After 15 years of touring and musical adventures with Karkwa, Louis-Jean Cormier was promised a well deserved rest: stop, not to create, not to write, enjoy empty. To ensure this end, it is first fun playing the guitar, then played to write new songs.
So after a few days, a new project has naturally imposed to him.I must say that Louis-Jean has never really stopped even strum the guitar since his teens, he crossed on a skateboard, and especially the sound of his music.
At that time, he already scoured the bar circuit of his native Sept-Îles, Quebec and interpreting classical compositions.It is at Cégep Saint-Laurent in 1998, Louis-Jean arises and is consistent with future employees, Karkwa then arises from this growing friendship.
The quintet quickly took the path of competition and reveals its full potential during the finals CEGEP show in 1999, which allows them to be heard on some French scenes. The group offers a first break, but the road from Louis-Jean does not always stop and it joins some time training Kalembourg.
It was in 2001 that finally remade Karkwa surface during Francouvertes. They then demonstrate their amazing reach maturity and once more the grand finale Francouvertes. Over the years, musicians earn rewards and popularity with albums that are imposed on each of their publication: The boarding school established (2003), tremors immobilize (2005), The volume of the Wind (2008) and Paths of glass (2010), for which they won the prestigious Polaris Prize.
Whether in London, Iceland, or Texas during the first part of Arcade Fire at the Place des Festivals in Montreal, Karkwa has always upset and raise his public.Signing singular group is probably echo the curious nature of the singer.
"Mélomaniaque" at times and always eager to push back its own limits, Louis-Jean has planted his musical challenges of highly creative. By joining Patrick Watson among others for the series of shows Karwatson in 2008, Jean-Louis and his band prove that it is possible to cross the sound barrier and language.
Over the years, his reputation as a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist of the above exception, which earned him the honor of accompanying famous artists as Chloé Sainte-Marie and Vincent Vallières. And at the invitation of the composer Gilles Bélanger, he agrees to take the realization of the first volume of the 12 men rapaillés Gaston Miron, musical and literary project of unprecedented scale.
This collective project born great historic concert at the Francofolies (Felix Show of the Year - Interpreter at ADISQ 2010), a second disc (Felix Album of the Year - Contemporary Folk Gala of ADISQ 2011) as well as a tour of Quebec.
As with everything he does, his approach remains the same: to understand what surrounds it with sincerity and simplicity. So it is with that special touch that sign Albums Beluga and David Marin. It also co-produced the debut album from Marie-Pierre Arthur with François Lafontaine, his sidekick the first few hours, but his collaboration with Lisa Leblanc crystallize its status as a director.
Today is his own identity he tries to redefine. Supported by the author Daniel Beaumont, Louis-Jean sculpts poetry that will draw its power from its simplicity. And is surrounded by his new buddies, Adele Trottier-Rivard (vocals and percussion), Guillaume Chartres (bass), Simon Pedneault (guitar) and Marc-André Larocque (drums), he learns to unlearn and undertakes listening to his instinct to release the folks sounds and down-to-earth hide his reason.
This new project, especially forget the term "solo" and speak instead of a more personal adventure parallel plot a new voice.
