Gypsy Jazz and French songs

Gypsy Jazz and French songs
www.christinetassanetlesimposteures.com
Booking Agent: Danielle Lefebvre Artist & Concert Agency
819-377-2608
mailto:[email protected]
It has been ten years since Christine Tassan et les Imposteures started tending their craft in the gypsy jazz milieu and
performing standards, and there is no doubt that they are definitely here to stay. Pioneers in a domain usually reserved for men
and precursors of the gypsy wave that swept across Québec, this all-woman quartet continues to reinvent this timeless music
while integrating new ideas and influences with an originality and flair we have become familiar with. From standards to original
compositions, the Imposteures’ musical arrangements innovate, rejuvenate and leave room for unbridled creativity from four
talented and accomplished young women.
Photo: Michel Pinault
Since their inception in 2003 the group has solidified their reputation. With more than 400 concerts in various venues and
festivals, including numerous appearances in major events and tours across Canada and France, they have cultivated the
adoration and loyalty of an ever growing fan base. We have had the chance to see them at the Montreal International Jazz
Festival, at the Lévy Festival de Jazz, at the Festival des guitares in Rouyn-Noranda, at the April in Paris Vancouver festival,
and more recently in St-Pierre et Miquelon. On two occasions, their show has been taped and broadcasted by CBC Radio as
part of the Concerts on demand, in Montreal and Saskatoon. Over the years, the band has shared the stage with illustrious
gypsy swing musicians, including John Jorgenson, Tchavolo Schmit, Angelo Debarre, Rodolphe Raffalli and David Reindhart.
Their first two albums, De bon matin (2007) and Pas manouche, c’est louche (2010), achieved rapid critical acclaim. Only a few
weeks after it was released, De bon matin went to the top of Radio-Canada’s Coup de Coeur hit list and reached number one
on the Radio Couleur Jazz top 4. In turn, Pas manouche, c’est louche was nominated for Best Jazz Album Creation at the
ADISQ awards, alongside other great artists such as Jordan Officer, Julie Lamontagne and Christine Jensen.
On stage, we bear witness to four musicians who have mastered their talents. They improvise with ease, interpret their
repertoire with dynamism, and blend their voices together in refined harmonies. But it’s their communicative energy and the
personal bond between them that hits home the most. Christine Tassan et les Imposteures, are first and foremost four friends
who have harnessed their energies and their voices to give rise to, year after year, the fruit of their creativity.
Their third album, released in October 2012, follows in the same lively spirit. Like its two predecessors, it weaves together a
clever mix of original compositions and standards, songs and instrumental pieces. The album brims with a ripe confidence that
clearly reveals the evolution of the group. It was recorded, mixed and mastered by Claude Champagne and its production
funded by Musicaction. C’est l’heure de l’apéro marks the beginning of a new chapter for Christine Tassan et les
Imposteures, who are once again touring Québec, Canada and the world to showcase their new sparkling and savory show.
Christine Tassan – lead guitar, lead vocals, songwriting, arrangements
At the helm of les Imposteures since their formation, and with a successful career as a
guitarist spanning over 20 years, Christine Tassan is now a prominent figure in the gypsy
jazz scene. A loyal ambassador of the genre, she is also one of its rare female leading
soloists. An excellent composer, a fine melodist, a first class improvisator, and a sensitive
singer, Christine plies her craft with finesse, brilliance, self-confidence and an infectious
dynamism.
Lise-Anne Ross – rhythm guitar, vocals, arrangements
Charismatic and outgoing, Lise-Anne Ross, with her undeniable talent, has from the very
beginning assured the rhythmic foundation of the group. Ten years with Christine
Tassan et les Imposteures as well as many other collaborations, have made her solid
as a rock! On stage she blends quiet strength and spicy humour, fully expressing her
personality as a musician to the delight of the crowd.
