Like a phoenix - The Beautiful Survivors
Les membres du collectif The Beautiful Survivors sont Francois Turgeon (basse acoustique, composition et arrangement) et Annick Michel (voix et texte). il est important de mentionner que le collectif a la chance de collaborer avec différents musiciens de qualité tels que Simon Coté Lapointe (piano) et Philippe Philippe Mius D'Entremont (violoncelle).
Inspiré du jazz, de la musique du monde ainsi que de la musique populaire, Les Beaux Survivants offrent une musique lyrique à géométrie variable. Le répertoire des chansons est chanté en français, en créole ainsi qu'en anglais.
Les Beaux Survivants est un projet dédié à la mémoire d'Emmanuelle Turgeon, une écrivaine de renom, auteure de deux romans salués par la critique, qui nous a malheureusement quittés abruptement en 2008. Les Beaux Survivants est le titre de son dernier roman.
CONTACT
Les beaux Survivants
François Turgeon
https://www.facebook.com/thebeautifulsurvivors
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POUR TÉLÉCHARGER L'ALBUM DE DROP OF A DIME GRATUITEMENT CLIQUEZ ICI
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h7kibv2uxe7zjxs/Wc9lU1OfSN
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Francois Turgeon, The Artist
www.myspace.com/basseverything
www.myspace.com/dropofadimemusic
www.neema.com
François Turgeon is also an artist, composer and musician: electric bass, piano and percussion
Musical encounters and private courses with Alain Caron, Normand Lachapelle, Frédéric Alarie, Sylvain Gagnon, Georges Mitchel and Michel Donato. Master Classes with Gary Willis at l'Air du Temps Jazz and the University of Quebec in Montreal.
In summary - shows
-- Winterfolk Festival in Toronto with NEeMA in February 2008
-- Cross Canada tour through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta with NEeMA during summer of 2007
-- Free Times Café in Toronto with NEeMA in March 2007
-- Western Canadian Tour - Concerts with NEeMA in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg in February 2007
-- Director of the compilation Fringe Festival 2006 for the Festival. Event from October 5-15, 2005; www.nujaz.net The compilation is available exclusively on www.tonality.ca / fringe
-- Arts Festival Matters "As Catalysts" VAV Gallery with NEeMA - Montreal, QC on 14-March-06
-- Festival Voices of the Americas (FVA) on February 28 at the Salla Rosa with the duo François Turgeon and Stephane Despatie in the company of Pierre St-Jacque and Tony Tremblay.
-- Performances of experimental jazz and ambient music with Way to the Centre for a series of 12 performances at the Alizé. Artists and painters performed live in these shows.
-- OFF Jazz Festival in collaboration with L'Escogriffe, Way to the Centre on Tuesday, April 2.
-- Trancemission, experimental group headed by Richard Legendre and comprising two drums, one bass, a "fretless: and turntables and sampling (Chafik Loco Locas). Two performances at the bar Quais des Brûmes.
-- The Yellow Door with NEeMA - Montreal, Quebec on 3-Dec-05
-- The Café Utopik - Montreal, Quebec on September 25, 2005
-- One World Cafe with NEeMA in Halifax, Nova Scotia 1-Sept-05
-- Economy Shoe Shop with NEeMA in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 30-Aug-05
-- La Tulipe for Festiv'Elles with NEeMA - Montreal, Quebec on 14-Aug-05
-- Eco-Fetes Festival with NEeMA-Trois Pistoles, Quebec 30-July-05
-- The Fulcrum Gallery with NEeMA - St Andrew's, New Brunswick 28-July-05
In summary - production albums
- co-produced the single Charles Manson by Drop of A Dime-- Co-produced album Masi Cho by NEeMA – Tonality Productions/Select Distribution
-- Recorded Way to the Centre album at studio Area 53. Francois Turgeon (compositions fretless bass, flute and piano) Simon Lapointe (rhodes / melodica / harp synthetyser) and Maxime Hebert (drums), with the collaboration of Magella Cormier (drums) Ramon Ortiz (percussion) and Evan Green (sitar)
-- Way to the Centre, a series of four shows at Sugar bar with the trio formed by Simon Lapointe, Maxime Hébert. Various interviews with Jacques Gravel Radio 102.3 FM
-- Recorded the album Clo la Gitane, poetry by Lucien Francoeur with music composed and arranged by François Turgeon (melodica / rhodes / flute), with the participation of Tibo percussion and Steve Lemay at berrimbao. Clo la Gitane was published by Editions Hyphen.
