39th Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville
15 au 21 mai 2023
POIL UEDA
(France, Japan) North American PremiereIKUE MORI
« Tracing the Magic »
(Japan, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, USA) Canadian PremiereZOH AMBA
« Bhakti »
(USA) Canadian PremiereEMILIE ŠKRIJELJ / TOM MALMENDIER
« Les Marquises »
(France, Belgium) North American PremiereCAMILLE BRISSON / ISABELLE CLERMONT
« Collectif Tendancielle »
(Quebec) World PremiereJOE SORBARA / MATTHIAS MAINZ
« Aurealities »
(Canada, Germany) North American PremiereFRED FRITH TRIO / HEIKE LISS / SUSANA SANTOS SILVA
« Drawing Sound »
(England, USA, Portugal) Canadian PremiereSIMON HANES
« GNR8RZ »
(USA) Canadian PremiereNOORG
(France) North American PremiereGUY THOUIN & L'ENSEMBLE INFINI
(Quebec, Canada, Colombia, Argentina) World PremiereTASHI DORJI / DAVE REMPIS
(Bhutan, USA) Canadian PremiereLORI FREEDMAN
« BeingFive »
(Quebec, USA, Germany, Greece) North American PremiereELLIOTT SHARP / COLIN STETSON / BILLY MARTIN / PAYTON MACDONALD
« Void Patrol »
(USA) Canadian PremiereBUÑUEL
(USA, Italy, Spain) North American PremiereFUJI||||||||||TA / EYE
(Japan) World PremiereFRANÇOIS HOULE / KATE GENTILE / ALEXANDER HAWKINS
(Canada, USA, England) Quebec PremiereNINA GARCIA / ARNAUD RIVIÈRE
« Autoreverse »
(France) North American PremiereJOHN ZORN NEW MUSIC FOR TRIOS
(USA) Canadian PremiereJOHN ZORN NEW MASADA QUARTET
(USA) Canadian Premiere
Program 1 : Iconoclastes québécois
PIERRE-LUC VAILLANCOURT
« Raw Power »
Video, 6 minutes, Quebec, 2020
Music by Marc HurtadoGUILLAUME VALLÉE & CHARLOTTE CLERMONT
« 3 inch telescope »
Video, 7 minutes, Quebec, 2019MAXIME CORBEIL-PERRON
« Origami »
Video, 2 minutes, Quebec, 2021
Music by Jennifer Thiessen, Martin Tétreault and Maxime Corbeil-PerronDOMINIC GAGNON
« Analog »
Video, 10 minutes, Quebec, 2022FRÉDÉRICK MAHEUX
« L'adversaire » - (Lys Inversé – Trois films contre le Québec - partie 3)
Video, 3 minutes, Quebec, 2013
Music by Un regard froidANTOINE LAROCQUE & ANTOINE PROVENCHER
« Thuya »
Video, 17 minutes, Quebec, 2018MARTIN BUREAU
« La promesse du ciel »
Video, 6 minutes, Quebec, 2022
Music by Érick d'Orion, Robbie Kuster, Martin Tétreault and René LussierProgram 2 : Paysages argentiques
ALEXANDRE LAROSE
« I. »
35mm, 14 minutes, Quebec, 2022ERIN WEISGERBER
« Dans les cieux et sur la terre »
35mm, 12 minutes, Canada, Quebec, 2022
Music by Andrea-Jane CornellDAÏCHI SAÏTO
« earthearthearth »
35mm, 30 minutes, Japon, Quebec, 2021
Music by Jason Sharp
MANON LABRECQUE
« toro (version 2023) »
(Quebec)ERIC QUACH & JIM DEMOS
« Les cabines télésymphoniques »
(Quebec, Canada) World PremiereLUDOVIC BONEY
« Afin d'éviter tous ces nœuds (Victoriaville, 2023) »
(Quebec) World PremiereSIMONE D'AMBROSIO / NÉLANNE RACINE
« Éons »
(Italiy, Quebec)STEPHANIE CASTONGUAY
« Résonances induites (Victoriaville, 2023) »
(Quebec) World PremiereALEXIS BELLAVANCE
« Stéréostrobe »
(Quebec) World PremiereMANON LABRECQUE
« des oscillations »
(Quebec) World PremiereARIANE PLANTE
« La cosmogonie des sons : variations nocturnes »
(Quebec) World PremiereLÉA BOUDREAU
« we are individuals, we are not special »
(Quebec) World PremiereBÉCHARD HUDON
« Invariables variations »
(Quebec) World Premiere
RAFAEL SOTTOLICHIO
« Traces d'empire »
(Chile)
All photos by Martin Morissette
“Though the melancholic mood touched performances, the lineup was stellar as usual. Appropriately enough, longtime festival titans Fred Frith and John Zorn both made appearances. The balance of veteran performers and relative newcomers, of local talent and international guests, remained a hallmark.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“As Fred Frith noted in his press meeting on Friday, everyone who has regularly attended Victo over the years have been given the opportunity to learn so much and to meet so many interesting and inspiring creative people as a result of Levasseur's work. […] if this is to be the last-ever Victo, it was a a pretty good one to go out with.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“This year’s festival program, which ran May 18–21, was a cut above the usual artistic standard […]” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
“[…] the paper program could have been folded into any number of origamis that would reflect Levasseur’s curatorial finesse and exquisite eclecticism.” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
FRANCE, JAPAN
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
« La chanteuse-conteuse a amené le public dans son univers, accompagnée de son satsuma biwa (un luth). Elle a raconté des histoires de son pays d’origine, expliquant au préalable les différents épisodes et siècles y étant reliés. Son ton de voix et la musique ont permis au public de faire un voyage dans le temps. […] Un beau paradoxe que de parler des siècles passés grâce à la musique actuelle. » TOUPIN, Manon. « La Nouvelle Union », 19 mai 2023
« […] PoiL Ueda nous a présenté un excellent concert sis entre beauté et hyperactivité sonore. » DESLAURIERS, Stéphane. « Le Canal Auditif », 19 mai 2023
“She followed up with what she described as epic tales of samurai and political rivals, and battles from the previous millennium, an evocative soundscape for those of us who cannot understand Japanese, well integrated and propelled by a tightly coordinated band — with nary a chart to be seen.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 20, 2023
“Keyboardist Antoine Arnera not only carried much of the melodic weight of the pieces, but also featured an array of tones that bridged the distance between traditions. It was a blistering start to the festival, and one that would be difficult to top.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“Thus, it is an improbability that such a band exists, and it should be cherished and loved, and every opportunity to be a witness to this strange phenomenon should be taken and acted upon. Poil Ueda simply played the most mind boggling set I have thus far seen and heard.” TREMBLAY, Dave. « Can this even be called music? », May 25, 2023
