LE QUATUOR DE JAZZ LIBRE DU QUÉBEC (LONDON, 1969)

Here we have the first Free Jazz recording made in Québec (or in Canada?) - it was provided by the same generous contributor who also shared Don Cherry's " Movement Incorporated".

There is almost no information about this group available - but it seems to be clear that
they changed the line-up and name of the band very often throughout the years.

I have found the back cover at the www, but it is insecure wether it belongs to the same recording. Also the titles of the short tracks are unknown.


The following was the answer from the contributor (thank you again D.) to my inquiry:

"I think it's the same album, but there may have been two different versions of it. Mine had these miniature pieces, of 8, 12 seconds long. I really don't remember the titles of the tracks. The back cover that I had was with a text in both French and English written by Jean Préfontaine, the leader, with july 1969 and his signature."


This I have found at the webside of the "thecanadianencyclopedia.com":

"Quatuor de jazz libre du Québec (originally, Quatuor du nouveau jazz libre du Québec; familiarly, Jazz libre). Montreal-based ensemble active 1967-74 in the then avant-garde style of jazz known as 'free music' and also, in the late 1960s, in pop music contexts. It numbered among its original members Jean Préfontaine (tenor saxophone), Yves Charbonneau (trumpet), Maurice C. Richard (bass), and Guy Thouin (percussion). Richard was spelled briefly (1972-3) by Yves Bouliane; Thouin was replaced ca 1973 by Jean-Guy Poirier, and Poirier soon after by Mathieu Léger. The pianist Pierre Nadeau joined the quartet for its sole recording, Le Quatuor de jazz libre du Québec (1968, RCI 271/Lon NAS-131515).

Jazz libre worked in Montreal bars (the Casa Espagnol, the Barrel, etc) and Quebec colleges and universities, assisted Robert Charlebois, Yvon Deschamps, and Mouffe in the revues Peuple à genoux (1968), L'Osstidcho (1968), and L'Osstidchomeurt (1969), and took part 1968-70 in Walter Boudreau's Infonie. It toured in France with Charlebois and Louise Forestier in 1969, and appeared on recordings by Charlebois (including 'Lindberg') and Infonie.

After operating an artistic and political commune, le Petit Québec libre, 1970-2 at Ste-Anne-de-la-Rochelle in the Eastern Townships, the quartet moved in 1973 to the Amorce, a coffeehouse in Old Montreal, performing there until the club's destruction 25 Jun 1974 at an arsonist's hand.Jazz libre also performed in 1973 at the Autunno musicale di Como, a festival in Italy. The quartet was not active after 1974, but the tradition of free improvisation that it established in Montreal was sustained in turn by the Atelier de musique expérimentale and EMIM. A Jazz libre reunion was attempted at the 1989 FIJM in conjunction with a performance by Guy Thouin's recently-formed Heart Ensemble but was cancelled due to lack of public interest."

Recommended!




LE QUATUOR DE JAZZ LIBRE DU QUÉBEC


Jean Préfontaine, tenor saxophone
Yves Charbonneau, trumpet
Guy Thouin, drums
Maurice Richard, bass
Pierre Nadeau, pianist (guest)


1. Stalisme Dodecacophonique (Préfontaine) (06:10)
2. [...] (00:06)
3. Fuseau (Richard) (10:19)
4. Opus 2 (Thouin) (08:02)
5. [...] (00:06)
6. [...] (00:08)
7. Valse A Grand'Mere (Préfontaine) (08:33)
8. Il Navait Jamais Fait Si Beau Si Longtemps (Thouin) (12:44)


Recorded around summer 1969 in Montreal
the group

LONDON NAS 13515
(mp3 - 320 > converted to wave > flac for [with caution] declicking)

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