-- EGV in the event D’un bout à l’autre – at Calixa Lavallee, Montreal - experimentation of the scratch-bass. Free improvisation with René Lussier (guitarist and creator of Les trésors de la langue), Robert M. Lepage (clarinetist and composer), Normant Guilbault of Ambiance Magnétique and the poet Stéphane Despatie.
-- Launch of book / CD, Clo La gitane the station Much Music Television as part of a show on MusiMax on the works of Lucien Francoeur.
-- Sculture du Son at the Fiesta des Nouvelles Musiques Amplifiées, bar and music hall Alizé. Supporting Mon'onc Serge.
-- Producer and composer of the soundtrack of Vitrine for the theatre of Klaxon founded by Denis and Dominique Francois Shanks. Sold out performances at the Theatre Prospero throughout the month of September.
----------------------------------------------------
PRESS
WAY TO THE CENTRE
Francois Turgeon trio
Les membres du collectif The Beautiful Survivors sont Francois Turgeon (basse acoustique, composition et arrangement) et Annick Michel (voix et texte). il est important de mentionner que le collectif a la chance de collaborer avec différents musiciens de qualité tels que Simon Coté Lapointe (piano) et Philippe Philippe Mius D'Entremont (violoncelle).
Inspiré du jazz, de la musique du monde ainsi que de la musique populaire, Les Beaux Survivants offrent une musique lyrique à géométrie variable. Le répertoire des chansons est chanté en français, en créole ainsi qu'en anglais.
Les Beaux Survivants est un projet dédié à la mémoire d'Emmanuelle Turgeon, une écrivaine de renom, auteure de deux romans salués par la critique, qui nous a malheureusement quittés abruptement en 2008. Les Beaux Survivants est le titre de son dernier roman.
CONTACT
Les beaux Survivants
François Turgeon
https://www.facebook.com/thebeautifulsurvivors
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
POUR TÉLÉCHARGER L'ALBUM DE DROP OF A DIME GRATUITEMENT CLIQUEZ ICI
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h7kibv2uxe7zjxs/Wc9lU1OfSN
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.myspace.com/basseverything
www.myspace.com/dropofadimemusic
www.neema.com
François Turgeon is also an artist, composer and musician: electric bass, piano and percussion
Musical encounters and private courses with Alain Caron, Normand Lachapelle, Frédéric Alarie, Sylvain Gagnon, Georges Mitchel and Michel Donato. Master Classes with Gary Willis at l'Air du Temps Jazz and the University of Quebec in Montreal.
In summary - shows
-- Winterfolk Festival in Toronto with NEeMA in February 2008
-- Cross Canada tour through Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta with NEeMA during summer of 2007
-- Free Times Café in Toronto with NEeMA in March 2007
-- Western Canadian Tour - Concerts with NEeMA in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg in February 2007
-- Director of the compilation Fringe Festival 2006 for the Festival. Event from October 5-15, 2005; www.nujaz.net The compilation is available exclusively on www.tonality.ca / fringe
-- Arts Festival Matters "As Catalysts" VAV Gallery with NEeMA - Montreal, QC on 14-March-06
-- Festival Voices of the Americas (FVA) on February 28 at the Salla Rosa with the duo François Turgeon and Stephane Despatie in the company of Pierre St-Jacque and Tony Tremblay.
-- Performances of experimental jazz and ambient music with Way to the Centre for a series of 12 performances at the Alizé. Artists and painters performed live in these shows.
-- OFF Jazz Festival in collaboration with L'Escogriffe, Way to the Centre on Tuesday, April 2.
-- Trancemission, experimental group headed by Richard Legendre and comprising two drums, one bass, a "fretless: and turntables and sampling (Chafik Loco Locas). Two performances at the bar Quais des Brûmes.