“The music went from mysterious stripped down drones and plucks to some moderately intense Acid Mother Temple-like space rock. The band was tight, focused and thoughtfully paced, from slower to moderate tempos. It was an interesting and completely unique blend of different cultures and genres.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
“The collaboration, dubbed PoiL Ueda, told a progish, high energy and epic tale of love and battles at sea founded in Japanese lore; it was like a manga musical, imagined and executed with sonic breadth and emotional depth. Musically, they were a tight ship.” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
JAPAN, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRALIA, NEW-ZEALAND, USA
CANADIAN PREMIERE
« Il s’agissait de la deuxième fois que ce concert était présenté, mais d’une première Canadienne. Il a permis aux spectateurs d’apprécier cette musique avant-gardiste et touchante. Un projet qui propose des émotions musicales variées et lors duquel, à la fin, Ikue Mori a voulu dédier la dernière pièce à Michel Levasseur. » TOUPIN, Manon. « La Nouvelle Union », 19 mai 2023
« MORI nous a présenté des morceaux surréalistes, singularisés par des voix étranges et de sons inattendus produits par un arsenal d’effets et d’appareils électroniques contrôlés par ordinateur. […] Je salue la façon dont chacun des instruments s’harmonisait ou contrastait entre eux. » DESLAURIERS, Stéphane. « Le Canal Auditif », 19 mai 2023
“These skilled and well-coordinated improvisers took the audience on a unique exploration of sounds and textures. The broad range of instrumentation — Lee’s haunting chants, Smith’s dynamism on drums, Courvoisier’s plucking strings inside her piano, or slamming chord clusters, Mori’s sound sculpting on computer — contributed to the group’s symphonic scope and sonic variations. A rich and satisfying show.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 20, 2023
“More boldly musical than in previous iterations, Ikue's digital contributions were rounded out by a strong team of veteran players, particularly vocal improviser Charmaine Lee who early on combined with Ikue for an ASMR-like sequence of quiet ticks and whispers.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“Tracing the Magic’ is a concept piece and this set was one of the first highlights of Victo 39. [...] Ms. Mori obviously put a good time of time in composing and rehearsing this piece as it was consistently engaging and flowed just right. The piece evolved slowly with Ms. Mori & Ms. Lee using electronics to those spacey, lush, mystical sounds. [...] A superb and oft sublime set throughout. Ikue Mori who rarely talks on stage thanked Victo founder, Michel Levasseur for his commitment to keep FIMAV going for so long.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
USA
CANADIAN PREMIERE
“The big revelation was the midnight show called Bhakti, led by Zoh Amba, 23, on tenor sax, with Micah Thomas (piano), Thomas Morgan (bass), and Miguel Marcel Russell (drums) in the night’s first free-jazz excursion. […] It’s Amba’s aggressive vibrato that gives her sax a sound all its own. She led the way confidently with her relentless attack and her band followed, punctuated by the richly-textured two-fisted pianism of Micah Thomas and imaginative improv of bassist Morgan.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 20, 2023
« Jeudi soir, la jeune Américaine Zoh Amba, 23 ans, révélait son indéniable talent de tenorwoman. Déjà un discours personnel, déjà une grande expressivité parmi les meilleurs musiciens de l’improvisation libre. Elle était entourée du renommé contrebassiste Thomas Morgan et de deux jeunes musiciens de talent, soit le pianiste Micah Thomas et le batteur Miguel Marcel Russell. Cet ensemble se démarque d’abord pour sa verve et sa maîtrise des codes free, et bien sûr pour sa soliste dont le rayonnement devrait s’accroître au fil des années à venir. » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
“Opening night midnight at the Carré 150 was a performance by young tenor sax sensation Zoh Amba, who played with a unit of Micah Thomas on piano, Thomas Morgan on bass, and Miguel Marcel Russell on drums, who would have made a pretty good free jazz trio on their own. Amba is waif-like but intense, playing the tenor saxophone in the lineage of Albert Ayler and Peter Brötzmann, both in her no-holds-barred approach and in the way she interjects melodic fragments in her shower of notes. Powerful but lyrical, Amba covered a wide emotional terrain in the set, keeping the listeners wondering where she would go next.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“Ending that night, the diminutive, 23-year-old powerhouse saxophonist Zoh Amba delivered a gripping, post-Ayler-esque intensity in a band featuring pianist Micah Thomas’ fury and bassist Thomas Morgan’s centering poise.” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
“Her tone on tenor is rather Albert Ayler-like, no small feat for her young age. The entire set flowed freely throughout with each member being integral to the group sound. Pianist Micah Thomas is a man to watch with few discs out yet as a leader. Mr. Thomas took a few solos, whipping some torrents of Cecil Taylor-like crashing waves. With each solo, Ms. Amba kept pushing herself further out, riding the waves that she and the rest of the quartet created and soloing with more fire and abandon each time. Zoh Amba is still pretty young and will hopefully be around a long time, growing and evolving.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
