Presentation // History // Members

Alain Baril // Andrée Bilodeau // Mathieu Girard // François Morrissette //
Todd Picard // Andy Stewart
 


Alain Baril
Saxophones, clarinet, flutes, harmonica and voices

Alain had university training in saxophone. This man is a wind specialist even if he doesn’t care much about the forecast. He has an incredible ear and a mastery of rythm worthy of a percussionist. A great jazz lover, he is now discovering the great joy of playing traditional tunes. His theoretical knowledge and musical experience is a benefit to all the group, especially during the creation process. Eminently friendly, and the one that every mother would like as a son-in-law, he likes to share with people and discuss in French, English in Spanish and soon in Catalan!

Alain also plays with Sax-O-Matic and the Québec's Musical Improvisation League.

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AndrÉe Bilodeau
Fiddle, electric violin and voices

A classically trained violinist, Andrée is the girl of the band - because a band needs one after all, and it is always a violinist. From classical to actual music, from improvisation to theatrical music, from mambo to Quebec’s folklore, she collects different musical styles and laudatory reviews too! She also has a stunning voice that could melt an iceberg, and surely does melt many hearts. Very particular on order and a meticulous worker, she is a real engine in rehearsing sessions and in the business aspects of the group. She is about to reorient her career has a movie stuntwoman. You will certainly see her in a B movie in your neighbourhood soon.

You can hear her with Interférences Sardines, Andrée Bilodeau the Mambo Queen, The Intermezzo Quartet and the Québec's Musical Improvisation League.

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Mathieu Girard
Guitar, bass and voices.

Mathieu is a very active person who likes to take charge. The women’s favourite, he loves to go wild on stage. You have to see him, guitar in hand, legs spread, banging his head. He has a true passion for African and Spanish music, but also for these old Québécois tunes and progressive music. He is quite adept at expressing himself in Cervantes’ language, and so he is an important leader on tour in Spain or in Mexico. Talented, versatile, and a good singer, he even allows himself to play bass. He won’t fall into predictability so he’s always looking for brave chords to personalize the harmonic progressions to accompany trad melodies.

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FranÇois Morrissette
Bouzouki, guitar, mandolin, harmonica, foot tapping and voices

The touch-all multi-instrumentist. This man from Gaspésie is the true self taught folklore musician. He’s the official researcher of the band in the Laval’s University Folklore Archives. A melody-maniac, he’s hung up not only on Quebecois and Celtic traditional music - he loves all music of the world, jazz, and la chanson francaise in all forms. This living encyclopedia of music knows all musicians and records little known to the greater public.

He also plays, records and jams with many other projects, such as Les Chauffeurs à Pied, Liette Remond and wants to make a hawaiian record with his brand new band Western Swing Express!

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Todd Picard
Bass, mandolin, guitar and voices

This player is really the band’s guru. A public relation specialist, he can speak to anyone, even if he doesn’t know the language! If you don’t already know him personally, chances are someone close to you does.... This beast on stage won’t let the chance to bodysurf slip away, so watch your heads! How did this hardcore punk lover become attached to baroque music? To answer this question would take too long and would sicken this hypochondriac. The music he makes never sounds heavy enough, yet he studied classical guitar and even thinks he’s a crooner when he sings... It is the complexity of this character that makes his charm.

He also plays chess and cricket in Nathalie Lessard et ses Têtes de Contres.

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Andy Stewart
Drums and percussion

Last to join the band, this Nova-Scotian born in Kingston, Ontario became a French Québécois with a charming accent. Raised within a Scotish pipe band and a snare in his hands, he then became interested in other kinds of music like ska and rock, and even some world music like rai, bossa nova, batucada and of course reggae dub music. He has played with many bands in Quebec City and Montreal. A gifted drummer, he has also started to develop his own compositions on the computer, sampling sounds from everywhere.

He plays with Orioxy and the Québec's Musical Improvisation League.
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