Erik Marchand was born in 1955. He’s a well known Breton vocalist and treujenn-gaol (Breton clarinet) performer. Even though he was born in Paris, his family was of Breton origin, hailing from Quelneuc, Brittany.
Erik was a member of the highly influential Breton band Gwerz and also formed the Erik Marchand Quartet, an ensemble featuring himself and Jacky Molard, two of the most famous artists in Breton traditional music, and by Costica Olan and Viorel Tajkuna, two of the biggest virtuosos of Gypsy music from Romania and Serbia.
The quartet performed suites of Breton dances colored by the stamp of the taragot and by the very specific technique of the accordionist Viorel Tajkuna. These dances are also decorated with improvised introductions and with subjects of gwerzio or doina, played with the particular feeling of this multicultural orchestra.
Discography:
Chants à danser de Haute-Bretagne, with Gilbert Bourdin ha Christian Dautel (Dastum, 1982)
Gwerz, nouvelle musique de Bretagne (Dastum. 1985)
Chants à répondre de Haute-Bretagne, with Gilbert Bourdin and Christian Dautel (Le Chasse-Marée, 1985)
Au-delà, with Gwerz (Escalibur, 1988)
Gwerz Penmarc’h, with Cabestan (Le Chasse-Marée, 1989)
Songs of Central Brittany – An henchoù treuz, chants du Centre-Bretagne, with Thierry Robin (AMTA/Ocora, 1990)
An tri Breur (Silex, 1991)
Musique têtue gant le Quintet de Clarinettes (Silex, 1991)
Gwerz live (Gwerz Pladenn, 1993)
Bazh du with le Quintet de Clarinettes (Silex, 1993)
Sag an tan ell, with Taraf de Caransebes (Silex, 1993)
Condaghes, with Fresu, Pellen (Silex, 1997)
Dor, with Taraf de Caransebes (BMG, 1998)
Kan, with ensemble de Mallakaster of Albania, Le Tenore de Santu Predu (Sardinia), Fransy Gonzales-Calvo (Galicia, Spain) and Bassey Koné (Mali) (Télérama, 2001)
La Route de la Rose (Attitudes, 2003)
Le Requiem d’Anna Ac’hmatova (2003)
Ephéméra, with Jacques Pellen (Naïve, 2003)
Pruna, with les Balkaniks (Harmonia Mundi, 2004)
Ukronia (2013)
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.
