Montreal Guitare Trio
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Music
Press
VIRTUOSITY: The Montreal Guitar Trio got the Theatre Royal stamping.
Hard to describe the Montreal Guitar Trio’s performance at the Theatre Royal on Saturday night without descending into breathless hyperbole.
Canadian guitarists Glenn Lévesque, Marc Morin and Sébastien Dufour delivered a witty and stylish show that got the packed crowd stamping. They did things to a guitar I thought couldn’t be done, and then those that maybe shouldn’t - Dufour at one point picking up his instrument, flinging it on its side and thumping it like bongo drums.
Most astonishing was their impeccable timing and virtuosity in layering sound. They pulled music and rhythm out of every part of the guitar - wetting their fingers to skim them over the fretboard, making the instrument squeal, squeak and honk. The sound was rough one second and gentle the next, and always finished with a flourish.
Along with bass, ukulele, mandolin and button accordion, Levesque added powerful vocals to several songs, which defied any specific genre. The trio mingled the Beatles with music from Arabia, India, South America, Breton folk and gypsy. Best of all was the classic spaghetti Western theme from The Good the Bad and the Ugly.
Complete with lonesome whistle, it was so evocative you could almost sense the tumbleweeds bounding across the stage – and then they threw back their heads and screeched “Aiyiyaaa!” in their best Wild West impersonation (listen in on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w3fD54bNvU).
Another film tune favourite was the theme from Black Orpheus. “One of the most covered songs in the world,” Morin said. “Everybody and his brother has done it and we felt like the world needed one more. We wanted to be the best one. And we succeeded,” he grinned.
It was that creative humour and playfulness that made it such an enjoyable performance – definitely one worthy of hyperbole.
- Nelson Mail
JAZZ QUEENSLAND
Montreal Guitare Trio
Judith Wright Centre
28 March 2009
Not just another boring guitar trio – these guys sizzled!
Quebec musician’s Glenn Levesque, Sebastian Dufour and Marc Morin mesmerised their audience for their only Brisbane performance at the Judith Wright Centre presenting an eclectic mix of covers and originals that demonstrated their professional status as virtuosic musicians.
Thrilling arrangements of Spagetti Western composer Enrico Morricone and Bernard Hermann composer for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho opened the first set followed by an exceptional original Hoichi le Sans-Oreilles by Glenn Levesque featuring Japanese style folk melodies matched perfectly with gong sounds and eerie guitar slides to expose the compositions ghostly message.
Comfortable as a unit these three gentlemen delivered a tight sound exposing their generosity of spirit and music mastery as soloists in their own right and backing each others individual expression. Their rendition of George Harrison ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps was exquisite and their arrangements of The Simpsons theme and their fist encore The Good the Bad and the Ugly executed with precision and flair.
From samba’s to tango’s, covers to their own material their performance was seemless, visual, humorous and deserving of the standing ovation they received from an appreciative audience.
If you’re into quality music with a twist of fun these guys deliver and you’d be a fool to miss their next visit to Bris Vegas. Let’s hope it’s soon!
Lynette Irwin
- Jazz Queensland
The Montreal Trio's guitars know no limits. They journey along with brio from jazz to classical music, from India to Canada. The Ussac Church has been swept away on the thunder of their strings - La Montagne Newspaper - FRANCE
"... Their debut in Germany was one of the most unforgettable events in the festival's history, both artistically and programme-wise. [...] The audience applauded and didn't quieten down until the event organiser had promised to engage the Montreal Guitar Trio again next year..." - Bergsträßer Anzeiger - GERMANY
Discography
Montreal Guitare Trio recorded four CD's:
Cambria
2011 - Banyan Label
Live - With the California Guitar Trio
2011 - Banyan Label
MG3
2006 - Banyan Label
Garam Masala
2002 - Banyan Label
Meninas
1999 - ATMA Label
Photos
Bio
Eclectic, Energetic and Spectacular
Described by the CBC as the hottest guitar ensemble in Canada and formed by three guitarists of unbridled energy and charisma, MG3 leads its audience in a special place where jazz and world music are entwined with gusto.
Spiced by a wry sense of humor, its music exubes an irresistible energy and an overwhelming passion that will make you stamp furiously! The trios eclectic music takes listeners on a journey through the worlds many cultures from the mysterious, exotic melodies of India to the hot rhythms of South America, Spain, the Balkans, the Orient, traditional Quebec and Hollywood. Coming from a classical background, MG3 members also sing and write much of their material. Since it was founded at University of Montréal in 1998, MG3 has given hundreds of concerts in North America, Western and Eastern Europe, many of which have been recorded and broadcast by national networks such as CBC, Radio-France, BRAVO and Société Radio- Canada.
In last last years, MG3 did over 150 performances in France, Belgium, Canada, United States, Germany, Estonia, Switzerland and Denmark.
After four years crisscrossing the globe, the MG3 settled down in Montreal last spring to record their fourth CD, Cambria. The product of a long period of musical introspection and the trios most accomplished and personal work yet, this album contains six original tracks and three covers including the legendary While my guitar gently weeps by George Harrison and The Mexican by Ennio Morricone. All the influences which, over the years, have marked the trio are reflected here. The album was released in April 2011.
Last summer, MG3 has taken advantage of its appearance at the Montreal Jazz Festival to launch the CD "Live." For this album, recorded during the Guitar Summit 2010 Canadian tour, the MG3 joined forces with the California Guitar Trio. The two trios joined up once again last fall to continue touring as a sextet, visiting 20 cities in the United States and Canada.
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