Music of Brittany
Along with flourishing traditional forms such as the bombard-biniou pair and fest-noz ensembles incorporating other additional instruments, it has also branched out into numerous subgenres.
Purely traditional musicians became the heroes of the roots revival in the second half of the 20th century, notably the Goadec sisters (Maryvonne, Thasie, and Eugénie).
Kan ha diskan can be songs about any subject, but must meet one of a number of meters used in folk dances, mostly line or round.
More contemporary singers include Iffig Troadeg, who focuses on lyrically shocking gwerzioù, Patrick Marie, Marthe Vassalo, Klervi Rivière, Mathieu Hamon, Annie Ebrel, Erik Marchand and Denez Prigent.
The chants de marins, are shanties, ballads about shipwrecks, sailing and loss of life, often accompanied by instruments such as the fiddle and accordion.
The best known modern performers are Djiboudjep and Cabestan, along with numerous but less known bands such as Tonnerre de Brest, L'Echo, Les Boucaniers or Taillevent.
There is an annual Chants de marins contest in the small town of Paimpol, in north Brittany, where the most famous shantymen of the world meet.
Though the harp had been common in Brittany in the Middle Ages[citation needed], the instrument had disappeared by the 18th century, at least in its specific repertoire and making.
It was only a few decades later, however, that the accordion nearly wiped the violon out, and most fiddlers joined Irish bands, moved into jazz or otherwise left the instrument.
Alan Stivell has used the fiddle and electric violin in his arrangements and compositions since his first album in 1970, inviting different fiddlers for his tours and records.
The best-known Breton clarinetists are probably Erik Marchand, a former member of both Quintet Clarinettes and Gwerz, Gallo musician Yves LeBlanc, and Christian Duro, who plays in the group Termajik.
Perhaps the earliest popularizer of Breton guitar was Dan Ar Braz, who continues to be an influential figure in a somewhat jazzy, easy-listening vein.
In the traditional music world, Soïg Siberil emerged as the pre-eminent master of 'open tuning' in bands such as Gwerz and Kornog, developing a complex accompaniment and solo technique easily comparable to that of artists such as John Renbourn or Pierre Bensusan.
Another guitarist of note is Gilles Le Bigot, who performed with Kornog as well and has been a mainstay of the Breton super-group Skolvan for more than 20 years.
Other notable Breton guitarists include Jacques Pellen, Pat O'May, Nicolas Quemener, Fabrice Carre, Roland Conq and Arnaud Royer, who has developed a unique and complex self-accompaniment technique based on sampling and then playing along with loops of his own work.
Veillon has been a member of a number of prominent bands, including Pennoù Skoulm, Barzaz, Den and Kornog, as well as producing some influential solo albums.
Other performers include Youenn Le Cam of Pevar Den, Jean Luc Thomas of Kej, Yannig Alory of Carré Manchot, Yann Herri Ar Gwicher of Strobinell and Hervé Guillo of Storvan, and also Gilles Lehart, who is one of Brittany's most respected wooden flute makers.
Contemporary accordionists include Cocktail Diatonique, Regis Huiban, Bruno Le Tron, Patrick Lefebvre, Yann Dour, Yann-Fañch Perroches and Alain Pennec.
Biniou and bombarde duos include Jean Baron and Christian Anneix, Youenn Le Bihan and Patrick Molard, and Pierre Crépillon and Laurent Bigot.
In recent years the bombard has been paired and recorded with other instruments not traditionally associated with Breton folk music, such as the organ.
Stilvell's performance at the Olympia Music Hall in Paris in February 1972 was broadcast live on Europe 1 radio to seven million listeners.
Stivell has made 22 albums and toured all over the world, influencing many musicians everywhere, experimenting with many different fusions (Rock, Jazz-rock, Blues, Symphonic, Indian, African, Electro, Hip-hop, etc.).
They have produced some musical gems, now standards, like "Les filles des Forges", "Les prisons de Nantes", "La Jument de Michao", "Pelot d'Hennebont", and new interpretation of Irish music, like "Cad é sin don té sin", "Si mort a mors" (originally An Cailín Rua), "La ville que j'ai tant aimée" (from "The town I loved so well"), "Mrs McDermott" (from the 17th-century Irish harpist Ó Carolan) and "Kalonkadour" (from "Planxty Irwin").
More rock-oriented, they play modern compositions about Brittany and life on the sea ("Du rhum, des femmes", "Martiniquaise", "Pavillon noir").
Red Cardell crosses over roots music from Brittany, Ukraine or North Africa with Rock and French realistic songs.
Many times they play on stage with guests such as Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull), Jimme O'Neill (The Silencers), Dan Ar Braz, Dr Das (Asian Dub Foundation) or Stéfane Mellino (Les Négresses Vertes)... Their album "soleil blanc" has been recorded and mixed by the English producer Clive Martin (Queen, Sting, David Byrne...) Similarly, EV combined Finnish influences in their Breton folk-rock style, calling it Celto-Finnic rock.
Les Ramoneurs de menhirs do Celtic punk, playing original songs, traditional ones and cover versions mostly in Breton.
In Seattle, Washington a Fest Noz group called Sonerion features piston, bombard, guitar/bouzouki, accordion, and bass.
The biggest in Brittany and France, and one of the most important in Europe, is the Festival des Vieilles Charrues (held in late July in Carhaix, Finistère).
The first chanteur engagé to be quoted is the maverick Glenmor (1931–1996), or to give him his real name, Emile Le Scanf (or Milig Ar Scañv in Breton).
