Trained as a pianist, Nicholas Boulerice has experimented with many genres of music on the keyboard. A fascination with the unusual led him in 1997 to the ancient European stringed instrument known as the hurdy-gurdy, which he subsequently studied in Ireland and France. He is now proficient at both playing and building hurdy-gurdies, having handcrafted the ones he currently plays.
Nicolas toured throughout North America from 1998 to 2002 as a member of the neo-traditional bands Ad Vielle Que Pourra and Montcorbier, whose repertoires included the music of both France and Quebec.
In addition to his talents as an instrumentalist, Nicolas is a gifted vocalist known for captivating audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.
In 2002, he founded Le Vent du Nord and with this multi-award-winning group he’s performed over 2,000 concerts and released 11 albums. Moving forward, in 2015, he released Maison de Bois, his first solo work and in 2020 a second solo album from a trilogy of releases.
In 2024, Nicolas Boulerice and Frédéric Samson released the album CoolTrad. It offers a refreshing take on traditional Québécois music. The album juxtaposes historical writings with a traditional musical backdrop, evoking a jazz-like ambiance. Featuring twelve compositions, the project explores themes of melancholy and storytelling, weaving together elements of cool jazz and the beatnik movement. Through a delicate balance of improvisation and thoughtful arrangement, CoolTrad bridges the gap between tradition and innovation, embodying the rich oral tradition of North America while embracing modern influences.
He is co-founder of la Veillée de l’avant-Veille in Montréal, as well as being president of Festival Chants de Vielles in his hometown of Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu. He has also been known to share the stage with his father and writer for Les Carnets de Notes, a staging of poetry and song. His first collection of poetry was published in 2021 (on Triptyque). It’s fair to say that Boulerice spends his life surrounded by words, songs, and stories.
Discography:
Solo:
Maison de bois (2015)
Maison de pierres (2020)
With Le Vent du Nord:
Maudite Moisson! (Borealis Records, 2003)
Les amants du Saint-Laurent (Borealis Records, 2005)
Dans les airs (Borealis Records, 2007)
Mesdames et Messieurs (Borealis Records, 2008)
La part du feu (Borealis Records, 2009)
Symphonique (Radio-Canada disque, 2010)
Tromper le Temps (Borealis Records, 2012)
Têtu (Borealis Records, 2015)
Collaborations:
Art Populaire, with Olivier Demers and Robert Deveaux (La Compagnie Du Nord, 2023)
Cooltrad (La Compagnie du Nord, 2024)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.