Twilight Music and Next Stage Arts Project present Quebecois duo Yann Falquet & Pascal Gemme, plus Newfoundland/New England solo balladeer Keith Murphy, for an evening of traditional songs in French and English as well as highly crafted traditional fiddle music at Next Stage on Friday, May 27 at 7:30 pm.
The pairing of Yann Falquet & Pascal Gemme with Keith Murphy offers a rare breadth of musical ground, from Keith’s beautifully spare solo songs with elegant guitar accompaniment to the breathtaking level of musical interplay between Yann and Pascal. This twin bill also offers a unique and long awaited chance for these three musicians to explore some musical collaborations based on their shared passion for the music of Quebec.
Yann Falquet & Pascal Gemme started their musical journey 20 years ago, busking on the streets of Montréal. They have since played over a thousand shows in twenty countries with the Quebecois trio “Genticorum,” and they now return as a duo to present an intimate show based on the close musical bond forged by years of touring together. Yann and Pascal are both master entertainers, and this format provides plenty of space for their musical personalities to shine.
Pascal’s fiddling, Yann’s guitar accompaniment, and the duo’s vast repertoire of traditional songs and tunes are all presented with elegance and effortless musicianship. With a college degree in jazz and an interest in many musical styles, Yann has developed a personal guitar style for Québec folk music that is inspired by the playing of musical accompanists from Brittany, Scandinavia, Ireland and North America. Known as much for his original compositions as his fine interpretation of traditional tunes, Pascal is a leading light in Quebec’s traditional music scene, as a performer, teacher, music producer, studio musician and festival artistic director.
Over the years, Keith Murphy has shaped the sound of a dozen musical collaborations, from the ground breaking trio “Nightingale,” the Boston based fiddle extravaganza “Childsplay” and his work with master singer Tony Barrand to his forceful presence in several dance bands. Keith’s voice has often helped define those sounds. In his solo project, he focuses on a rich mix of songs and ballads from his native Newfoundland as well as New England, his adopted home these last 20 years. In particular, Keith has revisited some of the most well known, classic Newfoundland folk songs – songs he grew up with and now reinterprets after years of musical traveling. He creates a rich palette of textures using multiple open tunings and rhythmic ideas on the guitar, while also bringing in influences from French Canada which have long been part of his musical profile.
An accomplished composer and arranger in the realm of traditional music, theater and film, Keith is a faculty member of the Brattleboro Music Center and the founder and artistic director of the BMC’s Northern Roots Traditional Music Festival in Brattleboro, VT. His 2005 album “Bound for Canaan” showcased his refined sense of balance between innovation and tradition, while his most recent CD “Suffer No Loss” is a beautifully spare recording in the style of early classic recordings of the traditional English and Celtic music revival.
Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets are $18 Advance / $22 At the Door. For information, call 802-387-0102. Advance tickets are available at www.nextstagearts.org, Turn It Up in Brattleboro and Putney Food Co-Op in Putney. For more information, visit www.falquetgemme.com, www.blackislemusic.com , www.twilightmusic.org and www.nextstagearts.org.