Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec

Subject: commando trad
From: GUEST,gedpipes
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 05:51 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni3x-uwAumo

Have a look at this people

---

From mod, on 21 Nov 10-- Here are all of them so far:

COMMANDO TRAD Mission 1 Métro Papineau
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 2 Métro Lionel-Groulx
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 3 Commando National
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 4: UQAM
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 5 Avenue Mont-Royal
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 6 Centre-ville Joliette
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 7 Quartier du Petit Champlain, Québec
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 8 Commando des festivals
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 9 Marché Jean-Talon, Montréal
COMMANDO TRAD Mission 10 Commando National (Radio-Canada)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 06:06 AM

This?

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 06:22 AM

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!

Tell all your friends

L in C

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: TheSnail
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 06:34 AM

Thank you. I needed that.

Suitable sites in the UK?

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Will Fly
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 06:36 AM

Absolutely joyous!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,gedpipes
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 06:53 AM

It would be great to have a collective one of these in a small town in the Uk don't you think 'Folk the town up'
Ged

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 07:11 AM

Will Fly, your two words sum it all up. 'Absolutely Joyous!'. Congratulations to all concerned. How I wish I had been there.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 07:59 AM

briiliant the power of music and the union of like minds.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 08:35 AM

Terrific. How do they manage to keep together when they're all spread out and there must have been a lot of background noise?

Ged,in England you'd need somewhere with a pedestrian area and a police force with a sense of humour. In fact you probably would have to get permission from the Old Bill first. What's Churchill Square in Brighton like these days? Or Milton Keynes?

Valmai
(who on first reading the thread title had a fleeting vision of the Coppers performing for charity without their underwear)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Will Fly
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 08:57 AM

a fleeting vision of the Coppers performing for charity without their underwear

Sounds cool to me...

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: folkypaul
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 08:59 AM

Good stuff.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 09:45 AM

WOW!

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 09:49 AM

The amazing synchronising of the music suggests a little editing of sound onto film was done.
Absolutely brilliant. I was having a similar idea of doing something in Hanley a while ago as a protest about demolishing a local pub. This has given me more inspiration. Brilliant.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Amos
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 10:58 AM

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeha!!!!


I LUB it!



A

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: frogprince
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 11:43 AM

Wonderful!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,Jon Dudley
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 11:46 AM

Valmai !!!!!!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: open mike
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 12:33 PM

Great! I have visions of something like this happening
in a town near me that has a farmer's market on main street!!

(going commando is optional)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_commando
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=going+commando

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,GloriaJ
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 12:49 PM

Great fun! very enjoyable to watch.they got a better welcome than the Beatles on the roof of Abbey Road.Clearly the spontaneity was carefully rehearsed and the sound of the music was surprisingly clear.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: treewind
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 01:10 PM

"in England you'd need somewhere with a pedestrian area and a police force with a sense of humour. In fact you probably would have to get permission from the Old Bill first."

I don't know. Pig Dyke Molly did an impromptu display at Paddington station just after we'd got off the Eurostar from Paris last year. By the time any cops or other officials could turn up we'd finished and gone - not in kit or face paint so once instruments were back in cases we were invisible in the crowd.

It'd be fun to stage something like this with our Sunday night session crew and a few other friends. I wonder if the people on the video are contactable to get some hints about how to go about it & what/what not to do?

Anahata

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 01:20 PM

That's amazing. Maybe it's a pity the French didn't come out on top in North America back in the 18th century...

I can't see pulling it off with an English crowd. The non-performers would get embarrassed, which is a polite way of saying chicken. Still the native English aren't the only ones around... Maybe down in Walthamstow market sometime with the right mix of musicians...

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: sian, west wales
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 01:56 PM

I think the summer one might be part of the Rencontre festival which must be starting this weekend; I know it's the beginning of August in Montreal.

I see Gilles Garrand and his wife Louise in the mix (he's playing melodeon; dark grey beard) so I suspect he's behind it. They're also the parents of Alexandre who is one of the Genticorum trio. I don't have a contact for him but he's on Facebook.

They certainly take best advantage of the architecture in Montreal - or in parts of it. Some neighbourhoods are known as 'Balconville' because every building - residential and other - has tiers of balconies and outdoor stairs. (Michel Trembley titled one of his early plays 'Balconville'; excellent play.)

I wonder if the careful placement of the dancers played a role in time-keeping? Must have been particularly tricky in that university building.

sian

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,Dave Bishop
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 02:26 PM

Well, Les, there's another potential use for your vast Chorlton musical army!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 02:31 PM

Mmmmmmmmmmmm sounds intersting. But where Dave?

