Layon – Nicolas Pellerin et Les Grands Hurleurs

With Layon, their sixth album, Nicolas Pellerin et Les Grands Hurleurs invite listeners on a journey into Québec’s rich cultural past. It was while working on the repertoire for the album that they began to notice a common theme to all the songs: stories about people travelling and the things that happened on the way. And so they chose the name ‘Layon’ – a seldom-used word for a small forest or mountain trail. It’s an invitation to listeners to join Les Grands Hurleurs on a path of discovery, without fully knowing where it will take you but expect there to be moments of serene tenderness intermingled with joyful celebration…

The lively opening track ‘Maréchal’ kicks off with Les Grands Hurleurs’ trademark foot-tapping and call-and-response vocals, synonymous with the communal spirit of Québécois singing, where often a simple melody means that everyone can join in, even if they don’t know the tune. ‘Grande Veillée’ was composed by Pellerin himself and ‘Ti-Bébé’ was written by Denis Violetti from the group Blues Gitan. It’s a song Pellerin has loved since first hearing it almost 20 years ago. A simple yet moving ballad that addresses the theme of parental love, of the anxiety felt by being separated from your child – emotions that are universal, yet rarely explored in music. Another classic ‘Vin m’endort’ comes from a legend within the Québécois trad scene, Jean-Paul Guimond, who has an amazing repertoire of songs and who has been a longstanding inspiration to Pellerin.

The rest of the songs on the album come from a huge catalogue that Pellerin has collected over the years – around 900 songs in total – some given to him on cassettes or books that he’s stored away for the right time. As Pellerin says, Les Grands Hurleurs are very much inspired by tradition, but they are not constrained by it and he describes their music as ‘trad moderne’. What is most important to Pellerin is that when he sings these songs to an audience, they feel connected to the stories he’s telling. Of course, it’s during the live performance when these songs really come to life and Les Grands Hurleurs are masters at creating a party-like atmosphere. Known for embracing myriad musical styles and for their energetic live shows, Les Grands Hurleurs are dynamic exponents of Québec’s vibrant trad music scene. Having performed across Canada and internationally, including showcases at WOMEX, Folk Alliance International and APAP, Nicolas Pellerin et Les Grands Hurleurs are coming to Marseille and Babel Music XP for the first time, hoping to win over more fans with their innovative and spirited music-making.