bandeau 2008

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25th Festival de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville

2008 Edition (May 15 - 19, 2008)

  • Programming

    CONCERTSfimav2008
    JEAN DEROME ET LES DANGEREUX ZHOMS + 7
    Quebec
    JOHN ZORN
    «The Dreamers»
    USA — Canadian Premiere
    THE FRIENDLY RICH SHOW
    Canada
    TIM BRADY / MARTIN MESSIER / BRADYWORKS
    «Switch»
    Quebec — World Premiere
    GLEN HALL
    «Ear / Cam»
    Canada — Quebec Premiere
    FRED FRITH
    «Cosa Brava»
    England, USA — Canadian Premiere
    JOHN ZORN
    «Moonchild»
    USA — Canadian Premiere
    THE PEEESSEYE
    USA — Canadian Premiere
    VIVIANE HOULE / STEFAN SMULOVITZ / NOAM GAGNON / JAMIE GRIFFITHS
    «Gesture4»
    Canada — Quebec Premiere
    THE NIHILIST SPASM BAND + SUN PLEXUS 2
    Canada, France — North American Premiere
    FRANZISKA BAUMANN / MATTHIAS ZIEGLER
    Switzerland — North American Premiere
    SPUNK
    Norway — North American Premiere
    KTL
    USA, Austria — North American Premiere
    OM
    USA — Quebec Premiere
    NADJA
    Canada
    JOE MORRIS / SIMON H FELL / ALEX WARD
    USA, England — World Premiere
    NICK DIDKOVSKY
    «Ice Cream Time»
    USA, Switzerland — North American Premiere
    GUNDA GOTTSCHALK / XU FENGXIA
    Germany, China — North American Premiere
    JOE MCPHEE / RAYMOND BONI / DAUNIK LAZRO / CLAUDE TCHAMITCHIAN
    USA, France — North American Premiere
    ROSCOE MITCHELL & THE NOTE FACTORY
    USA — Canadian Premiere
    MICHEL F CÔTÉ
    «(Juste) Claudette»
    Quebec
    RENÉ LUSSIER / MARTIN TÉTREAULT / OTOMO YOSHIHIDE
    Quebec, Japan — World Premiere
    ELLIOTT SHARP SOLO
    USA — Canadian Premiere
    ART BEARS SONGBOOK
    England, USA — World Premiere
  • Photos Report

    All photos by Martin Morissette

    Jean Derome et les Dangereux Zhoms + 71.JeanDerome
    Quebec
    «On a eu droit à toute la palette de ce très doué compositeur, déployée sur deux fresques de musique actuelle... de chambre.»
    La Presse, samedi 17 mai 2008, Alain Brunet

    Read more about the artists...
    Lori Freedman
    Tom Walsh


    John Zorn2.JohnZorn
    «The Dreamers»
    USA
    Canadian Premiere
    «The Dreamers est un projet très mélodique qui recoupe différents styles musicaux, servis par sept musiciens de haut calibre»
    Ici, jeudi 15 mai 2008, Serge Paradis

    Read more about the artists...
    Cyro Baptista
    Trevor Dunn
    Jamie Saft


    The Friendly Rich Show3.ThefriendlyRichShow
    Canada
    «Rien ne peut vraiment vous préparer à ce spectacle, inspiré à la fois du cirque, de Pee Wee Herman et du burlesque américain!»
    Programme du FIMAV 2008, samedi 17 mai 2008, François Couture

    Read more about the artists...
    David Hannan
    Friendly Rich


    Tim Brady, Martin Messier, Bradyworks4.TimBrady
    «Switch»
    Quebec
    World Premiere
    «As a composer, Brady fits in alongside contemporaries including Evan Ziporyn, David Lang and Martin Bresnick»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter

    Read more about the artists...
    Tim Brady
    Bradyworks
    Martin Messier
    Catherine Meunier
    Brigitte Poulin


    Glen Hall5.GlenHall
    «Ear / Cam»
    Canada
    Quebec Premiere
    «Hall s’y trouve superbement entouré des artistes les plus audacieux que Toronto ait à offrir.»
    Programme du FIMAV 2008, samedi 17 mai 2008, François Couture
    «Ear/Cam» de Glen Hall: l’une des belles surprises du festival!»
    ImproJazz, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Réjean Bocage