“Freeform blowouts were to be expected in the late-night set by saxophonist Zoh Amba, who coaxed her band within minutes into the fire music for which she’s become one of the latest torch carriers, rife with sing-song Ayler-esque melodies and Pharoah Sanders-inspired maelstroms. Later, when they pulled back, she receded into a sort of forceful ballad that worked quite nicely. Her energy was a much-needed late-night enticement; her band often didn’t even try to match her energy, which made for an alluring, even soothing, tension.” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
FRANCE, BELGIUM
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“On Friday, European improvisers Emilie Škrijelz and Tom Malmendier displayed their craft in an unusual exploration of sound textures, ambient noise, and pulsating rhythms, alternating with stretches of silence and calm. […] The duo displayed solid communication through the 50-minute program.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 20, 2023
“Škrijelj and drummer Tom Malmendier maintained a pocket of tension and detail that found them creatively locked together within a constantly surprising mechanism. […] Škrijelj and Malmendier's great strength lies in their easily shared musical grammar, dissolving the tendency of lead and support in favour of truly inspired co-creation.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
QUEBEC
WORLD PREMIERE
“A big surprise came at the 5 pm show when innovators from Trois-Rivières, Camille Brisson and Isabelle Clermont, presented a show that combined satirical theatre with avant-garde creativity. […] Off the wall, for sure, but at Victo, it fit right in.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 20, 2023
« Force est d’observer que ce touffu work in progress prête aussi à différentes interprétations critiques des rapports sociaux. […] Échevelé, créatif, divertissant. » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
“A surprise delight of the festival was the world premiere of a work titled "Collectif Tendancielle" by Camille Brisson and Isabelle Clermont, a duo from the paper mill town of Trois-Rivières. The piece is a radical comment on and performance of traditional female roles that combined spoken word, crinolined skirts, necklaces employed as musical instruments, even an electric harp/flute section in the middle of the piece, which concluded with an astonishingly musical mashing up of a table full of cups and saucers, saucepans and serving trays.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“The comic relief prize this year goes to musicians/performance artists/women in fancy retro apparel Camille Brisson and Isabelle Clermont, hailing from the nearby Quebecois city of Trois Reviere. Serving as a refreshing deviation from the sometimes male-dominated free improvisation scene, the pair gamely deconstructed supposedly feminine tropes with a feminist prankster zeal. The sound sources of their improvised menu included close-miked necklace fondling, abstracted chatter and a cathartic crescendo of banged-upon pots and pans and broken dishes. As instrumentalists, they played tools often associated with women musicians — Clermont on a FX-altered harp and Brisson on flute — but with extended and exploded techniques pushing beyond standard practices. Their hour-long concoction was a memorable hoot, unequal parts witty audacity and their own brand of avant musicality.” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
CANADA, GERMANY
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“The presentation of this homage to Dutton was complicated and easily enhanced by the participation of Paul Dutton himself. […] Appropriate to Dutton's trickster history, the concert highlighted fun over momentousness.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“Even with eight members on stage, the ensemble was focused, streamlined and the pieces unfolded organically. […] Although no one took long solos, each solo (by Lina Allemano, Albert Maurer & Matthias Mainz) was a modest gem. Although sections sounded freely improvised at times, there was some sort of spiritual glue or direction involved. I thought this set was marvelous, an unexpected delight.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
ENGLAND, USA, PORTUGAL
CANADIAN PREMIERE
« Figure emblématique du FIMAV, le guitariste Fred Frith ne s’y était pas pointé en près d’une décennie, et son retour sur scène n’avait rien d’empoussiéré. La maturité, l’âge et l’érosion de toutes les rigidités ont fait de Fred Frith un musicien encore plus accompli qu’il ne l’est depuis les années 70 du groupe mythique Henry Cow. Le dernier cycle de son travail serait-il le meilleur de tous? Il est permis de le croire, car tout ce qu’on a entendu vendredi dernier était magnifique. La symbiose de ces collègues réunis [...] était plus que patente. On parle ici sans conteste d’un des plus grands accomplissements de Fred Frith, de quoi rassurer tous les septuagénaires enclins à la créativité et la sagesse acquise. » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
“From the first frames of video artist Heike Liss's interactive backdrop, this quartet found a flow it never lost for the duration of the performance. […] FIMAV godfather and guitar alchemist Fred Frith continued to find gold in his strings, leading his current trio, now with a decade of accumulated experience, through waves of powerful melody and calm stretches of ambient beauty. […] As Liss layered moving landscapes presented as a kind of naturally occurring abstract art, enhanced by live drawings overtop, it provided both enhancement and focus for what was already a sublime experience.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“For Michel Levasseur, festival artistic director and general manager, the 10 pm show by the Fred Frith Trio had special meaning – Frith performed in the first concert in 1982 by Levasseur’s Production Plateforme. […] With Portuguese trumpeter Susana Santos Silva playing some beautiful improv and Heike Liss improvising visuals with her computer projected on a huge screen behind the stage, the band proceeded with an exciting, dramatic display of mainly improvised creation. American bassist Jason Hoopes and drummer Jordan Glenn, of the Fred Frith Trio, were in perfect sync with Frith. […] The performance garnered the first encore call of this festival and Frith dedicated it to Levasseur saying: «He changed all our lives and everyone else who worked here: What a great team!»” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 23, 2023