-- The Yellow Door with NEeMA - Montreal, Quebec on 3-Dec-05
-- The Café Utopik - Montreal, Quebec on September 25, 2005
-- One World Cafe with NEeMA in Halifax, Nova Scotia 1-Sept-05
-- Economy Shoe Shop with NEeMA in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 30-Aug-05
-- La Tulipe for Festiv'Elles with NEeMA - Montreal, Quebec on 14-Aug-05
-- Eco-Fetes Festival with NEeMA-Trois Pistoles, Quebec 30-July-05
-- The Fulcrum Gallery with NEeMA - St Andrew's, New Brunswick 28-July-05
In summary - production albums
- co-produced the single Charles Manson by Drop of A Dime-- Co-produced album Masi Cho by NEeMA – Tonality Productions/Select Distribution
-- Recorded Way to the Centre album at studio Area 53. Francois Turgeon (compositions fretless bass, flute and piano) Simon Lapointe (rhodes / melodica / harp synthetyser) and Maxime Hebert (drums), with the collaboration of Magella Cormier (drums) Ramon Ortiz (percussion) and Evan Green (sitar)
-- Way to the Centre, a series of four shows at Sugar bar with the trio formed by Simon Lapointe, Maxime Hébert. Various interviews with Jacques Gravel Radio 102.3 FM
-- Recorded the album Clo la Gitane, poetry by Lucien Francoeur with music composed and arranged by François Turgeon (melodica / rhodes / flute), with the participation of Tibo percussion and Steve Lemay at berrimbao. Clo la Gitane was published by Editions Hyphen.
-- EGV in the event D’un bout à l’autre – at Calixa Lavallee, Montreal - experimentation of the scratch-bass. Free improvisation with René Lussier (guitarist and creator of Les trésors de la langue), Robert M. Lepage (clarinetist and composer), Normant Guilbault of Ambiance Magnétique and the poet Stéphane Despatie.
-- Launch of book / CD, Clo La gitane the station Much Music Television as part of a show on MusiMax on the works of Lucien Francoeur.
-- Sculture du Son at the Fiesta des Nouvelles Musiques Amplifiées, bar and music hall Alizé. Supporting Mon'onc Serge.
-- Producer and composer of the soundtrack of Vitrine for the theatre of Klaxon founded by Denis and Dominique Francois Shanks. Sold out performances at the Theatre Prospero throughout the month of September.
----------------------------------------------------
PRESS
WAY TO THE CENTRE
Francois Turgeon trio
A matter of balance
Reason flees the extreme, as Molière teaches us. Who knows? Maybe François
Turgeon had this saying in mind when he undertook the project which gave
birth to Way to Center. For as young as he may be, the gentleman has paid
some dues in the years prior to the recording of this first CD. Between his
years of academic training at Collège Vincent d'Indy Vincent (where he had
the opportunity to study with bass superstar Michel Donato) and the informal
yet necessary apprenticeship gained in various jam-sessions and gigs,
François Turgeon quickly attained a remarkable maturity.
From the percussive introduction of «Street Kid» to the electronic coda of
«Sia», the ten tracks on Way to Center demonstrate Turgeon’s preoccupation
with the harmonious l'agencement of apparently disparate colors. The
influences are many and superbly assimilated: a wink to the traditional
Indian music on the opening tune, echoes of the African jungle in «Road
Rate», funk and urban groove in «4 People», spoken-word styling in «In my
Head», languorous mood reminiscent of ambient music in «Sia». Fortunately,
Way to Center isn’t about sonic chaos nor the superficial borrowings we’ve
grown used to hear in much of the so-called «fusion jazz». Like the work of
the Quebecois contemporary band [Iks], the music concocted by Turgeon and
his accomplices reactualizes the legacy of the best jazz-rock combos from
the 70’s (Miles Davis’ groups, Weather Report, Headhunters), in an
aesthetics that might be called «World Metal Jazz».
Here, the skillful juxtaposition of seemingly irreconcilable elements
creates a tension that stimulates inspired interventions from the musicians.
The rhythm trio formed by leader and bassist François Turgeon, keyboardist
Simon Lapointe and drummer Maxime Hébert welcomes such talented guests as
drummer Magella Cormier, percussionist Ramon Ortiz, cithara player Evans
Green and steelpan master Laurent Royal. The disc owes much of its appeal
and beauty to the remarkable cohesion between these cats and to the balance
between written passages and flights of improvisation. «I am very much
preoccupied with the direction of improvisation and with the dynamics
created by the musicians, says Turgeon. To me, it is important that we
thoroughly explore the tunes without being afraid of recreating them instead
of mechanically repeating the written themes.»
From Jimmy Blanton to Marcus Miller, through Paul Chambers, Scott LaFaro and
the dazzling Jaco Pastorius, the history of the jazz and improvised music is
lavish with acoustics and electric bass virtuosos, whose audacities and the
prowess served as trampoline for their bandmates momentum. However,
comparatively few of them remain in our memories as outstanding bandleaders
and composers. Of course, we think of the monumental Charles Mingus, of
Charlie Haden, of Dave Holland, of Alain Caron, of Normand Guilbeault, and
of maybe some others… yet one hesitates to evoke anymore names. It would
undoubtedly be premature to predict that François Turgeon shall eventually
make that short list. Still, Way to Center offers us such a sample of his
formidable talents as composer, catalyst and performer that one heartily
wishes Turgeon do join this select club.