    Read more about the artists...
    Glen Hall
    Mike Hansen


    Fred Frith6.FredFrith
    «Cosa Brava»
    England, USA
    Canadian Premiere
    «The only downside about Cosa Brava’s show was that there was no CD to buy afterwards.»
    All about Jazz, vendredi 16 mai 2008, John Kelman
    «What I dug about this set was how inventive it was while still keeping the essence of memorable pop music mind.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter

    Read more about the artists...
    Fred Frith
    Zeena Parkins


    John Zorn7.JohnZornmoonchild
    «Moonchild»
    USA
    Canadian Premiere
    «Zorn est un génie prolifique, mais il faut l’apprivoiser.»
    Le Devoir, vendredi 16 mai 2008, Laurence Martin
    «Le gourou de la musique actuelle est indéniablement l’homme des extrêmes!»
    La Nouvelle, samedi 17 mai 2008, Kateline Grondin
    «Mike Patton a fait ce soir-là des acrobaties vocales qui défient les lois de la physique»
    ImproJazz, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Réjean Bocage

    Read more about the artists...
    Trevor Dunn
    Mike Patton


    The Peeesseye8.ThePeeesseye
    USA
    Canadian Premiere
    «L’emmerde, la routine, The Peeeseye ne connait pas.»
    Programme du FIMAV 2008, samedi 17 mai 2008, François Couture
    «Le trio nous a servi une musique puissante et bien abstraite, colorée d’envolées vocales
    que l’on aurait cru sorties de la bouche d’un Genesis P-Orridge»
    ImproJazz, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Réjean Bocage

    Read more about the artists...
    The Peeesseye


    Viviane Houle, Stefan Smulovitz9.VivianeHoule
    Noam Gagnon, Jamie Griffiths
    «Gesture4»
    Canada
    Quebec Premiere
    «Deftly and seamlessly integrating visual arts, dance and music, Houle, Smulovitz, Gagnon and Griffiths delivered a performance
    that set the tone for what was to come during the rest of the day’s events.»
    All about Jazz, samedi 17 mai 2008, John Kelman

    Read more about the artists...
    Jamie Griffiths
    Viviane Houle
    Stefan Smulovitz


    The Nihilist Spasm Band + Sun Plexus 210.TheNihilistSpasmBand
    Canada, France
    North American Premiere
    «A rare performance by London, Ontario’s improve group Nihilist Spasm Band.»
    Mirror, jeudi 8 mai 2008, Johnson Cummins
    «Their MC and spoken word vocalist, Bill Exley, is often hilarious in things that he says.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter

    Read more about the artists...
    Laurent Berger
    The Nihilist Spasm Band
    Sun Plexus 2


    Franziska Baumann11FranziskaBaumann
    Matthias Ziegler
    Switzerland
    North American Premiere
    «Baumann possesses a voice with a remarkable range, and an ability to acoustically stretch its potential through multiple extended techniques, and that would have been enough to make the show a must-see.»
    All about Jazz, samedi 17 mai 2008, John Kelman

    Read more about the artists...
    Franziska Baumann
    Matthias Ziegler


    Spunk12Spunk
    Norway
    North American Premiere
    «La cohésion était si remarquable, pour ces improvisatrices, qu’on ne pouvait que se laisser bercer par les sentiments inspirés par cette suite musicale étrange, intuitive et audacieuse.»
    La Nouvelle, dimanche 18 mai 2008, Kateline Grondin
    «Norway’s all-female Spunk breaks the gender barrier when it comes to free improv with their combination of boldness and sensitivity and non-competitive spirit.»
    The Gazette, lundi 19 mai 2008, Irwin Block
    «Un des très beaux concerts du festival, dans lequel les idées musicales sont développées en interaction constante.... Jamais ennuyant, toujours étonnant.»
    ImproJazz, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Réjean Bocage
    «The music progressed with an overall sense ok arc, from spattered activity at the start, through freely pulsing waves, to glitched and looping quavering sheets, ending with a hushed resolution.»
    Cadence, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Michael Rosenstein

    Read more about the artists...
    Lene Grenager
    Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje
    Spunk


