FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE

Guitarist and singer Alpha Yaya Diallo, from Guinea in West Africa, is one of the hottest acts on the world music scene. Now based in Canada, he’s earned a matchless reputation for the excellence of his musicianship and the excitement of his live shows – whether performing solo or with his band Bafing. Diallo is a multi-talented artist. His dexterous acoustic and electric guitar-playing, with its fluid melodic lines and compelling grooves, places him in the front ranks of African axemen. In addition, he’s a skilled and experienced performer on a variety of percussion instruments, and on the balafon (traditional marimba).
To cap it off, Diallo writes all his own compositions and sings with a supple, high, and beautifully modulated voice.

Photo credit: Alister Eagle

Deo Munyakazi is a Rwandan Inanga virtuoso, singer, and composer redefining traditional African music for global audiences. Blending Rwandan roots with Afro-acoustic and contemporary influences, he has developed a distinctive style known as the “Inanga Sound.” Mentored by the legendary Mushabizi Jean-Marie Vianney, Deo rose to prominence as Rwanda’s youngest celebrated Inanga player and continues to carry forward the legacy of this ancient instrument with a modern voice. Now based in Montréal, Deo is a Grammy Award nominee and internationally recognized artist who has performed across Africa, Europe, and North America. His debut album Isoko Dusangiye (2020) reflects a powerful fusion of tradition and innovation, exploring themes of peace, love, and cultural identity. Through his music and immersive live performances, he bridges heritage and contemporary expression, bringing the soul of Rwanda to audiences worldwide. 

Originally from Iran, Reza Abaee is introduced to music at an early age by his father who teaches him tombak (Iranian percussion) and kamancheh (spike vielle). With this latter instrument, he deepens the study of music Iranian tradition and the radif art. However, the musician choses the fiddle gheychak for his following years of apprenticeship at the University of Azad (Tehran) where he graduates in Iranian music in 1997. Later on, Reza pursues a career at Tehran Conservatory as a teacher of kamancheh, gheychak and Western music history (1997-2013). At the same time, the musician multiplies collaborations, including with the media corporation IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting). He is also implicated in the recording of more than a dozen albums, and founded several ensembles: Shiva, Rumi and Avijeh. All these projects bring Reza to perform in Iran, Europe and Canada from 2014. Nowadays, he pursues his career in Montreal.

Born of the fortuitous encounter of a violin, a viola and a contrabass, the Absinthe Ensemble was formed in 2003. It features Edgar Bridwell on the violin, Martina Smazal on the viola, and Anne Duranceau on the contrabass. All three musicians have had extensive experience in chamber music throughout the years. The first time they played together, the three musicians were mesmerized by the warmth and depth of this instrument combination. They decided to explore the possibilities it offered and have been playing together since then.

Unlike the traditional string trio, the Absinthe Ensemble uses a contrabass instead of the cello to play the lowest voice. The bright and liquid tone of Edgar’s violin and the rich and generous sound of Martina’s viola offer an unexpected contrast to the tone of the contrabass, while maintaining a harmonious balance in the sound texture. As very few pieces have been written for this unusual instrumentation, the Absinthe Ensemble plays mostly arrangements. Its repertoire is vast and varied, and new arrangements, often written by the musicians of the trio themselves, are constantly added to the existing repertoire.