Martine Gaumond – violin, vocals, arrangements
A remarkable violinist, Martine Gaumond makes her instrument vibrate with a high voltage
that affects the crowd with equal intensity. An excellent improvisator, she handles her bow
with disarming ease and opens the door to the most beautiful poetic bursts. She also
makes use of incredible vocal talents, weaving subtle harmonies that elevate the
ensemble.
Blanche Baillargeon – double bass, vocals, songwriting, arrangements
Shaped by a successful musical path which has seen her play an impressive variety of
styles, Blanche Baillargeon is an accomplished musician, composer and arranger. She
lays the rhythmic foundation of the group, as well as producing some heartfelt solos. Fine
and delicate, she handles the upright bass with surprising force and softness, and she
also brilliantly expresses her talent as an arranger within the group.
«C’est l’heure de l’apéro» and it’s time for their show!
Duration: 90 minutes in two 45-min parts – flexible and adaptable.
It’s happy hour and “that’s always our favorite time!” says the title
track of Christine Tassan et les Imposteures’ latest creation. This
accomplished all-female quartet invites you to drink a toast at one of
their fresh and scintillating shows. A real ode to the pleasures of life,
the musicians focus on clever lightness: from instrumentals to
songs, from standards to original compositions, they deliver a
repertoire that delights the heart and spirit.
With les Imposteures’ latest show we can feel that Django
Reinhardt’s influence is never far off and the gypsy jazz standards
are played and interpreted with great passion. The repertoire of the
new show is rich with brilliantly arranged compositions, songs and
instrumentals, conferring on the group a unique and original sound
which amazes the crowd. The standards they play are carefully
selected with most of them having their roots in Quebec. The band
revisits hit songs created by Raymond Lévesque (La vie de
bohème, Quand les hommes vivront d’amour) and Jean-Pierre
Ferland (Je te cherche, boldly adapted in Tu me cherches), or
pays tribute to Gilbert Bécaud with a beautifully harmonized La
Maison sous les arbres. The musicians’ diverse study of styles
lends itself to a large repertoire, so that here we find a tango (the
touching Vuelvo al sur), there a Cuban-like bossa (Un rom à
Cuba), and over there an impressionist ballad (Lenteur tzigane), all adding colour and flare to the concert.
Like the image of their new album, the show takes us on an
invigorating musical voyage, where the performance is more powerful
than ever: the interaction among the musicians intensifies, the musical
exchanges soar, and the mood oscillates, at times intimate like in an
obscure jazz bar, glass in hand, at other times energetic and lively like
drinking champagne on a terrace in summer. All this captivates the
crowd throughout the most enjoyable happy hour in the most
charming company.
It’s Happy Hour! Cheers!
They have notably performed in many
different venues:
2013
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
Festival les violons d’automne de St-Jean-Port-Joli
Festival Guitars Alive de Sudbury
Festival des arts et de la scène val-gatinois
Irlande  Boisbriand
Cégep André-Laurendeau
Ecole de Lajemmerais
2012
Espace culturel de Magog  La Basoche – Gatineau
Verdun  Montréal-Nord  Ste-Thérèse  Sabrevois  St-Eustache
Festival de jazz de Sutton
Festivoix de Trois-Rivières
TD Sunfest '12 – London, On
Maison de la culture Frontenac  La Mitaine, Joliette
Rogue Folk Festival - Vancouver
Le P'tit bonheur - Saint-Camille  L’Ardoise - St-Casimir
2011
La Station, Joliette
Rogue Folk Festival - Vancouver
Le P'tit bonheur - Saint-Camille  L’Ardoise - St-Casimir
Centre culturel Stewart Hall - Pointe-Claire
Déferlantes Atlantiques - St-Pierre-et-Miquelon
Ville LaSalle  Repentigny  Vaudreuil-Dorion
TD Sunfest '11 – London, On
Festival du bateau classique - Montréal
Festival de la musique à Tremblant
Festival de Jazz de Sudbury
Grand théâtre de Québec
L’Grenier - Maskinongé  Salle Amal’Gamme - Prévost
Maison de la Culture Villeray St-Michel.
