Singer favours French band

Les Colocs was a Quebecois band born more than 20 years ago in the middle of a national language war. Their humanity and social conscience inspired a new generation that still carries a torch for the now-defunct band.

For Edmonton singer/songwriter Pascal Lecours et Les Mauvais Caracteres, there is no better way to celebrate St. Jean Baptiste Day than with a tribute concert to Les Colocs this Friday at LB’s Pub.

Born in Aylmer, Que., a bedroom community near Ottawa, Lecours first encountered Les Colocs at a festival in 1993 and was swept away by their simplicity of lyrics and musical richness.

Prior to the 1990s, the francophone musical scene had languished in the doldrums. Les Colocs re-ignited a flame that revitalized many artists. “It changed my life. To see how they could perform from start to the end of the show made you want to be true to yourself,” says Lecours, a triple-threat singer/guitarist/drummer.

Les Colocs frontman/singer/songwriter DĂ©dĂ© Fortin, while battling some of his own demons, morphed into both a potent political singer and voice of social conscience swelling the band’s appeal with songs about poverty and society’s decay.

Their dance-like rhythms, heightened by brass sounds, had a wild, festive sheen that later mellowed out as they became inspired by swing, country, blues and African music. “They never fell into a niche. They just kept morphing.”

But their popularity came to a crashing halt when Fortin committed suicide by seppuko. “A lot of his songs were sad. Somehow life just got to him. A movie has been made of his life, but there’s no way to see the band again.”

Lecours, who has moved back and forth to Quebec several times, discovered that performing Les Colocs’ music was not only a way to keep a precious musical memory alive, but to also to keep ties with his place of birth. “Much as I want to keep my roots, I don’t see it as a boundary.”

Playing with Les Mauvais, Lecours has developed a groove that meshes blues, folk, reggae, Cajun and swing into a distinct French twist. “It’s going to be more than what you find in a standard blues bar.”

In addition to playing some of Les Colocs’ hits such as the swing bop Juli and the reggae distress song TassĂ© vous d’lá (Get Out of My Way), the musical program also includes Offenbach’s Caline de blues and Bob Marley’s Waiting in Vain and Three Little Birds.

“This concert is a good chance to discover something different and it’s a good for francophones who can get a little piece of home.”