" It was primarily in Québec that progressive music from Europe took root in North America and flourished during the 1970's , resulting in the creation of some of the most unique music in the world. VEBB embodied the spirit of this creativity in an informal environment of friendship, collaboration, and freedom of expression. "
-Sean McFee, ProgresSon Music Inc ( excerpt from liner notes)
Formed primarily as a music workshop in a working class district of Montreal, Ville Emard Blues Band was a collaboration of up to 25 musicians pooling their musical talents and creative ideas together to form a collage encompassing elements of all the different styles of music which were prevalent in Québec during the early 70s. The musicians had an 'anything goes' approach , allowing the band to substitute musicians according the style of the song. Ranging from American R & B, funk, fusion, improvisational jazz, and British progressive rock; VEBB assimilated all these sounds and textures and created some of the best music La Belle Province has ever produced.
This musical workshop was also an area where many Québecois musicians could cut their teeth before moving on to other projects, some of which garnered more notoriety than VEBB. Musicians such as Bill Gagnon, Pierre Nadeau, Marcel Beauchamp, Christian St-Roch, and Michel Robidoux were all part of this group while playing with Québecois icon Robert Charlebois. VEBB was also home to members from better known progressive outfits such as Contraction, Tababou, and Harmonium.
The Complete VEBB 1973- 1975 encompasses all the music this band ever committed to tape; most of which was recorded live, thus giving the listener a chance to fully appreciate this musical juggernaut.As mentionned earlier, VEBB is right across the musical spectrum so there's definitely something for all tastes on this 2-CD set. Instrumental tracks are interspersed amidst vocal tracks, sung both in French and in English. This may not be the best Québecois band of all time but it could be argued that they were one of the most important. As Québecois were finding their own identity as a nation following La Revolution Tranquille of the 60's; bands like VEBB were a voice for a new people. This band also set certain firsts such as being the first Québecois band ever to headline the Montreal Forum. A new generation has picked up on this sound as VEBB members have tuned up their instruments once again, some of them joined by their offsprings to reform the band as VEBB Nouvelle Generation.
Any music fan with more than just a passing interest in the Québecois sound should pick this disc up. Great job by the folks of ProgresSon Music Inc in the remastering and packaging of this set. This is their first release ever and if it's an indication of future releases, this label will be well known in a hurry. As a final note I'd like to add the fact that ProgresSon's raison d'etre is not only to release lost gems from Québec, but to make sure that surviving band members are recognised and financially compensated for their talent. These guys are not just buying up the rights to songs and not cutting the band in. I think they should be applauded for their efforts.
Track Listing:
Disc I
- Intro
- Sousmis/Octobre (au mois de mai)
- Ville Emard Blues
- Comme Par Magie
- That Ain't No Way To Be
- Ste-Mélanie Blues
- Ode A Une Belle Inconnue
- A World Of Love ( Make Some Music)
- Kondy Donky
- Va T'en Vite
- Pixieland
- Indian Giver God
- City Music
- Poirots Névrosés
Disc II
- Strangle/ Solos De Batteries
- Yama Nekh
- You and Your Mother
- La Poutine A Ma Tante Anna
- In Our Loneliness
- Affaire C.S.R. vs Marlyle Killer & Stobert Ranley
- Where's Your Money
- Walter's Van
- La Machine Infernale
- Le Chemin
- Sleepy Teepy
- Secret Pour Pierre-Antoine
- Guess Who's Coming To Jam
- Yama Nekh ( single version)
- S'asseoir Dans Les Champs (single version)
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