Stanley Péan
Novelist and jazz enthusiast Lorem
Question d’équilibre
La raison fuit les extrêmes, nous enseigne Molière. Qui sait? Peut-être
François Turgeon avait-il ce dicton en tête au moment d’entreprendre le
travail dont Way to Centre est le fruit bien mûr. C’est qu’il a pas mal
galéré, le jeune bassiste, avant d’en arriver à l’enregistrement de ce
premier CD. Entre ses années de formation académique au collège Vincent d’
Indy (où il a eu le bonheur de recevoir les leçons du contrebassiste-étoile
Michel Donato) et cet apprentissage non-formel et néanmoins nécessaire
acquis au fil des jam-sessions et des gigs diverses, Turgeon a atteint une
maturité remarquable pour son jeune âge.
De l’introduction percussive de «Street Kid» à la coda électronique de
«Sia», les dix plages de Way to Centre témoignent du souci manifeste de
François Turgeon pour l’agencement harmonieux de couleurs disparates en
apparence. Les influences sont multiples et superbement assimilées : clins-d
’œil à la musique traditionnelle indienne sur la pièce inaugurale, échos de
la jungle africaine dans «Road Rate», funk et groove urbains dans «4
People», spoken-word dans «In my head», climat langoureux proche de l’
ambient dans «Sia». Qu’on se rassure : Way to Centre ne donne ni dans le
capharnaüm sonore ni dans les emprunts faciles et racoleurs à la manière d’
une certaine musique dite «fusion». À l’instar du travail du groupe
québécois contemporain [Iks], la musique concoctée ici par François Turgeon
et ses complices réactualise l’héritage des meilleures formation de jazz
rock des années 70 (Miles Davis, Weather Report, Headhunters) selon une
esthétique qu’on pourrait qualifier de «World Metal Jazz».
Ici, l’habile juxtaposition d’éléments en apparence irréconciliables crée
une tension qui stimule les interventions inspirées des musiciens en
présence. En l’occurrence, au noyau formé de François Turgeon (basse), Simon
Lapointe (claviers) et Maxime Hébert (batterie) s’ajoutent des invités aussi
talentueux que Magella Cormier (batterie), Ramon Ortiz (percussions), Evans
Green (cythare), Laurent Royal (steelpan). Le disque tient sa force et sa
beauté de la remarquable cohésion entre eux, ainsi que de l’équilibre
toujours maintenu des passages écrits et des échappées improvisées. «J’
attache beaucoup d’importance à la direction de l’improvisation et des
dynamiques crées par les musiciens, affirme François Turgeon. Il me semble
plus important pour moi que nous soyons capable d’explorer sans avoir peur
de créer du nouveau que de répéter machinalement les compos.»
De Jimmy Blanton à Marcus Miller, en passant par Paul Chambers, Scott LaFaro
et l’éblouissant Jaco Pastorius, l’histoire du jazz et des musiques
improvisées est prodigue en virtuoses de la basse acoustique ou électrique,
dont les audaces et les prouesses ont fait office de trampoline pour les
élans des musiciens qui les côtoyaient. Relativement peu d’entre eux sont
cependant restés dans nos mémoires à titre de chefs d’orchestre et de
compositeurs. Bien sûr, on songe au monumental Charles Mingus, à Charlie
Haden, à Dave Holland, à Alain Caron, à Normand Guilbeault, à quelques
autres encore… quoiqu’on hésite à avancer davantage de noms. Sans doute
serait-il prématuré de prédire que celui de François Turgeon s’ajoutera à
cette liste. À l’écoute de Way to Centre, qui nous offre un aperçu de ses
formidables talents de compositeur, de catalyseur et de performer, on se
surprend néanmoins à penser que Turgeon méritera éventuellement une place
dans ce club sélect. En tout cas, on lui souhaite.
Stanley Péan
Écrivain et amateur de jazz
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Here are some of my musical compositions that i produced for my world metal jazz band called Way to the centre! What a great time we had playing those songs!!
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Here are some of my musical compositions that i produced for my world metal jazz band called Way to the centre! What a great time we had playing those songs!!
