Alizé (pronounced ah-lee-ZAY) is a trio based in Ithaca, New York, whose focus is the traditional music of Brittany (the Celtic region of France) and Central France. They have just released their first CD, Le Canard perdu.

Alizé’s member’s are: Gordon Bonnet on flutes, recorder, percussion and vocals, Laurie Hart on fiddle, French hurdy gurdy (vielle à roue) and Swedish keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa) and Julia Lapp on guitar, percussion and vocals

From driving dance tunes and sweet Breton airs, to songs in French poignant or humorous, Alizé brings the centuries-old traditions of France to life, occasionally tossing an Irish reel or Spanish waltz into the mix.  Alizé is available to play concerts, for French or couple dancing, and to lead music and dance workshops.

Gordon Bonnet is a wind player and singer from Trumansburg, New York.  Born in Louisiana of French and Acadian heritage, he has played concert flute for thirty years, and received classical training in Seattle, Washington.  He has always had an interest in diverse styles of folk music, and was part of the Celtic quartet Tarradiddle from 1983 to 1992.  He was the flutist and lead vocalist on Tarradiddle’s 1989 recording By Roses Circled Round, and performed with that group at the Seattle Folklife Festival five years in a row.  In addition, he has given private instruction in classical flute and Celtic penny-whistle.  Since moving to New York, he has expanded his repertoire into Balkan and French music, and has incorporated the recorder, Irish (wooden) flute, and penny-whistle into his performances.  He has performed locally as part of the quartet Shepherd’s Pie, playing songs and tunes from the Celtic lands and Eastern Europe.  His latest project is learning the bagpipes!

Julia Lapp started playing violin in Corning NY as a child.  Since then she’s had a variety of musical incarnations. In Fairbanks, Alaska, she played fiddle with the contra dance band Celtic Confusion, and travelled the state with a Cajun band called Rouxbaboo.  In Portland, Oregon, she focussed her attention on her first love, guitar, and played electric guitar and bass with the all-female rock band June Cleavage, as well as Euro-folk with the Selkies.  While in Portland she discovered the music of Brittany, and on returning to Ithaca was thrilled to find musical soul-mates in Gordon and Laurie.  Her latest project is learning the accordion!

Laurie Hart specializes in Celtic, Québécois, Scandinavian, French and American dance music, and she also plays Swedish nyckelharpa and Norwegian Hardanger fiddle. She has performed since 1986 at contradances, concerts, festivals and dance weekends across the U.S. and Canada. Her fourth and latest recording is Cobbler’s Dream / Le Rève du cordonnier, with Québec guitarist Paul Marchand.  Laurie collected tunes in Québec in the 1990s, and wrote a book about the fiddle and accordion tradition, Danse ce soir!, published by Mel Bay.  She was the recipient of a 2002 Fulbright Award to study the music and dance of Norway and Sweden, and wrote extensively about Norwegian music for Fiddler Magazine.  Laurie attended Eastman School of Music as a violin major, and began teaching fiddle in 1990. She is now in demand as a fiddle teacher for children and adults, and has taught at Ashokan Northern Week and at Suzuki institutes around the Northeast.  Her latest project is learning the French hurdy gurdy!

ADAPTED FROM http://web.mac.com/lauriehart/Alize/Alize.html
SEE ALSO http://wvbr.com:9010/index.php?page=bfg

JACK WILLIAMS WINS BEST OF BOUND FOR GLORY AWARD

Between sets of the October 19th live broadcast of WVBR’s Bound For Glory, host and founder Phil Shapiro announced that the excellent Southern singer, songwriter, and guitarist JACK WILLIAMS has won the Tenth Annual Best of Bound for Glory Award. The award recognizes fans’ favorite from the recently concluded 41st season of this Sunday night Ithaca, NY staple. Bound for Glory is North America’s longest running live folk concert broadcast. It is broadcast live on WVBR-FM 93.5 and 105.5, on line at http://wvbr.com .

The Friends of Bound for Glory have honored a newcomer to Ithaca this year. Jack Williams’ first and only trip to Ithaca was his Bound for Glory performance of last May. Williams hails from West Fork, Arkansas, and most frequently travels the Southern and Western states, with only an occasional foray into the Northeast. But his reputation travels before him. Host Phil Shapiro says “Jack Williams is one of the most eclectic singer songwriters going. You can hear both the white and black musical traditions in his writing. You can hear country, you can hear blues, you can hear jazz. He’s a poet who knows how to write simply. And he’s a remarkable, magical performer, with graceful good humor, and a hot guitar style.

I wanted to get Jack Williams on the Bound for Glory show for several years. I’d ask other folk music presenters the question ‘Who’s Good?’, and it was amazing how many times Jack Williams’ name came up. So I got ahold of some of his music, and, you know, they’re right.”
Shapiro caught Williams at home in rural Arkansas, on a rare quiet day, right before his departure for a long tour to the Pacific coast and back. When told that he had won the Best of Bound for Glory award, he said that he was glad he hadn’t known that he was in a contest. “Well, I’m thrilled. That’s just great”, he said. “I’m so glad they enjoyed the music that much.”

When told about the voting, and that the winners of the Best of Bound for Glory award read like a Who’s Who of the North American folk music world, Williams added “Well, I’ve seen who has played for you in the past and I’m thrilled to be in that company.”

He also offered “I’ve come away telling people about your show, and tell ‘em they should at least seek you out somewhere, whether it’s internet radio or in person.”

Jack Williams’ musical career dates to the 1950’s, when he played in both jazz and rock bands. His career as a folk singer-songwriter slowly took over, and he has been touring ever since. He is especially fond of doing House Concerts, playing up close and personal in someone’s living room to a gathering of friends.

Shapiro added that “we do 33 live folk concert broadcasts every year. This year, 26 of the 33 shows got votes for the Best of Bound for Glory award. I think that means that we’re doing something right. The members of the Friends of Bound for Glory have excellent taste. Every one of the 10 award winners is just remarkable.”

Phil Shapiro brought the concept of a live folk concert broadcast with him when he moved to Ithaca in 1967, putting folk and acoustic musicians on the air almost immediately. The format, a folk concert in three sets with a live audience held on 33 Sundays every year, has been creating magic well into it’s 42nd year. These concerts have featured some of the most renowned voices in American, Canadian, and European folk music. This year’s Best of Bound for Glory winner joins the illustrious ranks of Bill Staines, Garnet Rogers, Le Vent du Nord, Chris Smither, Y*ALL, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Tanglefoot, Mustard’s Retreat, and Small Potatoes. Taken together the winners highlight the quality and diversity of top notch performers on the folk music scene.

Bound for Glory’s 42nd year continues on October 26th with Ithaca’s own Alize, playing the music of Brittany and France. On November 2nd, Bound for Glory presents none other than Phil Shapiro himself and his musical partner Carrie Shore. Upcoming shows include Sparky and Rhonda Rucker on November 9th, Jack Hardy and David Massengill on November 16th, and past winners of the Best of Bound for Glory award Small Potatoes on November 23rd. The final live show of the season is December 7th with Lissa Schneckenburger and her Band.

For more information about the Best of Bound for Glory award, the Friends of Bound for Glory, or other upcoming Bound for Glory events view their web site at wvbr.com, email bfg@wvbr.com, or phone Phil Shapiro at 607-844-4535. For more information about Jack Williams, try jackwilliamsmusic.com .