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In 2008 Putumayo joins in the 400th Anniversary celebration of one of the world’s most fascinating and beautiful cities with the new release Québec. This collection features an array of Québécois songs ranging from traditional folk to contemporary singer-songwriters, and even includes a song by a Native Canadian artist singing in the rare Montagnais language.

There’s a variety and originality that really struck me in this collection. I’m not a musician but I was very impressed by the range and quality of the accompanying instruments.

Please listen to a delightful sampling from the Putumayo chansons (songs) of the Quebec album by clicking here.

You have Étrange by Doba Caracol with its elliptical lyrics like “I have nothing in my heart/But the immensity of the open sky/Strange how I love you” and its fusion of funk, reggae and African sounds are very beguiling. Please take a look at the music video by clicking here.

There’s the freshness and directness of Martin Léon’s “Je m’demande” that totally won me over with lyrics like “I wonder what you’re doing/Right now/I wonder where you are tonight/Are you feeding seagulls?/Are you smiling at the ocean?” and then a sudden a cappella passage.

A real delight is the one song that is not French, but Montagnais, an Algonquin language spoken by about 11,000 people. Florent Vollant’s “Nitshiuenan” has a haunting quality. Even before checking the translation of the song I sensed Vollant’s longing for his roots.

Chloé Sainte-Marie’s “Brûlots” charmed me with her sensual voice and lyrics and the evocation of a tiny insect as a harbinger of love.

There’s laughter in the voice and rhythms of Annie Villeneuve’s “Un Homme,” a semi-serious depiction of the eyes, hands, words and heart of the man she loves.

The last two songs on the CD are wonderful traditional Quebecois songs, one from La Bottine Souriante, a traditional 11-member group founded in 1976 and still whipping up energetic, thigh thumping music and the other from Le Vent du Nord, relative newcomers who have received a lot of acclaim for updating more traditional songs.

Reviewed by Terry Soto, BuzzFlash.com

From Putumayo:

Designated as a World Heritage City, Québec City has a proud musical tradition. Drawn from a variety of influences such as French and Celtic folk traditions and European pop, Québécois music includes a broad range of sounds and styles. Yet despite its potential broad international appeal, the music of Québec is not very well known to people outside of the province. Through this enchanting selection of songs, Putumayo seeks to introduce listeners to the compelling music of this unique province.

Here's a list of the songs and artists:

1 Mathieu Mathieu • Cette Ville
2 DobaCaracol • Étrange
3 Martin Léon • Je m'demande
4 Annie Villeneuve • Un Homme
5 Chloé Sainte-Marie • Brûlots
6 Florent Vollant • Nitshiuenan
7 Marie-Annick Lépine • Au Chalet
8 Myreille Bédard • Il Fait Dimanche
9 Polémil Bazar • Les Viscères
10 La Bottine Souriante • La Brunette Est Là
11 Le Vent Du Nord • Vive l'amour

With their modern hippie attitude, DobaCaracol is a bit of an anomaly on the Québec pop music scene, but their enchanting fusion of funk, reggae vibes and African rhythms with French-language pop has earned them a wide following. Singer Chloé Sainte-Marie, after establishing herself as a film actress, has earned her place as a popular and respected vocalist whose songs draw from the poetry of French, Québécois and Inuit writers. One of the most recognizable figures in Québécois popular music, Annie Villeneuve was a celebrated winner of the television program Star Académie, the Québécois equivalent of American Idol. Singer-songwriter Florent Vollant writes most of his songs in his native Montagnais language, an Algonquian language spoken by over 11,000 people. As part of the successful Native American pop group Kashtin, Vollant has helped bring indigenous Canadian music to a wide audience throughout Canada. Québec also features 7 other artists who have drawn from a diverse range of influences to create their own unique sounds.

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