Brassens REDUX: the album
is a studio project in development. The shorter version was released on January 12, 2007, and with enough music to keep the listener amused while the fuller version (double CD) matures over the course of the winter. You will find in both an equal balance of new French interpretations and English language versions. All the recording and mixing is done Yukon style, in a cozy log studio which is owned and operated by someone who was quick to discover and understand the simple beauty of Brassens' work. His name is Laurie Malo, his studio Rainbow Recording, and I would venture that Tonton Georges would have felt right at home in it. I am totally grateful to Laurie for his sensitive ear, his engineering skills and, above all, his unwavering commitment to the project.

The musicians
Brassens' music has always been, in my book, a minimalist affair, with just enough instrumentation to carry the song and reinforce the melody. Brassens' most sophisticated line-up was no more than a bass and an additional guitar to provide melodic touches. It is the classic formula that I have used in the past and that is widely used to this day for playing Brassens. I had, however, been wondering for a long, long time, about using alternate instrumentation for the melodic parts. The one instrument that kept popping into my mind was the violin.
One of the great things about the Yukon is that it attracts a tremendous amount of artistic talent, with no shortage of musical venues and events. When a fresh young fiddle player breezed into the territory and a summer festival where I happened to play, the seed started to germinate, especially since she sounded so good. But then there are some great celtic and bluegrass players out there, with which I couldn't really picture playing Brassens. There was only one way to find out.

Keitha Clark, violin
Aged 25, Keitha was barely born when Brassens died. Growing up in a small farming community in northern Saskatchewan, she would not have noticed him anyway had he been going on to live strong. She studied the piano as a child but grew up in a world of old-time music. She picked up the fiddle at age 15. Picking it up is an understatement, she grabbed the instrument and made it her own. When I approached her in the fall, she was curious (she's a trained journalist) to find out more about that Brassens character. So I gave her a crash course on Brassens and a few tracks to try herself at. After a couple of practices developing the feel of the pieces, we were in the studio. She blew my mind. She breathes in a gypsy soul that is closer than she can imagine to Brassens' geographical roots, she has a phenomenal control over her violin, and the whole is crowned by a keen musical sense that wraps itself naturally around the melody. Thank you Keitha.
Listen to an off-the-floor take of Le gorille [4:15, 128 kps MP3, 4 MB]

Matt King, upright bass
When I first went public playing Brassens in the Yukon, I looked for a bass player. I found Matt, who was very busy playing bluegrass and country and just about anything else because good acoustic bass players are not easy to find in these parts, and he's as fine as they come. He became an easy convert to Brassens, and we happily played away at a number of local gigs. Then he took off for Cuba, to practice his bass and tan. Then he came back and left for a long work stint in the South Pacific this time. Now he's back again, which should tell you that the Yukon must be a pretty special spot if that's where you go back to after places like that. He's back on board the Brassens Express, smoother and more rock solid than ever. It will be a pleasure to play with him until he's off to some other destination. But maybe then I'll just tag along and take Brassens' music there.

Marie-Hélène Comeau, vocals
Before I sang Brassens in public, I ventured onto the stage doing my own interpretations of Leonard Cohen songs which I would translate into French. I discovered in Marie-Hélène an affinity for the material, as well as a voice that was utterly suited to it, and to my own voice. We have had a lot of fun singing together, but we parted our singing ways when I embarked on my single-minded Brassens pursuit. Marie-Hélène just doesn't care that much for Brassens, which is her prerogative, I suppose. But she loves a good song so that presents a bit of a dilemna for her. I personally think that there is a huge room for a female voice in Brassens' repertoire, and that was something that I wanted to get across. I could not think of anyone better to sing with, so I asked Marie-Hélène to hop on and she readily agreed. Let's face it, some of these songs are hard to resist. Deep down I know that she'll sing many more Brassens songs with me, and that is a very good thing.

Above photos: Inanda Images 

Special thanks to
Ed White, percussions
Pat Braden, stick bass
on The Gorilla.