Progquebec

This legendary band's second album is now finally available on CD! Following hot on the heels of the eponymous "Maneige" released the same year (and also now available on CD), "Les Porches" showcased a group that had more musical ideas that it had album space, with over an album's worth of previously unreleased tracks still left over and appearing in ProgQuebec's live archival releases from the same vintage. This would be Maneige's last recorded experimental hurrah before Jerome Langlois' departure and the band's transition towards a more accessible sound. Former L'Infonie singer and trumpetist Raôul Duguay's appearance in the title track is but one of the memorable moments contained within the 1975 album's four compositions. Also an essential purchase!

Jacques Rivest was best known as Pollen's vocalist and multi-instrumentalist prior to the release of his first, self-titled solo album in 1979. The LP features Pollen band mates Claude Lemay (keyboards) and Richard Lemoyne (guitar), joined by Daniel Mathieu (bass) and Serge Courchesne (drums/horns). Some of the material is more mainstream, but the acoustic instrumentation lends itself to a folk vibe, and there are some truly progressive moments, as on the Eastern-looking "Voyage au Tibet", as well as the double-keyboard lines and singing, reminiscent of Pollen, found on other tracks. 2006 saw the re-release of Rivest's first solo album, this time on CD, by ProgQuebec. The album is now augmented by a bonus track, taken from a single released about the same time as the original album release.

Québec bassist and composer Yves Laferrière is best known for his work with the local progressive group Contraction as well the Ville Emard Blues Band (VEEB) throughout the 70's. His debut self titled solo album which was recorded in 1978 and now recently issued on CD via the folks at ProgQuébec, is a relaxed and laid back jazzy set of music featuring many of the top musicians of the time from the burgeoning Québec music scene…

Michel McLean (guitar, ex-Les Karrik) and Pierre Moreau write most of the music for L'Engoulevent, and the core band is completed by Francoise Turcotte (violin) and Russel Cagnon (cello). They are aided by a number of musicians from Conventum, as well as McLean's old Les Karrik cohort Claude LaFrance on one track. Their first album was entitled "L'Ile Ou Vivent Les Loups", and was released on the Le Tamanour label in 1977. Roughly half the tracks are instrumental, and the vocal tracks are done in a folk style but are not traditional pieces. Perhaps because half the core band is employed on string instruments, there is both an exquisite beauty and contrapuntal richness to much of the music. There can sometimes be three semi-independent, but mutually supportive, harmonic lines going at once…

Pollen's sole LP from 1976 is simply the best progressive rock album that came out of Quebec in the '70s. More progressive than Harmonium or Octobre, but a lot less derivative than Morse Code, the group recorded only six songs, but they are strong enough to stand among the very classics of the genre. Led by Jacques Tom Rivest's passionate (though not overtly theatrical) singing, the group's music was clearly shaped from the combined influences of Genesis, Yes, and Gentle Giant, with a particular emphasis on the contrapuntal keyboard style of the latter. And yet, if the results sound like typical British prog, they also have a distinctive Quebecois quality. Drummer Sylvain Coutu, guitarist Richard Lemoyne, and keyboardist Claude Lemay (who would later make a fortune as Celine Dion's bandleader) were all highly talented musicians and sensible arrangers…

This is one of ProgQuébec's most treasurable finds. Les Porches Live was recorded some time in 1974 or 1975. Sound balance is not perfect, but sound quality is very good. The group, still a six-piece, probably performed this set before the studio sessions for Les Porches, as some pieces have not yet achieved their final stage. The bulk of the set is taken up by "Les Aventures de Saxinette et Clarophone" and "Les Porches de Notre-Dame," the two epic suites that would end up on the album. There are significant differences in the arrangements, and not only because of the absence of the strings section and of guest singer/trumpeter Raôul Duguay. In particular, "Les Porches de Notre-Dame" sounds a lot more dynamic and holds much better as a unified whole than on the 1975 LP. From their debut effort, Maneige perform "Galerie III" and "La Grosse Torche"…

Contraction was formed by musicians accompanying keyboardist Franck Dervieux on his ground breaking "Dimension M" album in 1972, namely Yves Laferriere (bass), Christiane Robichaud (vocals), Michel Robidoux (guitar), and Christian St-Roch (drums). They were joined that same year by Robert Lachapelle (keyboards), Robert Stanley (guitar), Rawn Bankley (guitar), Marcel Huot (drums), Denis Farmer (drums), and Carlyle Miller (sax/flute). At the end of 1972, Contraction released their self-titled debut album. The album took its inspiration from where Dervieux had left off prior to his tragic bout with cancer. Thus, Contraction can be considered the spiritual continuation of one of Quebec's founding fathers of progressive rock, and his prodigies did not disappoint…

Self-taught guitarist that played a few years on the local Quebec scene in various line-ups, sharing stages with Octobre, Maneige, etc. Jacques Blais became one of Quebec's best guitarists (along with Frank Marino) and his reputation grew to the point of playing prestigious shows without having recorded an album (yet). Late 74, despite having his own and upon hearing Contraction's second album La Bourse Ou La vie, he asked the group's bassist Yves Laferrière to produce his first album, and soon enough most of the band was backing Blais, not only in the studio, but in the next few months' following its release in 1975. Contraction's influence is all over the music. Nonetheless, all writing credits are given to Blais, who plays acoustic and electric guitar in addition to singing. Roughly half the cuts are instrumental, and it is these that shine in particular through their gorgeous melodies and arrangements, rather than outright virtuosity…

Contraction's second album captures the beauty, originality, and adventurous nature of a group recognized as one of Quebec's greatest progressive rock bands. This album, released in 1974, is dedicated to the late Franck Dervieux from whom the group took its inspiration. It features another long cycle of progressive songs highlighted by the 18-minute title track.