Le Vent du Nord

There is a great plenty of difficult news out there in our world.  This is an opportunity to take a refreshing and very enjoyable break.

Last Sunday evening we spent a great couple of hours with the Quebec music group Le Vent du Nord.  There was a full house at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis.  The group is celebrating 20 years this year.  My photo isn’t the best, but here they are last Sunday:

Le Vent du Nord, Minneapolis, October 22, 2023. Photo: Dick Bernard

Le Vent du Nord is an incredible group, and better information and some music as well is best accessed at their website and on YouTube.  (My favorite cut from their latest album is Ma Louise.  In YouTube scroll down to find the 7 minute official version sung by the group.)

Take the time to learn a bit about the groups history and accomplishment at the website.  They recently won prestigious recognition in England (Songlines).  Songlines has a very interesting writeup about the group.

Last Sunday was the third time I’ve heard the group in person.  The previous times were 2011 (in Fargo) and 2012 (Minneapolis), both times, brought here by Virgil Benoit.   I had the unexpected task of introducing the group at the Minneapolis performance as Virgil was hospitalized after a car accident. It was the first and only time I’ve had that kind of duty.  Most recently, the band is the background music for a new film on the French and French-Canadians in Minnesota, En Avant L’Etoile du Nord .  Christine Loys film is in English, (trailer is embedded link).  Christine first met the band at the 2012 performance.

The language of the music is all in French, but the band is fluent in English, and the rhythms literally sing.  In a sense, the lyrics translate themselves.  You don’t need to know the language to get the translation.

My Dad was 100% French-Canadian, and his growing up language was only French, but I only learned English.  Makes no difference in getting the drift of the tunes.  The group members are great ambassadors.

Give yourself a gift.  Take a listen.  And if they happen to be in your area, attend the concert.  You’ll be glad you did.

COMMENTS:

from Brian in NYC:  Thanks for sharing. Here’s a live version :). [NOTE; there’s portions of more than just one song….]

from Jane in Berkeley: Kind of a cross between bluegrass and Cajun.  Nice break from all the sorrow in the world right now.  And I’m STILL trying to get to North Dakota.  Didn’t realize that your dad was French Canadian.

from Kathy in Oregon: I plan to make it either to Eugene or Lincoln City depending upon the weather 🙂 Thanks for the tip!

from SAK, in London:

Dear Mr Bernard, I was just thinking of you today what with all what’s happening all round!

And here you are with Le Vent du Nord, a group I have enjoyed for decades now. I have to say in little doses since they are very rhythmical & that might get a bit taxing.

Some of the songs are political & this one has certain hints:  Lanlaire

It is obviously Quebecois & not metropolitan French. It is often the case that Quebecois retained & uses words which went out of “fashion” in France just like south Americans still use ancient Spanish words. Very cute how languages evolve.

Well this song fascinates because of the word Lanlaire & how it is used as the name of someone & as sending someone packing (or to the devil or worse 😊).

Here is a translation which doesn’t do it justice

Did you know Lanlaire, whose passing we mourn

We hardly see the like, we don’t see the like of him

Barely was he born when instead of moaning and screaming

He went around, singing in all the neighborhoods

“Go get Lanlaired”, so much was he spoken of

Lanlaire Lonla, go get Lanlaired, go get Lonla!

They put him in a college to learn Latin

He committed sacrilege, he smoked Libertines

And when the severe master condemned him to dry bread

His ordinary food, he answered him in Greek

Go get lost (lanlaired), Lanlaire, that’s all he knew

They tell him go or stay, being a soldier is too frugal

Doctor? you are too modest, trader? you are too loyal

So you want to be a notary, but the cost is high

Since you don’t know how to do anything, be a lawyer or a stock marketer  🙂

Go, get lost, the devil has been there

He only placed wisdom in permitted pleasures

Often changing mistresses, but never changing friends

They wanted him to take a kind wife with a big dowry

Me, he said, I would sell myself and tomorrow the first fool

will send me lanlairing, now what would you say to that!?

He did nothing in his life, so as not to do evil

He was poor without envy, he lived on his native soil

He remained single and even had no children.

If you think you will find many of his descendants on earth

Go get lanlaired, we don’t make the like anymore.