2008 Woodie Awards
Sweet Melodies with a Twist
Briana Carter
Issue date: 3/2/07 Section: Entertainment
Imagine you are in Paris during the 1920s, dancing to the sounds of Parisian Musette. With a mixture of jazz and swing from the United States and many influences from Italy, Spain, Hungary and Romania, the sweet melody of Musette has taken over your soul. Acoustic trio Manège à Trois not only allows you to imagine it, but actually live it through their sounds of Parisian Musette.
On Sunday, March 18 at 7 p.m., Manège à Trois will help open the Tournées French Film Festival at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport. For the second year in a row, Salve Regina University will host the French Film Festival.
The festival will feature six new French films March 18 to March 29, focusing on topics of love, relationships and wine. All screenings are free and open to the public.
Led by French acoustic guitarist and songwriter Bertrand Laurence, Manège à Trois is also comprised of Suzi Lee on the accordion and Marc Chênevert on clarinet.
Based in Providence, RI, the trio has made a name for themselves with their unique sound of French and American music intertwined to deliver the sensation of early jazz, blues and swing music.
Bertrand Laurence began his career after leaving Paris, France to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. At that time, no one was interested in acoustic blues, so Laurence concluded that blues would no longer be a popular art form.
It wasn't until after Laurence played his music while working as a counselor at the Pine Street Inn, Boston's largest homeless shelter, that he realized how powerful blues really could be. He noticed positive changes in the residents and noted how moved they were by the music. From there, Laurence reminded himself why he came to the United States, to play the blues.
Soon after, Laurence started playing at Cambridge's original House of Blues and other clubs all over town, which led to festival appearances such as the Quincy Blues Festival, L'Air du Temps (Boston), the Chet Atkins Festival (Nashville, Tenn.) and Le Festival International de la Lousiane (Lafayette, La.).
Since then, he has also recorded several CD's, including instrumentals and songs, solos and band tracks, and lyrics in French and English, which display what Laurence's music is really about.
For more information about Bertrand Laurence and Manège à Trois: www.bertrandlaurenece.com
For more information about the Tournées French Film Festival: www.salve.edu/frenchfilm
On Sunday, March 18 at 7 p.m., Manège à Trois will help open the Tournées French Film Festival at the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport. For the second year in a row, Salve Regina University will host the French Film Festival.
The festival will feature six new French films March 18 to March 29, focusing on topics of love, relationships and wine. All screenings are free and open to the public.
Led by French acoustic guitarist and songwriter Bertrand Laurence, Manège à Trois is also comprised of Suzi Lee on the accordion and Marc Chênevert on clarinet.
Based in Providence, RI, the trio has made a name for themselves with their unique sound of French and American music intertwined to deliver the sensation of early jazz, blues and swing music.
Bertrand Laurence began his career after leaving Paris, France to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. At that time, no one was interested in acoustic blues, so Laurence concluded that blues would no longer be a popular art form.
It wasn't until after Laurence played his music while working as a counselor at the Pine Street Inn, Boston's largest homeless shelter, that he realized how powerful blues really could be. He noticed positive changes in the residents and noted how moved they were by the music. From there, Laurence reminded himself why he came to the United States, to play the blues.
Soon after, Laurence started playing at Cambridge's original House of Blues and other clubs all over town, which led to festival appearances such as the Quincy Blues Festival, L'Air du Temps (Boston), the Chet Atkins Festival (Nashville, Tenn.) and Le Festival International de la Lousiane (Lafayette, La.).
Since then, he has also recorded several CD's, including instrumentals and songs, solos and band tracks, and lyrics in French and English, which display what Laurence's music is really about.
For more information about Bertrand Laurence and Manège à Trois: www.bertrandlaurenece.com
For more information about the Tournées French Film Festival: www.salve.edu/frenchfilm
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