Electronic Presskit

Huu Bac Quintet
Skillfully combines his vietnamese and chinese heritages to north-american jazz music
Contact : QUACH PRODUCTIONS
huu_bac@hotmail.com
(+1)514.651.0145
HUU BAC QUINTET │GROUP PRESENTATION
In Montreal, november 2013, Huu Bac Quach performs his first
concert with his quintet skillfully combining his vietnamese and
chinese heritages to North American Jazz music.
Backed by a solid team of some of the most prominent musicians
on the up and coming Montreal jazz scene Huu Bac performs his
compositions inspired by his numerous travels in Asia, Europe and
South America. He is accompanied by Guillaume Martineau on
piano, Marie-Neige Lavigne on violin, Jean-Félix Mailloux on
upright bass and Etienne Mason on drums.
In concert, he charms a large public through the beauty and intensity of his musical pieces as well as through his impressive mastery of the dan bau (vietnamese monochord), the erhu (chinese
fiddle), the quena (andean flute) and the jazz guitar.
The Huu Bac Quintet delivers a true dialogue between Asian,
North and South American cultures in a contemporary, original and
unique way!
Huu Bac
Quintet
www.huubac.com
Huu Bac Quach
dan bau, erhu, quena, guitar
Guillaume Martineau
piano
Jean-Félix Mailloux
bass
Marie-Neige Lavigne
violin
Etienne Mason
drums
BIOGRAPHY
HUU BAC QUACH │ DAN BAU, ERHU, QUENA, GUITAR
Arrived in Quebec from Vietnam at age two, Huu Bac absorbs with great
enthusiasm life in his new homeland. His musical journey starts in Montreal (McGill University) with a sound foundation in jazz guitar. In 2002, he
discovers the beauty of the vietnamese monochord, the Dan Bau, under
the guidance of master Pham Duc Thanh. He works on traditional
repertoire all the while integrating western pieces. His curiosity for ancient
string instruments leads him to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music
where he learns the chinese fidlle, the Erhu.
Back in Montreal in 2006, he encounters renowned peruvian composer
Lucho Quequezana who invites him to a musical journey in Peru with the
group Sonidos Vivos. This intimate contact with afro-peruvian music and
music from the Andes is a source a inspiration in his artistic itinerary.
Learning to play the andean bambo flute, the Quena, Huu Bac expands
his talents of performer to a new instrument.
In 2009, he records for the show “Totem”, of Cirque du Soleil, and for
“Canotgraphie”, a show by artistic director Robert Lepage. In 2010, he
distinguishes himself as finalist for the “Montreal Arts Council Diversity
Award”. Recipient in 2011 and 2012 of a grant from the Canada Council
for the Arts as a composer, he is as well invited in 2011 to take part in the
festival “Africa-Asia Encounters”, in Paris.
Nourrished by his travels and encounters, he dedicates himself to the
composition and performance of a present day jazz music blending
eastern and western colours. The waters of the Mekong River flows
through his compositions, expressing his asian cultural heritage in the
North American backdrop.
In november 2013, he founded the Huu Bac Quintet, which has since
toured in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario, as well as garnered various
awards : “RIDEAU/ROSEQ Award 2014”, “Entrées en Scène Loto-Québec
2015-16”, “Stingray Rising Stars Award 2015”.
www.huubac.com
MEMBERS │ BIOGRAPHIES
GUILLAUME MARTINEAU │ PIANO
MARIE NEIGE LAVIGNE │ VIOLIN
Guillaume is a distinguished pianist for his creativity and versatility as
Marie Neige Lavigne earned her bachelor's degree in classical
a performer. Martineau was a student of legendary pianists Menahem
music performance at the University of Montreal in 2003. She
Pressler (Beaux-Arts Trio), Oliver Jones (Canadian Jazz legend)
performed for several years in different musical styles such as tango,
among many others. During Guillaume’s training as a classical
sefarad music, jazz, trad, world and classical. Invested in several
pianist, he studied under Richard Raymond, Anton Kuerti and Gilles
projects, she is a founding member of Cordâme, which is the winner
Manny. As a jazz pianist, Guillaume has studied with JoAnn Brackeen
of the OPUS award for Best Album : World Music in 2013. She is a
(ex-pianist of the Jazz Messengers) and Laszlo Gardony. After
member of Huu Bac Quintet, a jazz project using asian influences
completing his Bachelor of Music degree at l’Universite de Montreal,
which won many awards in 2014-2015. Since 2007, Marie Neige is
he received several awards including a grant from SSHRC (Social
leading a project called Maré in collaboration with guitarist Rémi
Sciences and Humanities Research Council), funding from Fonds
Giguère where she performs her compositions and those of Rémi.
québécois de recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC), and an
Since May 2005, she participates in a Jewish music show under the direction of Helen Engel. Together they recorded a
award from Yamaha Canada to complete a Master’s degree at McGill
University. Guillaume was the recipient of the Zambelli Award and North American Scholarship to complete a
cd called Voyage in 2007 and made two European tours in 2011 and 2012. She performed at Montreal International Jazz
Professional Diploma in Jazz from the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston.