“Frith’s trio was joined by trumpet player Susana Santos Silva and visual artist Heike Liss for a set that felt like the flyover of a planet of ambient oceans and trees.” HILL, Eric. « Indie Dependance », May 23, 2023
“Frith was forthright but deliberate in his use of various pedal effects and plucking techniques, while Santos Silva, a gifted improviser from Portugal with a gorgeous, breathy tone and an incisive lyrical sense floated above the work of the trio, completed by bassist Jason Hoopes and drummer Jordan Glenn. The group communication was uncanny. Fred Frith's contribution to improvised music as both a musician and a teacher cannot be overstated, and he remains a vital artist interested in exploring new ideas with young musicians.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“The set that night was mostly continuous and it flowed magically from one section to the next. […] The visual from Ms. Liss were projected on a large screen behind the band, scenes of trees, outdoor scenery, the wind and other natural phenomena were projected and it felt like were were all in car or on a train watching this images pass us by. Ms. Liss added a variety of abstract lines/art which she manipulated, making it larger or smaller, more or less dense as it flowed. I noticed the pace of the music often fit the visuals perfectly, hence taking us on a wonderful journey. This was an outstanding set, perhaps the best or second best of the fest. Thanks to my old pal Fred Frith, he still blows my mind in performance.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
“Fred Frith’s trio was joined by rising trumpet star Susana Santos Silva, who is as wonderful at using acoustic space as he is with amplified space.” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
USA
CANADIAN PREMIERE
“The midnight show was a loud and boisterous Noise Rock outing led by the electric bass virtuoso, Simon Hanes with Anthony Coleman (electric piano, Hammond B-3), Calvin Weston (drums), and Aliya Ultan (cello). It was wild and high-energy for this quartet. […] At one point, bassist Hanes put his guitar on the ground and stomped on the strings with his shoe while Ultan used up to three bows to develop unusual timbres from her cello.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 23, 2023
“Friday night's show by bassist/guitarist Simon Hanes' GNR8RZ was an anarchic affair. Cellist Aliya Ultan came out clad in skin-tight silver lamé bodysuit and with a big grin, dove into the first piece with a ferocious two-bowed attack, only to have Hanes abruptly stop the show because none of his equipment worked. In a moment, he had his bass in working order and re-launched. Was it part of the act? [...] Drummer Calvin Weston kicked off each piece with a funky beat, organist Anthony Coleman supplied washes of organ sound with witty interjections of specific chords that subtly shifted the colors of the overall sound, while Aliya and Hanes rocked the strings with feedback and jagged lines, funk, punk, psychedelia and dada. Several members of the audience danced as if no one was watching, and everyone walked out of the hall with a smile.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“Mr. Weston got some chances to show off his power drumming and double bass drum pedal fury. Overall it was a fun set and had some great moments but some folks do question the seriousness of your endeavor when there is so much comedy going on. I thought it was a good great from the more serious side of the music making here.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
“Late nights continued with electric bassist Simon Hanes’ NYC outfit GNR8RZ, featuring cellist Aliya Ultan in full Silver Surfer garb and Anthony Coleman injecting humor and taste on organ and keyboard in the middle of the mayhem. Calvin Weston laid down heavy blast beats and was joined for much of the set by Billy Martin [...]” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
FRANCE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“Saturday’s early afternoon show was in stark contrast: It began with slight crunching, clicking, creaks, distant wind-like sounds, bird-like whistles, and a drone canvass generated by a computer. This was the project of the French group called Noorg – Loïc Guénin (objects, percussion) and Éric Brochard (electroacoustics). They began a minimalist exploration of sound and silence, gradually developing into a more intense, dense and varied soundscape, before reverting to their initial outlook, and total silence.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 23, 2023
QUEBEC, CANADA, COLOMBIA, ARGENTINA
WORLD PREMIERE
« On se souviendra aussi de la re-consécration tardive du percussionniste octogénaire Guy « Yug » Thouin, pionnier québécois des musiques improvisées associées au jazz contemporain et au free jazz. C’était super de contempler la verdeur de cet homme de 83 ans, aucunement amoindri (ou si peu) par l’âge. » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
