(headline image: Nicolas Pellerin and Les Grands Hurleurs – Photo by Christine Berthiaume)
Nicolas Pellerin, the lead vocalist, violinist, and practitioner of podorythmie (foot tapping), grew up in Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, a quaint village situated between Québec and Montréal in Canada. His earliest memories are imbued with family singalongs, featuring an aunt on the piano and uncles performing traditional songs. Notably, his father, an adept ‘foot tapper,’ imparted this skill to his sons at a tender age, making podorythmie a hallmark of Nicolas’ live performances today.
Despite this musical upbringing, Nicolas did not initially pursue a career in music. Instead, he studied mathematics at university and enrolled in traditional music classes purely for enjoyment, without any professional aspirations. However, the allure of music soon captivated him, leading to the formation of his first group, Les Langues Fourchues, in 2003. Following this, he collaborated with Yves Lambert, a former member of La Bottine Souriante, for four years before establishing one of the leading contemporary folk bands in Quebec, Les Grands Hurleurs in 2009.
The name Les Grands Hurleurs, translating to ‘The Great Howlers’ in English, encapsulates the band’s emotive and heartfelt performances. Originally a trio, the group expanded to a quartet post-COVID-19, striving to achieve a richer, more expansive sound through close-harmony singing and a diverse array of instruments.
Discography:
Fred Pellerin Et Nicolas Pellerin (Disques Tempête, 2007)
Nicolas Pellerin et Les Grands Hurleurs (Disques Tempête, 2009)
Petit grain d’or (Disques Tempête, 2011)
3/4 Fort (Coyote Records, 2015)
Chouïa (Coyote Records, 2018)
Ellipse (La Compagnie du Nord, 2021)
Layon (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.