Les

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: fat B****rd
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 03:08 PM

Absolutely wonderful. I find these (rare)occasions quite moving in a lovely way.
Tilda Swinton did something similar in Edinburgh recently with the Laurel and Hardy distance from Way Out West.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,nickp
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 04:15 PM

There's 4 others as well as that one. They're all great

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 05:15 PM

Great - just added it to my Favourites.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 07:59 PM

I was more impressed by the apparently mostly spontaneous dancing (seemed to by many passer-bys, but could have had a few 'initiators') than anything else.

It was clearly a planned directed (and not a spontaneous - or 'flash' as it is called today) event, it even had an 'orchestra leader', who synchronised the start and finish, as well as having somebody who had organised a communal playlist, content and order. Probably a 'festival' event.

Of course I speak as someone who was trained in the 'Classical Symphonic Music' style :-) Expecting such a thing to happen without some previous rehearsal/organisation is laughable to those who have experienced the 'herding cats' syndrome often experienced in 'Folk Music' circles. Of course, many who do PLAY Folk Music ARE Classically Trained Musos.... :-)

As to any imagined 'problems' due to the members of the 'orchestra' being scattered around, you would only laugh if you were 'Classically Trained' - that is nothing new in this 'style'.... :-) The 'leader' knew what he was doing, and the rest knew how to 'take direction'... the result is much more exciting and entertaining than a 'normal' 'just belt her out as loud and fast as you can' 'session'.... :-)

Seemed like a 'Portsmouth Synfonia' event, but with a slightly better class of Muso, I think .... :-)

Should be MUCH more of it.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,Bedeau
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 12:45 AM

That's where you can reach us:

[e-mail]

And no, Gilles is not behind it. But he's been there in every missions!
We would be very happy to see more movements like this of traditional music around the world. If you do so, please find your own color.
There has been a group somewhere else in Canada who did it after us. They copied us literally even in all the begining with Weapons of mass tradition,etc. They don't mention in the video where the inspiration was from.   

To answer a few things that I have read on the blog:
-There's no cut in the sound editing. It all hapened like this and with that length.
-The rythmic visual and audio reference was the snare drum.
-There's was no rehearsal

If you hace any questions, don't hesitate!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 03:16 AM

Bedeau: Wow, that's fantastic. I'd love to take part in something like that here in the UK.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Liberty Boy
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 06:39 AM

Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 07:09 AM

The Mudcat is sometimes miraculous. Gilbert Bedeau's post moving this thread to another level is a case in point.

I hope this comes to something in a few parts of the global Mudcat commonwealth. I think it very well might.

Watching the vid I couldn't help taking an instrument down off the wall and joining in. No rehearsal needed for that.

The word that came to mind for it all was a French one we've imported into English - "élan". " Vigorous spirit or enthusiasm typically shown by poise, verve, or liveliness of imagination". That seems to sum it up rather well.

Of course getting and staying in tune might be a complication for some instruments, but not a big one.

Congratulations to the ones who did the filming and the editing.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 07:25 AM

Of course, as long as everyone knows the tunes, there is not much need for rehearsal, I suppose... :-)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 08:11 AM

Depends on the tunes. I've never heard or played those tunes before, so far as I know but no problem picking them up.

It's more a question of having played in sessions or such where you learn to do that almost by instinct, the way that as a singer you can join in a chorus of a song you've never heard before, once you've got the words in your head. The voice is just another instrument, after all, just one that's built into us.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: gnu
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 11:57 AM

Great stuff!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Susan A-R
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 08:58 PM

I was actually a very small part of another of these being filmed at a series of folk festivals. This one is a little more rehearsed, since some of us neophytes had to learn the tune. There are some amazing kids doing a song before hand. The "feet" are the "click track" to keep us all in tempo throughout. Can't wait for the releast, because I've forgotton how the tune goes (there's been an amazing week of traditional Quebecois music at Camp Violontrad in between and a lot of tunes have shifted that one out of my head). The subway videos are pretty grand because of people walking off the train into the music and reacting. It's also a very fun way to remind people of the folk tradition from whence they come. And Joyous is indeed why I have become more than a little obsessed with this music.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 06:39 AM

To get the tunes right all you'd really need to do would have these agreed in advance, with a sound file of a group playing them, and make sure those planning to take part got hold of that and played along with it long enough to pick it up.

I'd imagine the key to making it work might be getting the timing right for different people to join in, especially the dance provocateurs.

And recruiting the commandos might involve screening out some people...

