R.htm
Other fiddlers who influenced his playing were Don Messer, Tommy Linkletter, and Tommy Doucet. He was soon playing for kitchen parties and made his first radio appearance at the age of 10. He left New Brunswick and moved to Boston in 1995 and spent the rest of his life in Waltham, Massachusetts. He died there on January 31, 2013 aged 81 years. His first recording was Down East Fiddling from Voyager records in 1973, followed by Maritime Dance Party in 1978 on Alcazar. He also made some recordings for the Canadian label Banff Rodeo thanks to a deal worked out by his friend Winston Scotty Fitzgerald.
Gerry was also featured in a 1983 documentary called New England Fiddles and shared an album with his brother Bobby called The Slippery Stick. You can also listen to his playing on More Down East Fiddling on Bandcamp.
Gerry Robichaud recordings:
Gerry Robichaud, Gerry Robichaud and his New England Downeasters, Banff/Rodeo RBS-1067, (1961)
-Gerry Robichaud, Fancy Fiddlin’ with Gerry Robichaud, Banff/Rodeo RBS 1212, (1970)
-Gerry Robichaud, Down East Fiddling, Voyager Records VRCS 3105, (1973)
-Gerry Robichaud, Maritime Dance Party with Gerry Robichaud, Fretless FR201, Alcazar Dance Series, (1978)
-Gerry Robichaud, More Down East Fiddling with Gerry Robichaud, Self Produced / Recorded, (1992)
-Gerry Robichaud, The Slippery Stick - Traditional Fiddling from New Brunswick, Rounder Records Corp., Cambridge, MA, CD 7016 (1996)
-Gerry Robichaud, The Robichaud Brothers, (Gerry and Bobby), Rounder Records CD 7016 (1996)
-Gerry Robichaud, The Country Masters, Patio Records CD PR003, Engineered and Produced by Angy Pinkham, Matt Leavenworth and Terry Eagan, (2002)
-Gerry Robichaud, The North Atlantic Strings, Patio Records CD PR004, Engineered and Produced by Angy Pinkham, Matt Leavenworth and Terry Eagan, (2004)
-Gerry Robichaud, The Best Darn Fiddling in the World (cassette), BDFM 5-7008
Sources:
http://www.backtothesugarcamp.com/R.htm#robichaud