Théâtre Belcourt - Baie-du-Febvre
2010
Gala des Prix Opus
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
Festival de Jazz de Lévis
Théâtre Broadway – Saskatoon – Radio-Canada/CBC
Northern Light Boreal Festival – Sudbury
Midi SunLife – Montréal
Marieville  St-Léonard  Terrebonne  Ville St-Laurent
Longueuil  Anjou  Pointe-aux-trembles
Blue Skies Festival – Clarendon, On
Fête de la St-Jean – Toronto
2009
Festival Montréal en Lumières
Maison de la culture Villeray
Festival des guitares du Monde d’Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Maison du jazz  Jazz club Dièse Onze
St-Adolphe-d’Howard  Greenfield Park  Gatineau
St-Alphonse-Rodriguez  St-Basile-le-Grand  Rimouski  Richelieu
Sherbrooke  Festival des guitares de Lac-au-Saumon
Festival du bout du monde – Gaspé
2008
Francofête en Acadie
Le Domaine Forget St-Irenée  La Chanteaufête de Charlevoix
Amqui  Iles-de-la-Madeleine
Festival Acadien de Caraquet
Ste-Thérèse  Théâtre La Marjolaine d’Eastman
St-Donat  Mont-Laurier  St-André Argenteuil  Laprairie
Longueuil  Kiosque Edwin-Bélanger, Québec  Trois-Pistoles
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
Festival des guitares de St-André-les-vergers – France
Festival Manouche Factory – France
Festival Sainte-Rose en blanc
Centre culturel Pierrefonds
Joliette – Espace culturel l’aube des saisons
St-Jean-sur-Richelieu – Cabaret-Théâtre du Vieux St-Jean
Festival de Jazz de Sutton
Marine Cabaret – Sorel-Tracy
2007
Festival Romani Yag  Maison de la culture de Rivière-du-loup
Centre Culturel Vanier à Châteauguay  Côté Cour de Jonquière
Festival des violons d’automne de St-Jean-Port-Joli
Carrefour mondial de l’accordéon de Montmagny
Festival de jazz de Lévis
St-Placide  Brossard  Saint-Bruno  Sutton  Weedon  St-Eustache 
Terrebonne  St-Hyacinthe
Kiosque Edwin-Bélanger, Québec  Moulin Flemming
Salle Pauline Julien
Festival des guitares du monde d’Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Le Petit Bar de Jean-Louis – Théâtre de la Ville de Longueuil
Festival Montréal en Lumière - La Nuit des Gitans du Lion d’Or
Cégep André-Laurendeau
2006
Maison de la culture Plateau Mont-Royal  Ahuntsic-Cartiervillle
Nuit Europa de Coup de cœur francophone
Centre culturel de l’arr. Saint-Laurent – Lancement de saison
Réseau Scènes – Coup de cœur de Johanne Aubry
Off du Festival d’Été de Québec
Concert d’été de la Ville de Boucherville
Agora Strathcona de Sherbrooke
Maison des Arts et de la Culture de Brompton
Festival Tout Pour la Musique – Berthierville
2005
Festival du Monde Arabe  Off Festival de Jazz de Rimouski
Festival International de Lanaudière
Fête du faubourg de Québec
Women’s Voices Festival – Ontario
Festival d’accordéon Le Printemps des Bretelles
Télévision
Global – « Focus Montreal » - Avril 2012
Global – « Focus Montreal » - Juin 2011
Radio-Canada – « Des kiwis et des hommes » - juillet 2008
France 3 – Journal télévisé – mars 2008
Global – « This morning live » - mars 2007
Radio
CBC Radio2 – « Concert on demand » - Oct. 2010
Radio-Canada – « Je l’ai vu à la radio » - 16 janv. 2010
Radio-Canada – « Samedi et rien d’autre » - 23 janv.2010
Radio-Canada – « François Dompierre » - 29 nov. 2009
Radio-Canada – « A la semaine prochaine » - 21 nov 2009
Radio Canada – « Monique Giroux » – 17 juin 2009
CBC Radio2 – « Concert on demand » - Fév 2008
Radio-Canada – « Studio 12 » - décembre 2008
A COCKTAIL OF ENERGY-FILLED GYPSY JAZZ MUSIC
Press clippings:
“Christine Tassan defied gypsy-jazz conventions.” “Despite the name of her quartet—Les imposteures—
Christine Tassan adds a special authenticity to the April in Paris festival in Vancouver this weekend.”