« Emballante conversation entre ces dix musiciens, desquels s’est démarquée Elyze Venne-Deshaies (saxophone ténor, clarinette basse), qui agissait aussi à titre de cheffe d’orchestre, dirigeant avec fermeté le trafic sonore qui embouteillait nos tympans. » RENAUD, Philippe. « Le Devoir », 23 mai 2023
“A spirited concert from Montreal-based drummer Guy Thouin – a free jazz pioneer in his home town – and the ninemember Ensemble Infini, which he nurtured, was next on the agenda and among its features four tenor sax players with ensemble direction during much of the concert by saxophonist Elyze Venne-Deshaies. It was a solid big-band outing, with remarkable solos by saxophonist Félix-Antoine Hamel and trombonist Scott Thomson.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 23, 2023
“I could tell that this ensemble had rehearsed at length since there were several lines which all seemed to connected, we had to listen closely to hear the way there was web holding it all together. This was one of the great surprises of this fest, especially I knew so little about most of the musicians involved.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
BHUTAN, USA
CANADIAN PREMIERE
“Alto saxophonist Dave Rempis, who first played here with the Vandermark Five, teamed up with Bhutan-born improvising guitarist Tashi Dorji for the 5 pm show, and as they began feeling each other out they gradually developed a deep exchange of ideas. With his beautiful tone and facility in upper and lower registers, Rempis remained the dominant voice while Dorji seemed to underpin the conversation, loosening and tightening his guitar strings and bending notes until he found his voice. This evolved into passionate combinations with Rempis, and they ended the concert in an abrupt halt.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 23, 2023
“Guitarist Tashi Dorji and saxophonist Dave Rempis played a fantastically in-sync duet. Dorji has a great sense of rhythm. He built and altered percussive loops, with Rempis paying strict attention then breaking free to build a typhoon.” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
QUEBEC, USA, GERMANY, GREECE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
« La veille (samedi) la clarinettiste montréalaise Lori Freedman, une des habituées du FIMAV, présentait une de ses plus brillantes propositions, soit BeingFive, quatre musiciens occidentaux basés à Berlin et regroupés autour de la Canadienne. Concert de haute subtilité, sorte de pâte feuilletée d’effets variés émanant de la clarinette (Freedman), de la trompette (Axel Dörner), de la percussion (Yorgos Dimitriadis), de la contrebasse (Christopher A. Williams) et de l’électronique (Andrea Parkins et tous ses collègues). » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
“In their first North American show, the group displayed a studied and at times nearly psychic approach to free play. […] Developing most pieces with a kind of hit-and-run precision, Andrea Parkins, here on electronics, was a key catalyst in the tempo and density of sound, offering pointillist tones or washes of sound to motivate interaction by drummer Yorgos Dimitriadis and trumpet player Axel Dörner. […] Axel Dörner's presence was key in the second piece that featured a slow, deliberate study of breath in a drone, aided especially by bassist Christopher A. Williams, presented as a meditative and everevolving ebb and flow. […] The careful creativity and stellar results proved the adage that improvisation can often be the best form of composition.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim!», May 22, 2023
“It started as a minimalist exchange with Freedman improvising on clarinet delivering notes as fellow musicians responded with sounds that fit the perceived scheme of things. The music demanded deep concentration and control from each musician and similar involvement from the audience. They developed the concept with more volume and density seeming to play with space and time with Freedman delivering almost human sounds from the bass clarinet she masters. A thoughtful and totally original show.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News», May 23, 2023
“Montreal-based clarinetist Lori Freedman's solo set in 2018 was a highlight of that year's edition of the festival, and the group project she presented on Saturday evening at the Carré 150, "BeingFive," was another success for her. [...] the performance was textured and balanced with subtle shifts in mood and tone throughout the set.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“Instead of what we think to be a set of completely free music, there was more of a directed energy which held this together. This was one of the better sets this week and it showed that Lori Freedman continues to mature and expand her playing/vision with each project that she presents.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
USA
CANADIAN PREMIERE
“Once there and locked in the resulting energy was unequivocal.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“It was a rich and exciting show performed by virtuosic players who delivered a musically fascinating group experience.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News», May 23, 2023
“Saturday night’s special was a groove-machined quartet called Void Patrol, with spidery guitarist Elliott Sharp, circular-breathing saxophonist Colin Stetson, bassist Payton MacDonald and drummer Billy Martin — he of stoner-jazz staple Medeski, Martin and Wood fame. In its way, Void Patrol can suggest a variation on the MMW theme, but with more “outside” venturing.” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
“Unlike the Void Patrol CD, the quartet sounded like they had been working together for many years. Everyone got to solo and stretch out at some point and all four members shined at different times. This was a near perfect set and one of highlights of this fest. This quartet were fabulous and should have a live recording out.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
