Normand Guilbeault

Active because the mid-’80s, Montreal jazz bassist Norman Guilbeault splits his time taken between post-bop jazz classes along with his ensemble and even more cutting-edge avant-garde jazz as sideman for different artists linked to the collective Ambiances Magnétiques. His most ambitious task to date may be the historic jazz opera Riel: Plaidoyer Musical/A Musical Plea, for 15 music artists. He’s co-founder from the OFF Event de Jazz de Montréal, an alternative solution counter-event from the Montreal Jazz Event. Guilbeault 1st got noticed within the Montreal jazz picture in the sets of pianist Jean Beaudet and drummer Bernard Primeau in 1985. Right away, his simple play, elegant improvising, and clean audio were valued. He soon documented his first studio room program: Primeau’s Perspectives, released in 1987. Shows and recordings alongside Yannick Rieu, Nelson Symonds, and François Marcaurelle adopted prior to the end from the 10 years. In the meantime, the bassist shaped his Norman Guilbeault Outfit in 1988. First a quartet composed of trumpeter Ivanhoe Jolicoeur, clarinetist Mathieu Bélanger, and drummer Paul Léger, it extended to a quintet using the appearance of trombonist Michel Ouellet in 1991. Guilbeault’s purpose was to truly have a bass-led group in the vein of Charles Mingus’ and Oscar Pettiford’s, having a repertoire of compositions by bassists. But using the years, the group created its repertoire, gradually shifting out of jazz specifications and into something more sophisticated. A first recording, Dualismus, arrived on Crimson Toucan in 1994, the same yr the Ensemble earned the DuMaurier Jazz Honor on the Montreal Jazz Celebration. Two even more CDs with Jean Derome as visitor implemented in 1995 and 1996 on Justin Period. The Jazz Survey Newspaper from Toronto announced the Ensemble Greatest Jazz Acoustic Band of 1997. Derome opened up a door towards the avant-garde picture as well as the bassist’s passions began to change. His playing grew freest while keeping a solid jazz flavor. With the middle-’90s, Guilbeault acquired completely restored his roster of collaborators and be a trusty sideman for some essential Ambiances Magnétiques performers. He added to Derome’s large-scale tasks, Michel F. Côté’s soundtracks and his group Bruire, Robert M. Lepage’s free of charge jazz trio, and René Lussier’s ensemble. Backed with the label, he made his Riel on the Celebration International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville in 1998 and toured it in Canada for two years. A documenting arrived in 1999. In 2000, Guilbeault became a member of pushes with Marcaurelle, Jean Vanasse, and Pierre St-Jak to arrange the to begin with Montreal Jazz Celebration. Born out of the profound dissatisfaction with the state event’s concentrate on big worldwide superstars, the OFF designed local jazz music artists, premiered encounters, and provided left-field music the true celebration disregarded. The OFF was back again the next calendar year with support from the choice press.