Straight.com - By Tony Montague, April 19, 2012
“Our inspiration comes very much from Django and [his long-time musical partner] Stéphane Grappelli, but
you can feel influences from elsewhere,” she adds. “We mix genres a bit—for instance blending Django’s
‘Minor Swing’ with ‘Le Reel Mattawa’, written in a Québécois traditional vein. We compose quite a lot
ourselves.”
Straight.com - By Tony Montague, April 19, 2012
“Their stage act is full of spirit, humour and camaraderie and they readily engage the audience, often
venturing into the crowd while playing, making for a very down to earth but uplifting musical experience.”
CBC News, Saskatchewan
[translation] “A enchanting singer with a pretty voice, Christine Tassan is among the rare female lead
guitarists playing gypsy swing… and she knows perfectly what she’s doing. Her delicate and clear phrasing
always serves the music with some cleverly designed choruses. Her accomplices are in tune: instrumental
skills, set up, challenging vocal harmonies, polished arrangements, free flowing swing, infectious
enthusiasm… In short, here is a well-crafted and refreshing album! Quite normal, mind you, ‘cause it’s happy
time! Great works, girls!”
Je chante Magazine (French magazine) - Francis Couvreux, January, 2013
[translation] “Quite an achievement this 3rd album by Christine Tassan and her impostors. C'est l'heure de
l'apéro – which says it all, almost – offers creative swing, nice songs, a lot of humour and sensitivity. The allwoman band's touch...!”
Djangostation.com - By Stoche, November 2, 2012
[translation] “Unflagging energy and flawless complicity.”
LaGuitare.com –Daniel Aubry, October 29, 2012
By Tony Montague, April 19, 2012
Christine Tassan defied gypsy-jazz conventions
Despite the name of her quartet—Les Imposteures—
Christine Tassan adds a special authenticity to the
April in Paris festival in Vancouver this weekend. She
was born and raised in the French capital, where she
began her musical journey as a teenager, playing
classical guitar and singing her own compositions.
Though she was aware of the work of manouche
swing guitarist Django Reinhardt, who died in 1953,
gypsy jazz was no longer popular in the city where
he’d spent most of his career.
Ironically, it wasn’t until a few years after Tassan
moved to Montreal in 1995 that the music really hit
home. “I’ve always been interested by music that’s
improvised, and around 10 years ago I heard some manouche gypsies perform,” she recalls, reached at home.
“That was it—I was completely hooked.”
Tassan started playing with three of her female friends, and though they didn’t intend it to be an all-girl group,
things turned out that way. “Now it’s become a selling point for us and something of political significance as well.
There are very few women who play gypsy jazz. A Roma guy said it was not well regarded in his culture for a
woman to be playing guitar on-stage, which made us all the more determined.”
It also suggested Les Imposteures’ name. “We’re girls and we’re not manouche,” Tassan explains. “Plus we’re not
purists in that music. We love the style but come from pretty diverse musical backgrounds and try to bring
something of that variety to our music. We’re drawing on a large repertoire, which is not necessarily manouche
jazz in origin, though we interpret it in that style.
“Our inspiration comes very much from Django and [his long-time musical partner] Stéphane Grappelli, but you
can feel influences from elsewhere,” she adds. “We mix genres a bit—for instance blending Django’s ‘Minor
Swing’ with ‘Le Reel Mattawa’, written in a Québécois traditional vein. We compose quite a lot ourselves.”