I suggest that a good way to get something like this set up might be a workshop in a folk festival. Showing this film would be a good way to start it off.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Susan A-R
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 02:54 PM

I think that your suggestion of a good way to start it might be why Comando Trad has been doing this filming at a series of traditional festivals in Quebec. I am not sure how many of them they will be putting together into one video, but all of us have now been exposed to the Comando concept, so to speak, and I expect little incidents may pop up based on our experience.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Janie
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 03:12 PM

Wow!

And thank you!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 03:14 PM

I can imagine a workshop at Sidmouth or Whitby, for example, recruiting musicians and dancers, aimed at working up through the week to doing this on the final day.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Janie
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 03:32 PM

I just e-mailed the Hillsborough Arts Council with a link to the video, a link to this thread, and the commandotrad e-mail address. Suggested they consider doing something like this at one of the Last Friday events, which is a street fair put on by the Arts Council on the last Friday evening of each month. Heaven knows we have a plethora of trad. musicians and dancers in town.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 05:42 PM

Fantastic - really joyful stuff.

Gilbert, if you're still here - what's the difference between gigue and danse? Are the gigueurs the ones doing what we'd call a clog dance on boards? Is that a québecois thing?

Also, did you have to get permission beforehand? It's hard to imagine getting more than a couple of minutes into something like that in this country before the leader had to stop playing and talk to Plod -

Would you mind telling me what you're doing, sir?
We're playing some tunes.
Tunes, sir?
We thought we'd play some traditional tunes.
And do you often play these... traditional tunes... in the street, sir?
No, this is our first time.

...and so on. Meanwhile it's time for the changeover between tunes, which half the band has managed seamlessly; unfortunately they only played one B part of the first tune on the last time through, so the remaining members of the band have stopped playing and are now either looking baffled or shouting at them. Probably not one for Youtube.

Brilliant stuff, anyway, and it's given us plenty of food for thought!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 05:45 PM

Are the gigueurs the ones doing what we'd call a clog dance on boards?

Mostly gigueuses, now I think of it.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Paul Burke
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 07:23 PM

I'd love to get this running on Normanton Road in Derby...

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 04:07 AM

I've emailed Lewes District Council suggesting something like this could be incorporated into next year's Soundwave events in the town (July 2011).

Valmai (Lewes)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: nickp
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 04:11 AM

All 5 are great and I look forward to more.

Especially like the Reel de Mattawa - great tune which I - after some searching - I realise is in my copy of the Portland Collection. Now to learn it.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: TopcatBanjo
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 05:02 AM

I can't tell you how much I LOVE this absolutely fantastic video.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: theleveller
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 05:39 AM

"in England you'd need somewhere with a pedestrian area and a police force with a sense of humour. In fact you probably would have to get permission from the Old Bill first."

York is pretty encouraging about this sort of thing. There was a wonderful band of African musicians and dancers there the other day attracting a big crowd.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: scouse
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 06:16 AM

Although not so many musicians.. something akin to this happened in Brussels a few years back..Can anyone back me up on this?? I know I witnessed it. However this one's something special.

As Aye,

Phil.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Gedi
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 07:03 AM

As part of Bollin Morris, we did a Folk Train last year, invited by Nelson Peach. When we arrived back in Piccadilly Station in Manchester we did an impromptu Cuckoo's Nest and it went down brilliantly. Lots of people stopped to watch with big grins on their faces. And more importantly no officials or police came to hassle us. We just did the one dance then left. I should mention we were in 'kit' as well with Tatters and painted faces.

Love the Commando Concept though, absolutely superb. We really should get something organised in the UK, preferably lots of them : )   It's time the general public found out what Trad Music is again!

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 09:16 AM

Count me in for anything in the Kent/ Sussex area :-)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 04:59 PM

Here's commando trad's Mission 1 - in a much harder environment. It's fascinating to follow the sequence of missions, learning as they go.

This has go to happens in other countries... And I think people who worry too much about getting all the permissions and official approvals worked out are maybe worrying too much. When you ask for permission it's too easy for people to play safe and say no.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,LDT
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 05:04 AM

sounds like fun.

You could even do a 'stealth session' in a pub? ;)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 12:46 PM

Just watched it twice thru! Wonderful....

At our local folk festival, we did something similar maybe 15 years ago by having all the stages in a small park stop at the same time, then there were 4 Alpenhorns stationed around the park in various places, such as on top of building entrances, and they played one number for about 3 minutes...then there was an entire stage devoted to Alpenhorns for an hour...

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 08:03 PM

I just watched it twice through too and immediately put a link on Facebook.