USA, ITALY, SPAIN
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“Saturday’s midnight show featured the boisterous vocalizing of Eugene Robinson with his current band Buñuel and its heavy, post-punk sound. [...] The music was so loud that some regulars donned earplugs. [...] As the energy level rose, Robinson began removing his clothes until he was left with an open black vest, revealing his tattooed body with a big Star of David around his neck, and his black underwear, shoes and socks. The audience demanded and got an encore!” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 23, 2023
“The festival’s midnight shows tend to be where the loud shows get dropped, and this year was no exception with Italian / American quartet Buñuel. Led by Oxbow’s ass-kicker in chief Eugene Robinson it was a tooth-rattling tech/doom hybrid assault that actually knocked power off grid for about ten minutes. Now that’s metal. Special points to Xabier Iriondo for having a cool name and clearly having completed a graduate degree in metal guitar poses.” HILL, Eric. « Indie Dependance », May 23, 2023
“Bunuel's performance on Saturday evening was a more serious affair, a blast of doom metal and anguished rapped/spoken lyrics by frontman Eugene Robinson, who swaggered and stomped around the stage as his bandmates unleashed an onslaught of heavy doom metal.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“The music at times reminded me of the Stooges, the Ramones and the Butthole Surfers. Lead singer, Eugene Robinson, who is also a boxer, is a strong singer with an obvious sense of humor, not taking himself too seriously. The words he sings are more down to earth, rarely discussing the darker topics that many metal band deal with. The music is powerful hard rock, pounding, rocking hard and intense. For me, this was a good thing, a break from the more challenging or difficult avant/experimental sounds which many of these sets explored.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
JAPAN
WORLD PREMIERE
“The highlight of the show came during a collaborative vocal section, both artists slowly altering and mixing their voices in a kind of post-apocalyptic choir, pipe organ dimly glittering to enhance the effect.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“Elsewhere, the festival tapped adventurous types from Japan (e.g., the semi-ritualistic noise duo of former Naked City vocalist-shaman Eye and Fuji||||||||||ta on his keyboardless 11-pipe organ).” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
“A duo between mad genius EYE and the Japanese handmade organ player FUJI|||||||||||TA (aka Fujita Yosuke) began in white noise call-and-response and became what could be a new issue in the Boredoms Super Roots soundscape series (maybe Super Roots ||?).” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
CANADA, USA, ENGLAND
QUEBEC PREMIERE
« Sa proposition mélodique est étoffée par la riche et très vaste palette stylistique d’Alexander Hawkins aux ivoires et le jeu à la fois virtuose et très personnel de Kate Gentile à la batterie. Moments calmes et aériens, moments de ruptures violentes, moments de grâce, remarquables montées et baisses d’intensité, vocabulaire étoffé tant dans l’articulation du discours que dans son galbe textural, complicité idéale entre les interprètes. Le meilleur de François Houle! » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
« […] une autre exquise performance de ce trio d’improvisateurs […] D’un free-jazz déchaîné à des improvisations s’approchant de la musique contemporaine (en fin de concert), les trois interprètes démontraient une admirable nuance à travers leur jeu sensible et intelligent. » RENAUD, Philippe. « Le Devoir », 23 mai 2023
“The next show, all acoustic, was easily a highlight among the 19 concerts we heard over four days: Canadian clarinetist François Houle, Brooklyn-based drummer Kate Gentile, and British pianist Alexander Hawkins delivered such a sublime and engaging set of songs that they made the listener erase the lines separating free jazz from what is considered contemporary classical. Solos were developed to enhance and deepen each piece and they just kept getting better. Communication among trio members was at the highest level – a dazzling performance!” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 24, 2023
“When free/improv really works, something magical takes place, something that no one can predict yet you/we know something special is going on. [...] All three members are gifted improvisers, good listeners and work together well. At times, Mr. Houle would start playing a line on clarinet and the repeating in in a circular fashion as piano and drums also became part of the circular stream. As I would concentrate on one instrument, another would start to push me in another direction.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
“[...] each often playing in pockets of their own devising with remarkable cohesion.” GOTTSCHALK, Kurt. « The New York City Jazz Record », July 2023
FRANCE
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“Of the four noise/electroacoustic concerts presented during this year's festival, this French duo's performance rose to the top of the heap, leaving a trail of ringing ears in its wake. […] Garcia's punk spirit was in full display as soon as she walked on stage and retrieved her guitar, which was lying unceremoniously flat on the ground. […] For over an hour, they sculpted new shapes in noise, building with gradual ferocity and evident cooperation.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“Festival staff offered earplugs for the next show, a Noise outing with the French duo of electric guitarist Nina Garcia and Arnaud Rivière on electroacoustics. It was truly a visceral experience: apart from what we were hearing, from a wall of sound to a canvass of growls, we could feel the music vibrating through our bodies.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 24, 2023
