The first to question the existence of the “best guitarist” in Quebec was Steve Hill, explaining that grace sometimes touches a musician’s neck simply for the time of a show. “You can be the best one night, and the next day it will be another,” he says. The most significant transformation he witnessed took place in 1999, in a biker club in France. He was then the first part of the Stephen Barry Band, where Andrew Cowan officiates on guitar. “There, something magical happened. Stephen told me he hadn’t heard Andrew play like that in 30 years, and he hasn’t played like that again since,” he said. His guitar sounded divine, releasing new phrasing, backed by amazing bends (action of pulling the strings) and detunings. “That night, he was the best guitarist on the planet, I learned a lot of stuff that I still use,” says the bluesman. He was connected, it’s hard to explain. Personally, when I have good evenings like that, I become an instrument myself. But that never happens in big shows! »
Originally from Trois-Rivières, Steve Hill has established himself as a staple of the blues-rock scene, having developed a system where he provides guitar, bass and drums himself.
Same refrain with Simon Godin: the best guitarist in Quebec does not exist. He says he respects all his peers, mentioning a few names (Zale Seck, Guillaume Doiron), but admits to having a soft spot for Joe Grass’ approach. “For me, being a good guitarist isn’t necessarily about having the best hand. There is the “touch”. That you don’t win in a box of Cracker Jack. You either have it or you don’t. And Joe Grass, he has it, ”explains the one who multiplies television appearances (La belle tour, Belle and Bum). Admiring his latest album, he says he likes how the musician places his lines a little behind time, his “anti-game” side and his language. “He puts poetry in his music, you understand exactly what emotion he wants to convey,” he says. Suddenly, a flash crosses his mind. ” OK. Pierre Cote. You can’t play the guitar like that,” says Simon Godin, recalling his first listen to Portraits by Jim Corcoran.
“I fell out of my chair. It didn’t make any sense. And he’s capable of doing everything, amazingly. Give him a classical guitar, you’ll think he’s a flamenco guitarist. Same for jazz or country. A guitar with a floyd? He’ll play you Van Halen. “I find Joe Grass’s artistic proposition more trippy,” he sums up. But when it comes to execution, Pierre Côté, that doesn’t make any sense. When he’s there, everyone is silent, we all look like guitar owners and we say to ourselves: “We’ll be quiet tonight”! »
Simon Godin has appeared as a guitarist on numerous television shows (La belle tour, Belle and Bum) and has accompanied Richard Séguin since 2006.
While touring Europe with Voivod, guitarist Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain took the time to respond to our email solicitation, sounding out the metal scene. At first hesitant to set his sights on a counterpart, he finally paid a vibrant tribute to his predecessor Denis “Piggy” D’Amour, who passed away in 2005. Vinsky or Shostakovich,” Dan Mongrain wrote to us. He also underlines the influence on Piggy of progressive bands such as ELP for his keyboard parts or King Crimson and his dissonances, before he himself became an influence for other musicians in the metal scene, and even beyond. “He will always be a model, a guide and an inspiration for me”, concludes the one who has just celebrated his 15th year of membership in Voivod.
After touring with Gorguts, Alcoholica, Capharnaum and Cryptopsy, Dan Mongrain joined Voivod in 2008 replacing Denis D’Amour.
The one who has been scouring the stages, television sets and classrooms for a long time as a teacher recognizes that there are a host of excellent Quebec guitarists. Spontaneously, two favorites come to mind: Pierre Côté and Michel Cusson, the latter having impressed her during her last visit to the Jazz Festival. About the former, she discovered it during a contest in Toronto, when she was playing with the Big Band Saint-Laurent, while Pierre showed up with the Big Band McGill. “He got up and played a jazz solo that went right through the room, it was scary!” After that, I saw him play in a lot of different contexts, like slow blues, where he went on solos to make my hair stand on end,” recalls Paule Magnan, praising his disconcerting ease in a wide range of styles. The guitarist has also taken a few lessons with him recently, appreciating “his musicality, his technique, his improvisation, his sound … but above all, his ability to lift a song”, lists the one that brings him closer to Scott Henderson. “And he’s very nice!” “, she concludes.
Television sets (Belle et Bum, Funnoir), major national stages, studios… Paule Magnan has played as many notes in her life as she has multiplied appearances, productions and collaborations in the musical and guitar world of Quebec.
Let’s invest in the jazz field, in which François Rioux officiates as an artist (The Lost Fingers) and teacher (he teaches at Laval University). He certainly strums his guitar, but especially scratched his head when he was asked to designate a musician who impresses him in this sphere. Between two sighs, the names twirled: Sylvain Provost, Stéphane Tellier, Jean-Sébastien Williams… He hesitates to pay homage to the precursors (Richard Green) or to the next generation (Sam Kirmayer). Eventually, it will be François Jalbert – even if he has distanced himself a little from jazz, where he learned his scales. “He is a very creative young man in his composition and his improvisation, with a great mastery of the instrument. He does not embark on predefined plans, is uncompromising in his way of playing, with a super instinct, leaving a lot of room in his improvisations, ”points out François Rioux. The teacher also appreciates Jalbert’s ability to use all the depth of his jazz training. “He’s not just a good guitarist technically, because musically he can take unexpected avenues, let himself be carried away by the flow. There are ways to do it, not just try and fail! »
A member of The Lost Fingers trio, while pursuing a solo career and various collaborations, François Rioux is also a jazz guitar teacher at Laval University.
We reached out to Caroline Planté, whose flamenco runs through her veins, to name a crush on world music. Not confined to the Hispanic guitar, she mentioned the name of Stéphane Tellier, whom she has admired for a long time. Excellent in gypsy jazz, he is also a jack-of-all-trades, multiplies collaborations, flirts with the classic – the first album of his group Axiome illustrating it perfectly. “I find him different, he has a way of composing and approaching the instrument that touches me and joins me, judge Caroline Planté. I love its versatility and sensitivity. He can be extremely technical, but also leave a lot of silences, and that, to me, is important, because he doesn’t just play notes for notes: he speaks with his instrument. Per the tape, the flamenco player had great words for Joe Grass. “He can be a bit more cinematic in his compositions, he tells stories. We always recognize him when he plays: he has his sound, it’s not easy to get there and I find it important, “says the one who also has great esteem for a certain… Pierre Côté.
A flamenco guitarist for 40 years, Caroline Planté was introduced to the instrument by her father, continued her training in Seville, then toured Spain for 10 years. Since her return to Quebec, she has led various projects, including Kora Flamenca with Zal Sissokho.
Which Quebec professional guitarist impresses you the most?
