Les Chauffeurs à pieds
Quebec Traditional Music
The four musicians of Les Chauffeurs à pieds (meaning either Drivers on Foot or The Feet Warmers) are incontestably among the best in Canada for playing reels and jigs on fiddle, harmonica, mandolin, recorder, French horn, guitar, and foot tapping, as well as signing traditional upbeat or old ballad songs. With its nine albums, including some nominations for prestigious awards, its collaboration with several well-renowned artists, enthusiastic reviews from the media, successful international tours, not to speak of its musical intelligence and twisted sense of humour in English, Les Chauffeurs à pieds confirms its status among today’s main folk bands.
Antoine Gauthier is a renown fiddler, mandolinist, singer and poet. He has recorded an album entitled “Quebec Traditional Fiddle” with his mother Céline Fortin on piano, and is actually preparing a second one. Several of its compositions are played by diverse musicians in Canada and abroad. He is the founder of Scorbut Records and Director General of the Quebec Council for Intangible Heritage.
Louis-Simon Lemieux is a master fiddler, harmonica player, guitarist, foot percussionist and singer. He is regularly playing within various projects or groups, notably with Le Rêve du Diable, La Bottine souriante, and his father fiddler Daniel Lemieux, with whom he recorded two albums. He teaches music on occasion during specialized camps. Louis-Simon is also a well demanded soundman and owns his own studio : le Studio des Trois Lits.
Olivier Soucy is a guitarist, fiddler, harmonica player and singer with an incredible sense of music. He performs within different projects or bands. He notably realized two solo albums : Patrimoine Irréel and Le quadrille du peuple. Oliver teaches agronomy at Laval University.
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Benoît Fortier is an outstanding recorder, harmonica, French horn, bass and keyboard player as well as a vocalist. He holds a master degree in interpretation (French horn) and a master degree in composition. Benoît regularly works within important projects soliciting its numerous creative talents, notably with symphonic orchestras. Discover his last project Benoît et Colin.
« Here comes the next big thing from Quebec. »
FolkWorld – Germany
« Les Chauffeurs à Pieds have become one of the most impressive and innovative groups on the Quebec scene. »
Dirty Linen Magazine – USA
« Un superbe mélange de fougue et de délicatesse »
Yves Bernard, Le devoir
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« Here’a a fine festival ban, absolutely no doubt about it. »
Living Tradition Magazine – UK
« The band offers not only formidable drive and joy, but a lightness of touch that makes the music perfect for dancing. »
Sing Out! – USA
« One of their finest quality is the way they are able to express the sort of people they are through their music; it is full of zest, humour, vitality and commitment. »
fROOTS Magazine – UK
« They have created something different – finally – from the Quebecois trad scene. »
Steve Fruitman, CIUT FM – Toronto, Canada
« J’ai été conquis par une énorme dose d’originalité dans les arrangements, et une qualité musicale rare. »
Trad Magazine – France
« Then at the peak of excitement, and this excitement was full of peaks, all Chauffeurs’ players sand out, their voices layering the harmonies and bringing the crown to his feet. »
The Chronicle Herald – Halifax, Canada
« Les Chauffeurs à pieds sont plus libres et plus fous que jamais avec De ses couteaux microscopiques »
Yves Bernard, Le Devoir – Québec
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"Les Chauffeurs is one of the most venerable and adored trad bands in Québec."
Elizabeth Szekeres – Roots Music Canada
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Awards
Winners - Opus Awards - Best traditional music concert (2020)
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Past shows (Sélection)
Quebec
Festival d’été de Québec
Carnaval de Québec
Festival international des arts traditionnels, Québec
Festival Mémoire et Racines, Joliette
Les FrancoFolies de Montréal
Festival celtique international de Montréal
La Grande rencontre, Montréal
Mondial des cultures, Drummondville
Festival La Virée, Carleton
Canada
Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Colombie-Britannique
Mission Folk Music Festival, Colombie-Britannique
North Country Fair, Alberta
Winnipeg Folk Festival, Manitoba
Festival du Voyageur, Manitoba
Harbourfront Centre, Ontario
Celtic Roots Festival, Ontario
Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Nouvelle-Écosse
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US
Chicago Celtic Fest, Illinois
Cityfolk Festival, Ohio
New Bedford Summerfest, Massachussetts
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Europe
BBC Radio 2 Cambridge Folk Festival, Angleterre
XVIIe Jeux du Commonwealth, Angleterre
Sidmouth Folk Week, Angleterre
Warwick Folk Festival, Angleterre
Brampton Live Festival, Angleterre
Celtic Connections, Écosse
Skagen Festival, Danemark
Gooikoorts Volksmusiek festival, Belgique
Picnic Festival, Belgique
Festival Musiques et Traditions, Belgique
Festival Awaranda, France
Festival Interceltique de Lorient, France
Festival des musiques d’ici et d’ailleurs, France
Festival Il Mondo in Musica, Italie
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Australia
Port Fairy Folk Festival
Blue Mountains Music Festival
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Africa
Xe Sommet de la Francophonie, Burkina Faso