“[…] which is to say total control over a wide range of their instruments' possibilities. Garcia produces jaggedly ethereal sounds with her guitar, and Rivière maintained a steady, coherent flow of sounds with what appeared to be a turntable equipped with a contact interface, to captivating effect.” CHAMBERLAIN, Mike. « All About Jazz », May 29, 2023
“Another young discovery from the “happens to be a woman” category was guitarist Nina Garcia, who summons up a new visceral sonic reckoning force from a fairly standard electric guitar setup (Telecaster through Fender amp, a few FX, slide, e-Bow), creating a new abstract expressionist intensity and invention.” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
“This duo was pretty intense, even brutal at times. Noisy, throbbing brittle guitar with equally noisy electronics. Ms. Garcia was often coaxing feedback from her guitar with Mr. Riviere also adding layers of dense electronic sounds to the flow.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
USA
CANADIAN PREMIERE
« Côté piano, on peut aisément affirmer que Brian Marsella figure parmi les quelques supra-virtuoses du jazz actuel ayant parfaitement intégré toutes les phases de son histoire contemporaine tout en en conservant les origines stylistiques, soit swing, bebop ou hardbop. » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
“Bassist Jorge Roeder was the solid centre between Marsella and drummer Ches Smith's more spirited ranging.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
« […] mettant en vedette le virtuose Brian Marsella. Un spectacle en soi de le voir s’exécuter sur les ivoires, sa technique olympienne au service d’une partition mariant le swing classique, la musique contemporaine et les déflagrations free-jazz; Ches Smith à la batterie et Jorge Roeder à la contrebasse (celui-là, du New Quartet) le soutenaient à merveille. » RENAUD, Philippe. « Le Devoir », 23 mai 2023
“Zorn’s writing for a piano trio is quirky and unpredictable. […] This is an incredible trio who seem to know no bounds, shifting dynamics, written & improvised line, all swirling tightly together. Both bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Ches Smith are also young masters who deliver the goods no matter what.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
“[…] the electric trio was signature Zorn: John Medeski on the organ, Matt Hollenberg on guitar and Kenny Grobowski on drums running amok in the part of the Zorn universe where '50s/'60s soul jazz and '80s thrash metal somehow coexist.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
“These are the newest genre-splicing lab experiments from Zorn’s fertile mind, and enticing ones, at that.” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
“Simulacrum can be brutal and intense yet are always tight and powerful. […] This was also strong, powerful and unsettling in its intensity/spirit. Although all of the songs played here were composed by John Zorn, both of these trios sound alike in many ways. Both were phenomenal in their own distinctive way.” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
USA
CANADIAN PREMIERE
« Sémitisme mélodique (médirerranéen, moyen-oriental), rythmes jazz, latins ou funk à la Horace Silver, free-jazz parfaitement intégré à des structures thématiques héritées d’Ornette Coleman : voilà les traits fondamentaux de Masada que l’on connaissait déjà, mais cette fois décliné par d’autres personnalités qui lui donnent un nouveau souffle, particulièrement le guitariste Julian Lage qui a servi à son employeur de superbes réparties. Quand on parle d’un concert par-fait, qui se grave pour toujours dans le cortex… wow. » BRUNET, Alain. « PAN M 360 », 22 mai 2023
« Bon jusqu’à la dernière note, pourrait-on dire. En effet, c’est John Zorn qui a clôturé l’événement dimanche soir, devant une salle comble au Carré 150. Une belle façon de rendre hommage à Michel et Joanne. » TOUPIN, Manon. « La Nouvelle Union », 22 mai 2023
“There would be few more fitting closing statements for this year's festival and to Michel Levasseur's tenure as artistic director than this triple shot of Zorn. […] The quality Zorn brings, both to his compositions and to the musicians he gathers, is an undeniable assurance that both audience and music are in expert hands.” HILL, Eric. « Exclaim! », May 22, 2023
« Ils nous ont mis à genoux, les jazzmen. Quelle performance, quel dynamisme, quelle fulgurance! […] À 70 ans, Zorn n’a rien perdu de sa vivacité, le souffle puissant, les doigts vifs sur les clés, le geste précis lorsque vient le moment de diriger ses accompagnateurs, leur faisant faire de brusques virages rythmiques par un simple mouvement de la main droite. » RENAUD, Philippe. « Le Devoir », 23 mai 2023
“The icing on the proverbial cake came with Zorn’s New Masada Quartet, which raised the roofbeams when it comes to communication and shared musical pleasure among the musicians and with the most enthusiastic audience and biggest crowd of this festival. We were simply mesmerized. […] I have never seen Zorn happier than he was playing this music with these musicians Sunday night. Apart from his signature style on the sax, he also showed why he is so successful as a prolific composer and in directing the musicians in real time, as he did with hand motions to give him more of this or more of that, when to come in during improv segments, and when to shift from one mode to another. After each song, he was beaming, even embracing his crew for delivering the goods. The love poured out for all to see and hear. […] It was a great way to close the last festival under Michel Levasseur and see how someone like Zorn and his virtuosic band members can draw and delight relatively large crowds — even when associated with the adventurist world of musique actuelle.” BLOCK, Irwin. « Avant Music News », May 24, 2023