    KTL13KTL
    USA, Austria
    North American Premiere
    «The sound grew more ominous and oppressive as it slowly evolved
    and bore down on us like a vat of molten molasses.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter

    Read more about the artists...
    Emil Amos
    Peter Rehberg


    OM14OM
    USA
    Quebec Premiere
    «Sleep’s Al Cisneros wakes up to music again with his mind-melting new duo.»
    Mirror, jeudi 15 mai 2008, Johnson Cummins
    «Le mélange basse-batterie donne dans un rock lourd et hypnotique.»
    Ici, jeudi 15 mai 2008, Serge Paradis

    Read more about the artists...
    Emil Amos
    Peter Rehberg


    Nadja15.Nadja
    Canada
    «Nadja propose un rock original qui découle d’une vision artistique solide et assurée.»
    Programme du FIMAV 2008, samedi 17 mai 2008, François Couture

    Read more about the artists...
    Aidan Baker
    Nadja


    Joe Morris, Simon H Fell, Alex Ward16JoeMorris
    USA, England
    World Premiere
    «The trio sounded like an ongoing three-way conversation in which there was a stream ideas that flowed back and forth between each member.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter
    «From the first moments, though, it was clear that this was a perfect match!»
    Cadence, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Michael Rosenstein

    Read more about the artists...
    Joe Morris


    Nick Didkovsky17.nickDidkovsky
    «Ice Cream Time»
    États-Unis, Suisse
    Première Nord-Américaine
    «Très différent de la musique de Doctor Nerve, ce projet en rappelle pourtant la fougue, le mordant et la folie créatrice.»
    Programme du FIMAV 2008, samedi 17 mai 2008, François Couture

    Read more about the artists...
    Arte Quartett
    Thomas Dimuzio


    Gunda Gottschalk18.GundaGottschalk
    Xu Fengxia
    Germany, China
    North American Premiere
    «À leurs jeux mélodieux, bruitistes ou percussifs, s’ajoutaient des dialogues de chant ou de voix exquis.»
    Le Soleil, samedi 17 mai 2008, Nicolas Houle
    «The connection between the two was palpable, and as the music became more rigorous it also became more profound, with Fengxia smiling at Gottschalk as moments of particularly deep simpatico occurred.»
    All About Jazz, dimanche 18 mai 2008, John Kelman
    «By the end of the set the audience was exhilarated and many were astonished by the level of intensity that these two women provided.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter
    «Their playing alluded to folk themes and sonorities pushed into a conversational give-and-take»
    Cadence, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Michael Rosenstein

    Read more about the artists...
    Xu Fengxia
    Gunda Gottschalk


    Joe McPhee, Raymond Boni19.JoeMcPhee
    Daunik Lazro, Claude Tchamitchian
    USA, France
    North American Premiere
    «What always amazes me is the way Joe McPhee has continued to find kindred spirits (gifted improvisers) from around the world and unite them to make a special/spiritual music that is without borders.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter

    Read more about the artists...
    Joe McPhee


    Roscoe Mitchell & The Note Factory20.RoscoeMitchell
    USA
    Canadian Premiere
    «Sans tomber dans l’exubérance, il a su garder une grande sensibilité et musicalité, tout en expérimentant avec les différentes écoles de musique savante. Accompagné d’un double quatuor, il est véritablement un incontournable du jazz d’avant-garde.»
    Ici, jeudi 15 mai 2008, Serge Paradis
    «Avec The Note Factory, un double trio piano-contrebasse-batterie complété d’un côté par les sax et la flûte du leader, de l’autre par les trompettes de Corey Wilkes, le vieux manitou a offert un concert dense et exigeant.»
    Le Soleil, dimanche 18 mai 2008, Nicolas Houle
    «The music ranged from dark and spacious to chaotic and intense; but no matter where it went, there was always an underlying sense of purpose.»
    All About Jazz, dimanche 18 mai 2008, John Kelman
    «The entire group gradually built density, moving into a buffeting maelstrom propelled by Mitchell’s insistently cyclical circularly breathed soprano.»
    Cadence, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Michael Rosenstein

    Read more about the artists...
    Vijay Iyer
    Jaribu Shahid
    Tani Tabbal
    Corey Wilkes