The playing, the camera work, the montage, the choreography, the editing, and the sound are all fantastic. Commando Trad could take over the world - don't anybody tell Simon Cowell.

Gilbert, if you see this - INIMAGINABLE!! Coupes de rouge pour tous.

Subject: Commando Trad
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 12:45 PM

I was at a music party last night and Clyde Curley (anyone know him?) told us about Commando Trad. I just looked it up and it is quite inspiring, not to mention toe tapping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni3x-uwAumo

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 02:30 PM

I combined Ebbie's post with the existing thread, but added links to all of the COMMANDO TRAD videos I found to the first post.

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:57 PM

Thanks, Jeri. The funny thing is that I *always* do a Mudcat Search before I post a new thread - and didn't for this one. Never even thought of it.

But it is really great stuff, innit!

Subject: A new mission of the Commando Trad
From: GUEST,bedeau
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 05:26 PM

Mission 6 of the Commando Trad is online. First time outside of Montréal, in a small town called Joliette. It's in the region of Lanaudière, THE region for Québec's traditional music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bb-nr9BX7

Subject: RE: Folklore: A new mission of the Commando Trad
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 05:51 PM

Magnifique!

Commando Trad: Mission 6 Centre-ville Joliette

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 07:24 PM

Cool.

Russ (Permanent GUEST)

Subject: RE: commando trad
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 07:24 PM

Great to see another one so soon.

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 01:52 PM

At first I avoided this thread. Because of the word 'Commando,' I thought it would be a war-mongering thread. How wrong I was!

I watched the perf. on rue Mont-Royal in Montreal. It is very enjoyable. Such fun to spot all the performers in unexpected spots.

And how nice to see people standing and listening, people smiling as they saunter by, people clapping along. But ya know something? If a movie company created a scene like this, they would order the actor/onlookers to stride by with cold expressions, pretending they don't like, don't want, don't even HEAR the traditional music.

They're very afraid.

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: JennieG
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 07:56 PM

Wonderful - I like "weapons of mass tradition"!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 11:46 AM

This shouldn't be allowed to drift away...

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Aug 10 - 12:49 PM

A delight every time.

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 05:02 PM

Wow! mobible session... who needs to hire a village hall or funtion room in a pub....want one in Essex. Road folk.

Mad Mac and the Thunder Drones

Subject: Commando Trad of Quebec include singing
From: oldstrings
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 05:43 PM

This innovative group are constantly expanding their borders.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_EC71XD3q8

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Nov 10 - 06:05 PM

I can imagine how hard it must have been to leave after the singing stopped. That was amazing!

Subject: Folklore: COMMANDO TRAD New mission online
From: GUEST,Bedeau
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 10:26 AM

Here's latest mission of the COMMANDO TRAD. It has been made over one year in 5 festivals all around. If you like the video, please share the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AACxnZRqWkM

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: John J
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 11:00 AM

Yet again: marvellous!!

John

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 29 Jan 11 - 11:04 AM

or, merveilleux!

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: TopcatBanjo
Date: 31 Jan 11 - 01:05 PM

I was just about to post about this as I couldn't seem to get this original thread to come up on search. Good job I didn't. It's a completely different type of thing, this one, isn't it? Less commando, but still brilliant.

Subject: Command Trad again
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 07:53 AM

http://youtu.be/MKSST-lTvAc

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: GUEST,Spleen Cringe
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 08:38 AM

Command trad? The voices made me do it!

Great clip though. Cheers for posting it...

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 11:33 AM

Wow! That's a fun one -- through the magic of the internet, incorporating participants from California, Pennsylvania, and Maine, U.S.A., Normandy and Brittany, France, Catalonia, Spain, and Togo (!), as well as Quebec, Canada.

Fabulous.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 03:30 PM

Fan-bloody-TAStic!
Thanks for posting it.
Betcha can't watch/listen without smiling...

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: fat B****rd
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 03:42 PM

Thank you Manitas. Un feels distinctly bon.

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: GUEST,999
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 03:46 PM

And that's why we don't want CBC taken over by corporate folks--much as out Prime Minister would love to see that happen.

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 11:40 PM

Merci beaucoup!

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 01:12 AM

Il n'y a pas de quoi. Thank you, CL.

Subject: RE: Command Trad again
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 08:08 AM

Joyous music and people.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Commando Trad: La musique traditionelle du Quebec
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 09:50 AM

I added this video (plus Mission 9 which somehow got missed) to the links in the first message of the thread.
Gotta love all of these, but I love 'em best when they just pop up out of nowhere.