At 67 years old and with a career spanning nearly 50 years, Yves Lambert has no desire to slow down. “No retirement coming! Oh no!” launches the former pillar of the La Bottinesourise group (1976-2003) which has just launched Romance Paradis, an album celebrating the romance of traditional music from the 1930s.
“Having lots of projects is what keeps me alive. I don’t see any other way to do it. We are getting older, I still experience a certain urgency,” explains the colorful Yves Lambert with the enthusiasm and frankness that we know him to be.
Great romantic
The musician says he is in love with the 19th century and its great writers. For a while now, he has enjoyed delving into the history of music from the boom years of Montreal cabarets. It was during his research that he fell for the realistic song movement, including La Bolduc, here in Quebec.
This is why he chose to revisit seven pieces by local artists, from this era, on his new opus. A “more intellectual” album, perhaps? on which he offers his covers of songs by Odilon Rochon, Alfred Montmarquette, Conrad Gauthier, Hector Pellerin and the tenor Albert Marier.
About the Ukrainian Waltz, the only piece from an unknown source, he explains having chosen it out of sadness and solidarity with the victims of the war in Ukraine.
“Most of the songs are about heaven, and one is about death. The title, Romance Paradis, joins many states: my affection for romanticism, the human relationship with mourning, the desire for paradise at the end of our days and the whole universal level: paradise being the number one romance in the world,” explains the artist who surrounded himself with his fellow musicians Paul Audy (guitar and voice), Robin Boulianne (violin and voice) and Mathieu Royer (double bass and voice). The first two co-signed, with Yves Lambert, the production of the album.
Float rather than swing
The singer, who has been considered the standard-bearer of festive and traditional music in Quebec for decades, sees this new record as an indicator of the new avenues he wishes to take as an artist.
“I’ve been making the world swing for 50 years. These days, I want to float them. I’m getting older, my legs are less alert. I’m into romance. I’m not saying I won’t swing again, I love swinging! In performance, I do not disappoint, but the balance is also good,” he believes.
Yves Lambert believes that it is his authenticity and his playful side, preventing him from taking himself seriously, which has allowed him to create strong links and real proximity with the public over the years.
“I didn’t have much education, but I was a sociable guy who had an aptitude for music, and even more for the stage. I haven’t changed, I’ve stayed the same. On stage and off stage, I’m still just as crazy!” laughs the one who is preparing a 50th anniversary tour which will be called Yves Lambert from La Bottine to today.
The album Romance Paradis by Yves Lambert is now available.
2024-01-31 00:16:40
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