    Michel F Côté21.MichelFCote
    «(Juste) Claudette»
    Quebec
    «Indeed, Claudette (for the intimates) is all about groove.»
    PanPot, mardi 3 juin 2008, Mathieu Bélanger

    Read more about the artists...
    Alexander MacSween


    René Lussier, Martin Tétreault, Otomo Yoshihide22.ReneLussier
    Quebec, Japan
    World Premiere
    «Les trois compères ont donné forme à des bruitistes inspirées.»
    Le Soleil, samedi 17 mai 2008, Nicolas Houle
    «This was a most magical set that will hopefully be released in the future.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter
    «Il y a là du bruitisme, bien sûr, et beaucoup, mais servi sur un nuage. Ce n’est plus la fin du monde,
    mais plutôt quelque chose comme le big bang, avec tout ce que ça peut suggérer côté développement.»
    ImproJazz, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Réjean Bocage

    Read more about the artists...
    René Lussier
    Otomo Yoshihide


    Elliott Sharp Solo23.ElliottSharpSolo
    USA
    Canadian Premiere
    «L’alchimiste des sons»
    Le Soleil, samedi 17 mai 2008, Nicolas Houle
    «Nobody plays the guitar quite like Mr. Sharp!»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter
    «The overarching form took the performance beyond a mere guitar-wonk recital of technical mastery.»
    Cadence, mardi 1 juillet 2008, Michael Rosenstein

    Read more about the artists...
    Elliott Sharp


    Art Bears Songbook24.ArtBearsSongbook
    England, USA
    World Premiere
    «Une belle finale signée Art Bears!»
    Le Soleil, mardi 20 mai 2008, Nicolas Houle
    «The collective energy and, for material that in many instances was extraordinarily bleak, unmistakable enjoyment had by all that made this closing performance of FIMAV 2008 not just a highlight, but the highlight of the festival.»
    All About Jazz, mardi 20 mai 2008, John Kelman
    «What this concert did for me is that is showed that art/rock or progressive music is not dead and has never really gone away.»
    Downtown Music Gallery, dimanche 1 juin 2008, Bruce Lee Gallenter

    Read more about the artists...
    Chris Cutler
    Jewlia Eisenberg
    Fred Frith
    Zeena Parkins

  • Closing Words

    25th Edition A Resounding Success!
    May 20, 2008 (Victoriaville) — The 25th edition of the Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (FIMAV) took place from Thursday the 15th to Monday the 19th of May 2008 and everyone agrees this was an edition to remember!

    “Organizing a jubilee edition is always delicate. You need to do just enough to celebrate the event, create the right level of expectation, and hope the magic will work... and it did!” said Michel Levasseur, FIMAV Artistic Director & General Manager.

    At 6,000 admissions, the 2008 edition ranks among the Festival’s best years, a result that matched the organizers expectations. Even more important for the management was the feeling of “plenitude” that emanated from the crowd after every concert. How often have we heard longtime FIMAV attendants say “this is the FIMAV’s best programming ever!”

    Right from the first concert, a serene and emotional atmosphere settled in, creating a “euphoria bubble” in every participant. This mood crystallized as the concerts went by and never left!

    Attendants got carried by a wave a satisfaction that led them from revelation to revelation. This overall rapture toward this year’s programming is emotionally welcomed by the FIMAV’s management, contract employees and volunteers!

    The artists’ generosity was particularly tangible this year. Obviously, musicians were generously listening to each other, but more important, they managed to fulfil the attendants’ expectations by turning up high-quality performances. And they gladly and energetically answered the crowd’s requests for encores.

    The 2008 edition featured grand and resolutely “actuel” programming. Our event’s uniqueness is well illustrated by a comment from Mark Keill (Ottawa), a FIMAV regular who was here for the 13th time.

    Looking for a way to express what keeps bringing him back to Victoriaville, year after year, Keill spontaneously described “musique actuelle” as “now music.” What more could we say?

    “Musique actuelle” happens through the power of action. Actualized, it impacts the now. This music exists through and for the synchronism of the music performance and the act of listening. This music is ever-acting!

    Take, for instance, the “Art Bears Songbook” concert. Who could have said this music was 30 years old? The notes were as fresh and heartfelt as ever, hitting their targets at every moment, leaving everyone convinced they had just witnessed a larger-than-life closing event!

    See you next year!