The Conseil des arts de Montréal is proud to announce the Ensemble Alex Le Blanc (Alexandre Le Blanc) and the Greenhouse Ensemble (Christophe Magnan-Bossé) have been awarded the two Jazz Creation grants, each of which is $5,000. Made possible by a private donation, these grants advance the career of an artist, collective or non-profit organization by helping fund the creation, production and/or dissemination of a forthcoming jazz work.
Learn more about the 2021 edition’s winners!
Project: Aparté‘ by Ensemble Alex Le Blanc
This second album from Ensemble Alex Le Blanc will highlight themes like diversity in musical stylings and the democratization of jazz. By presenting readily accessible music without making any artistic compromises, the album sets a new standard that bridges the gap between traditional jazz and contemporary music.
Alexandre Le Blanc, a young composer brimming with talent and ambition, blends traditional jazz, New Orleans jazz, hard rock, the impressionist movement and modern jazz from here and elsewhere. With this artistic project, the musician aims to take his composing skills to the next level, create a unique sound and showcase the talents of his sextet and four special guests.
Project: A first album from Greenhouse Ensemble
This first album of original music will include seven instrumental pieces, each composed by a member of the ensemble and arranged by the group as a whole.
Greenhouse Ensemble is a modern jazz ensemble consisting of seven up-and-coming instrumentalists from Montreal who are known for their orchestral arrangements, eclectic compositions, varied repertoire and unusual instrumentation. Voice and violin, two instruments that are often shunned in jazz, take the spotlight. To maintain a degree of stylistic harmony between the instrumentalists, the group leaves lots of room for improvisation and allows each member to put their own twist on their colleagues’ compositions. The artistic direction consequently focuses on achieving that instrumental cohesion, creating a unique ensemble sound and giving contemporary jazz a whole new colour in the process.
Congratulations to these promising new artists. We look forward to seeing what they do next!