Tassan et les Imposteures have released two albums of standards and originals. Le Journal de Montréal claimed
their 2007 debut De Bon Matin was “better than Prozac”, citing its joie de vivre. Critics nominated 2009’s Pas
Manouche, C’est Louche for an ADISQ award, the Quebec music industry’s equivalent of a Juno. It features a
greater number of Tassan’s compositions, including the Latin-flavoured “La Chic Rumba”, and “Dingo de Django”,
a witty paean to Reinhardt. “The stereotype for manouche jazz is songs played at breakneck speed all the time,
but we want to show that there are other facets,” the guitarist says. “We like to cover a range of different
emotions in the shows, so there are tender songs and ballads and tunes that groove too. The genius of Django for
me is the freedom we sense in his music. It flows so easily, it feels so natural, like there’s no effort involved. It’s
beautiful and melodic, and whatever it is you listen to, inspiration seems to fall out of the sky.”
Christine Tassan et les Imposteures play St. James Hall on Saturday and Sunday (April 21 and 22), as part of the
sixth annual April in Paris festival.
CBC Saskatchewan presents Jazz Manouche - October 1, 2010
CBC Saskatchewan and Radio-Canada are proud to present an evening of
gypsy jazz performed by two amazing groups on Saturday, October 1st, 7:30
PM at The Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon.
The two acts represent both English and Francophone musicians with roots on
the prairies and in Quebec. The Hot Club of Edmonton is a group of four
spirited players mainly from the Alberta capital. Christine Tassan & les
Imposteures are an all-female gypsy jazz and vocal ensemble from Montreal.
Tickets are available in advance for $15.00 at the Box office and by calling
(306) 652-6556 or at the door for $19.00.
The Hot Club of Edmonton is led by guitarist Clinton Pelletier and Daniel
Gervais on fiddle. The group's repertoire is strongly influenced by the steamy
music of the Thirties as popularized by the great Django Reinhardt and
Stephane Grappelli. But the four musicians also bring to the table a rich
musical background. Clinton is a guitar virtuoso with Metis roots and a strong
connection to the Prince Albert region of northern Saskatchewan. He has toured extensively with the worldrenowned group Barrage. Daniel is a phenomenal musician and composer. His musical roots range from
traditional French-Canadian and Métis fiddle music to jazz and classical.
Backed by a solid rhythm section - Keith Rempel on bass and Freddie Pelletier on rhythm guitar - Daniel and
Clinton have created an amazing amalgam reminiscent of Django & Stéphane's early ground-breaking work but
with a distinctly new approach and fresh energy, a throwback to the music of the Hot Club of France with a
unique Prairie twist.
The story of Christine Tassan & les Imposteures is equally fascinating. Christine Tassan emigrated from her native
Europe to Montreal in 1994 bringing her love of the great French standards and Jazz Manouche. She eventually
teamed up with traditional and classical violinist extraordinaire Martine Gaumond, jazz guitarist Lise-Ann Ross
and bassist Blanche Baillargeon (Marc Dery, Mimosa). The name "Imposteures" is a not-so-subtle jab at the longstanding tradition of Gypsy Jazz as a male-only domain. Brushing aside this taboo, these four talented young
women were so smitten by this infectious acoustic jazz music that they dove into the genre headfirst and formed
Canada's only female Gypsy jazz ensemble.
They arrange and play gypsy jazz classics in their own unique way but they also have a beautiful repertoire of
French vocal standards that they perform marvellously, often in four-part harmony. Their stage act is full of spirit,
humour and camaraderie and they readily engage the audience, often venturing into the crowd while playing,
making for a very down to earth but uplifting musical experience.
The musical meeting of these two groups on the Broadway stage promises to be breathtaking. An evening where
jazz, chanson française and other musical influences that have shaped these great performers rises and shines to
create an unforgettable evening of Gyspy Jazz on Broadway!