“Finally, Zorn — in customary camo pants/T-shirt and ready-to-go attitude — appeared as saxophonist, leader and in-the-moment choreographer with his New Masada Quartet. Here, the former trumpeter role now replaced by the ever-fascinating and sensitive guitarist Julian Lage. Along with bassist Roader and drummer Kenny Wolleson, a longtime Zorn ally, the quartet beautifully navigated the alternately flowing and intricate fresh goods from Zorn’s Masada mindset, in which Moorish, Jewish and Ornette Coleman-ish ideas are tossed into a stew of Zorn’s unique devising.” WOODARD, Josef. « DownBeat », May 30, 2023
“This was the best set of this year’s FIMAV Fest and I thought a perfect way to bring the fest to a grand close. Thanks to John Zorn, Julian Lage, Jorge Roeder and Kenny Wollesen! It doesn’t get any better than this!” GALLANTER, Bruce. « Downtown Music Gallery », June 11, 2023
« Du côté des installations sonores, il s’avère que ce sont 15 000 personnes qui les ont visitées au cours de la semaine, ce qui représente un record. » TOUPIN, Manon. « La Nouvelle Union », 22 mai 2023
« Au fil des ans, le parc d’installations sonores du Festival international de musique actuelle de Victoriaville (FIMAV) a pris de l’expansion. Pour sa quatorzième année, le commissaire et artiste d’art audio Érick d’Orion a déposé dix créations dans un parcours, au centre-ville, qui part de la bibliothèque municipale Charles-ÉdouardMailhot et se termine au Carré 150, centre culturel. Réparties le long de la piste cyclable sur ce qu’il nomme « une ligne de désir », tracé naturel que les piétons façonnent en ignorant les sentiers balisés, ces constructions acoustiques constituent un puissant attracteur pour le promeneur indisposé par le bruit de la ville. Le sentier sonore parvient à contrer l’impact de la circulation automobile sur la rue de Bigarré. […] Les dix installations sur la ligne de désir en tracent surtout une de plaisir pour le public averti ou non, dans l’ordre ou le désordre. Ce sont des montages ingénieux et envoûtants, mais jamais racoleurs. Sur le parcours, nous pouvons observer ou intervenir pour créer une partition. Nous pouvons agir dans une dynamique interactive ou méditer pour que descendent en nous des expériences auditives inusitées. Portée par le soleil ou par le vent, générée par des ordinateurs et autres technologies ou seulement par le poids de son corps, la matière sonore devient un objet de pure légèreté qui nous traverse en laissant les bribes narratives d’un récit à reconstituer. » MARTIN, Alain-Martin. « ESPACE art actuel », 1er juin 2023
MANON LABRECQUE « toro (version 2023) »
QUEBEC
ERIC QUACH & JIM DEMOS « Les cabines télésymphoniques »
QUEBEC, CANADA / WORLD PREMIERE
LUDOVIC BONEY « Afin d'éviter tous ces noeuds (Victoriaville, 2023) »
QUEBEC / WORLD PREMIERE
SIMONE D'AMBROSIO / NÉLANNE RACINE « Éons »
ITALY, QUEBEC
STEPHANIE CASTONGUAY « Résonances induites (Victoriaville, 2023) »
QUEBEC / WORLD PREMIERE
ALEXIS BELLAVANCE « Stéréostrobe »
QUEBEC / WORLD PREMIERE
MANON LABRECQUE « des oscillations »
QUEBEC / WORLD PREMIERE
ARIANE PLANTE « La cosmogonie des sons : variations nocturnes »
QUEBEC / WORLD PREMIERE
LÉA BOUDREAU « we are individuals, we are not special »
QUEBEC / WORLD PREMIERE
BÉCHARD HUDON « Invariables variations »
QUEBEC / WORLD PREMIERE
CHILI
« Depuis 6 ans, la programmation cinématographique du FIMAV, cet espace dédié au cinéma expérimental dans le cadre d’un festival de musique actuelle, se présente comme l’occasion de questionner les frontières floues entre musicalité et dissonance, entre continuité et rupture. Sous le commissariat de Karl Lemieux, les projections de courts métrages esquissaient cette année une réflexion sur la présence de l’harmonie qui résiste à même le disjoint, le diffus, portée par l’instinct que l’image, comme le son, restent des éléments longuement pliables avant d’atteindre un moment d’éclatement, toujours susceptibles de porter la musicalité que leur rendrait la curiosité d’une oreille attentive ou d’un regard disponible. […] De ces panoramas en contexte festivalier ressort surtout l’émerveillement de ces moments de projections qui pouvaient accueillir passant·e·s errant·e·s ou mélomanes intrigué·e·s, la diffusion de films expérimentaux hors des espaces d’initié·e·s génèrant toujours un enthousiasmant lieu de rencontre où un regard surpris peut s’attarder à l’image en tant que performance esthétique ou travail matériel. Devant ces objets fuyants, nos regards conservaient encore quelque chose de l’écoute musicale, génératrice de rêveries, déliée d’une interprétation rationnelle ou de l’injonction répétée à faire sens. Car c’est seulement devant la tentative de moduler nos visions au rythme de l’objet observé que tout bruit pouvait finalement prendre la forme d’une harmonie dissimulée. » FILTEAU, Thomas. « Panorama Cinéma », 1er juin 2023
PIERRE-LUC VAILLANCOURT « Raw Power »
GUILLAUME VALLÉE & CHARLOTTE CLERMONT « 3 inch telescope »
MAXIME CORBEIL-PERRON « Origami »
DOMINIC GAGNON « Analog »
FRÉDÉRICK MAHEUX « L'adversaire » (Lys Inversé - Trois films contre le Québec - partie 3)
ANTOINE LAROCQUE & ANTOINE PROVENCHER « Thuya »
MARTIN BUREAU « La promesse du ciel »
ALEXANDRE LAROSE « I. »
ERIN WEISGERBER « Dans les cieux et sur la terre »
DAÏCHI SAÏTO « earthearthearth »
AUGUST 2023
FIMAV - The Beginning of a New Era (pdf)
MAY 2023
FIMAV @ 39 - A Resounding Success (pdf)
APRIL 2023
FIMAV @ 39 - FIMAV in the previous century (pdf)
FIMAV @ 39 - A circuit of sound art installations in public spaces and a visual arts exhibit (pdf)
MARCH 2023
FIMAV @ 39 - The departure of the "Mighty Oak Tree" and the "Quiet Force" (pdf)
JANUARY 2023
