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Time to tune into a Punjabi French
Canadian melody
WSN Bureau
 An
Indo-Canadian Sikh musician and a French Canadian folk singer have
launched the world's first Punjabi-French Canadian album, Ble d'Inde.
Kuljit Sodhi and Yves Lambert have collaborated in the new album in
which they sing songs of brotherhood in Punjabi and French. Blé
d'Inde literally means Indian wheat but is the name given to the
multi-coloured corn cultivated by native Americans. The name also
refers to traditional celebrations held in
Quebec kitchens at harvest time, when friends and family gather to
share a meal, play music and dance.
One ear of 'Indian' corn is buried in the pile to be shucked and
whoever gets the red or multi-coloured corn wins the right to kiss
whomever they choose. The name is also given to a handfull of summer
festivals, including one in
Saint-Célestin
QC and another in Whitehorse Yukon. Galitcha chose this name as the
album title to convey the energy, celebratory spirit and
multi-cultural vibe of a Canadian celebration.
The music of the new album ranges from the two Indo-Quebecois pieces
to the festive traditional-style bhangra number and a jazzy
English-language folk song.
"I
am saying in Punjabi that I came to this country and the sounds that
I hear are so similar to where I come from, Yves comes back and
says, 'Welcome, my good friend, you are at home'," Sodhi told the
Sun newspaper about the new album.
 Sodhi was born in
Amritsar, and migrated to Canada with his family when he was just
eight. He grew up in Montreal singing temple music but was greatly
influenced by traditional French Canadian tunes. "I always had this
feeling that these songs (French Canadian tunes) resemble Punjabi
folk songs," he said. Sodhi is the leader of a four-member band
called Galitcha (tapestry), which has been performing since 1998.
He sings in Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi with explanations in English
and/or French.
 Since 1996, Sodhi has been building an ensemble which integrates
music with a strong North Indian footprint overlaid with influences
from western folk and jazz and instrumentation from around the
world. From heartfelt devotional and love songs, to compelling
lively dance tunes, Galitcha (meaning tapestry) takes audiences on a
musical journey from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other.
The songs are mainly sung in Punjabi, Urdu and Hindi with
explanations in English and/or French. Vocalists Kuljit Sodhi also
on dolki and Chris MacLean also on guitar, harmonium, dulcimer and
gopichand; Linsey Wellman on saxophone, flute and oboe; Shawn
Mativetsky on tabla, dhol and percussion; and Jeremy Moyer on
Chinese fiddles create a culturally diverse Canadian sound. But
Galitcha's performances are not just about the music. There is an
inspiring sense of devotion -- to the muse, to each other, to the
audience -- which is consistently part of their presence on and off
stage.
 Lambert is a member of a popular
Quebec folk group called La Bottine Souriante. He is best known as a
founding member of Québecois folk super-group La Bottine Souriante,
with whom he played thousands of concerts and television appearances
all over the world, from Québec and the rest of Canada to the US,
England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden
and Finland. The group's 11 albums, in which Yves participated not
only as a musician and vocalist but also as co-producer and
researcher, have sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide (some
going gold and platinum), and have won Felix Awards, Juno Awards and
various other distinctions. In 2002, he launched his solo career
with the album Les Vacances de M. Lambert (Mr. Lambert's
Holiday).
While
remaining a leading figure in traditional Québecois music, he has
sought to promote dialogue with the music of other cultures the
world over. Always exploring different paths, he brings his
audiences along for the ride, sweeping them up in his creative
enthusiasm and evocative performances.
27
February 2008
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