From My Shelves – Le Vent du Nord

From My Shelves is a series of occasional posts that look at items from my personal collection to which I have a special attachment.

Le Vent du Nord – Maudite Moisson !

One of the many great things about living in the Richmond, VA area is the annual Richmond Folk Festival each October.  A celebration of what is now called “world music”, the festival is three days of wonderful music from many styles and all around the planet.  Every year I’ve gone has included personal musical discoveries.

At our very first Folk Festival, we fell in love with the musique traditionelle du Quebec of Le Vent du Nord.  Described as “…a leading force in progressive francophone folk music”.  The music of Quebec is strongly influenced by Celtic music with a decided French twist.  It was also an opportunity to resolve a musical question for me.  What the heck is a hurdy-gurdy?  The strange looking instrument  in the center below is the instrument in question.

Le Vent du Nord
I had always wondered what Donovan was singing about in his hit song “Hurdy Gurdy Man”.  It’s a weird beast.  A stringed instrument that uses a crank to rub a wheel against the strings to create the notes, and keys to change to tones.  Musically, it resembles the sound of a bagpipe.  Mystery solved!
As for the music, it’s just what you’d expect.  Bright, danceable and irresistible to top-tapping and hand-clapping.  If my French were better I’d be singing along as well.  With some similar roots, the music has a “distant relation” feel to Zydeco and Cajun music.  And, of course, to Irish music.
This is their first album, coming the year after they were formed.  Since then they have released eight more albums, including  Notre album solo – La Compagnie du Nord in 2018.  They continue to tour, and we are hoping to see them swing back near Richmond sometime soon.

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