He plays with words as well as sound. From disco to gypsy rhythms, from rock to Caribbean music, his palette of musical genres, blended with finesse, is very much in his image: a wonderful surprise!
Born in Quebec City to a Haitian father and Québécoise mother, Olivier Laroche emigrated in the early 1990s to the Caribbean, where he became familiar with local music and folklore.
After returning to Quebec, he began a musical career as a bass player. He collaborated with many artists, including Dawn Tyler Watson, Sara Rénélik, Mario Peluso, Michel Marchildon, Jean Leloup and Ginette Reno. In 2005, tired of accompanying other musicians and singers, he began writing his own songs and decided to appear at the front of the stage.
His compositions move between rock, blues, jazz, gypsy and Latino rhythms, disco, funk, Caribbean influences, and country. As regards lyrics, he has a passion for the work of the great names in past and present Francophone song, including Georges Brassens, Édith Piaf, Renaud, Jean Leloup and Robert Charlebois. His lyrics are laced with the humour and frankness of these illustrious authors as in the song Ensemble tous les trois, a humorous piece that tells of the disappointments of a bachelor who dreams of having a girlfriend and a car.
His work soon bore fruit. In 2007, her played at various festivals. In the same year, he won the ROSEQ award given as part of the Tremplin de Dégelis, and he was chosen as grand prize winner in the 16th edition of the Festival de la Chanson de Saint-Ambroise in the “lyricist-composer-interpreter” category.
In 2008, he performed on stage at the Espace Dell'Arte in Montreal as part of the 28th edition of the Zoom sur la relève event. The following year, he finally had the pleasure of presenting his first solo album, titled Larguez les amarres, bringing together his own compositions.
Learn more about Olivier Laroche at
http://www.myspace.com/olivierlaroche
Learn more about Nuits D'Afrique at
festivalnuitsdafrique.com
Photos by
HeatherLWeimer.Com
Post new comment