to perform in multiple contexts with talented musicians : François Bourassa, Yanick Rieu, Michel Donato, Jacques Kuba
Guillaume was awarded the first prize at the Canadian Music Competition in 2009 and his career to-date includes soloist
Séguin, Henri Oppenheim, Jeff Kavanda (Belgium), Tuur Florizoone (Belgium), Robert Marcel Lepage, Jean Félix
performances with l’Orchestre Symphonique de Longueuil, la Sinfonia de Lanaudière, McGill Symphony Orchestra and
Mailloux, and many others. She has also done studio recordings for singer-songwriter such as: David Jalbert, Julie
l’Orchestre Philharmonique du Nouveau Monde. In a completely different context, we can also hear Guillaume on a
Rousseau, Frédérick Gary comeau, Vincent Julien and others. For Marie Neige, music is the best medium of
weekly basis on CIBL 101.5FM radio on his hour-long show of improvised music, “La Schubertiade des temps modernes”.
communication, passion she shares with both the public and her students. "Madame Lavigne ardently defends the colors
Guillaume’s career includes a history of performances on an international level in both jazz and classical music, in
of the boldness and subtlety." Serge Truffaut Le Devoir.
Festival in 2008 and 2012 with flutist François Richard New Orchestra. Her versatility and her taste for discovering led her
countries including France, Switzerland, Japan and the U.S. In Montreal, Guillaume has presented three piano
marathons, non-stop—reaching up to a length of twelve hours. Guillaume can also be heard on the feature film “Louis
Cyr”, performing the works of Chopin. He won the national award "Radio-Canada Jazz Revelations 2015-16".
www.guillaumemartineau.com
ETIENNE MASON │ DRUMS
Having been playing drums for more than 15 years,
JEAN FÉLIX MAILLOUX │ DOUBLE-BASS
Etienne Mason is a drummer who's main objectives are
originality, creativity and musicality. He first started
Jean Félix has a Bachelor in Music from the University of Montreal. He studied double
studying drums in a pop context at Cegep Lionel-Groulx
bass with Marc Denis (classical), Michel Donato and Frédéric Alarie (jazz),
and then moved on to jazz when arriving at McGill
composition with Hughes Leclair, José Evangelista and Christopher Smith and
University thus permitting him to mix various styles of
improvisation with Jean Derome and Jean-Marc Bouchard. Jean Félix produces,
music and be able to accompany various bands from jazz
composes, arranges and plays double bass on a variety of projects including
to rock to world and electronic music. He has won the title
Cordâme, which produced four cds, the 3rd one: Lieux imagines won an OPUS prize
of « Instrumentalist of the Year » in 2013 in the Jazz En
for best record: world music, the Jean Félix Mailloux Trio which produced the cd
Aurores Boréales and Bomata a trio that produced two acclaimed cd and toured a lot
around Quebec and Ontario. Jean Félix is also a member of the multiple prizes
winner Huu Bac Quintet and the Damian Nisenson Trio, which won the Best
Performance Prize at the 2006 Montreal OFF Jazz Festival. Jean Félix also
composed music for film, theatre and dance. He is a regular studio musician for
composer Robert M. Lepage.
www.jeanfelixmailloux.com
Rafale contest for up and coming jazz bands and has participated in many different Jazz Festivals : International Jazz Festival of Montreal, Festi-Jazz Rimouski, Festi-Jazz de
Tremblant ; World Music Festivals : Festival des Traditions du Monde de Sherbrookde, Hamilton World Music Festival ;
song festivals : Festival International de la Chanson de Granby, les Francouvertes ; and other various music showcases
Canada. At the moment, Etienne is doing creative research in the development of adding guitar effect pedals to the drum
kit to open up the sound-scape possibilities.
“The founder, Huu Bac Quach,...isn't shy to infuse North
American accents, in a harmonious blend of cultures.”
Ronald Martel - La Presse - LaTribune
“Huu Bac Quach, an artist to keep an eye on.”
Yves Bernard - Le Devoir
“Huu Bac Quintet,…, blew us away with his dynamysm,
talent, humour and his creativity.”
PRESS QUOTES
“Huu Bac Quach, a musician versed in using
MANY instruments… Impressive was Huu Bac's
dexterity using varying instruments…”
Marlon Regis - The Huffington Post
“Huu Bac Quintet, a groupe lead by an original and
audacious composer-performer,..., a musical journey
where originality flirts with eclecticism....”
Éric Dumais - La Bible Urbaine
Marie-Josée Boucher - Info-Culture
“The balance between jazz and asian influences
reminded us of the harmony between nature’s elements...”
Alexandre Faille- La Tribune, Sherbrooke
“The show of Huu Bac Quintet is original.
The ancestral asian touch brings a nice element to jazz,
a more contemporary muscial style. A group to discover…”
Reine Côté - Nord Info & Voix des Mille-Iles
“...a nuanced and well rounded performance,...”
Anne-Frédérique Hébert-Dolbec - Journal Métro - Le Messager
“Rich and complex harmonies leading
us to a reassuring unknown territory...”
Joëlle Desjardins- Nord Info
AWARDS
2015-2016 Tour
2015
RISING STARS AWARD
RIDEAU/ROSEQ Award 2014
Contact : QUACH PRODUCTIONS
huu_bac@hotmail.com
(+1)514.651.0145
www.huubac.com
Graphic design : Milagros Bouroncle
Photos : Noelle Garnier, Loto-Québec, Claudia Cordoba Zignago, Victor Peterson
Texts : Marie-Lise Kirouac