Guy Bélanger – Voyages & Other Stories
Disques Bros. 22301
11 songs – 50 minutes
A star in Canada since the mid-‘70s, Quebec City-based Guy Bélanger didn’t debut on record as a front man until 2008, but he’s proven to be one of the most stylish harmonica players on the planet. Always emotive and sweet while performing pyrotechnic-free, his chops have never been better than on this disc, the seventh in his catalog.
Guy’s a multiple harp player of the year in the prestigious Maple Blues Awards, and he’s best known to American audiences through his tours with West Coast multi-instrumentalist Bob Welsh, acoustic guitar master Doug MacLeod, Celine Dion and others. His 2017 CD, Traces & Scars, was selected by ADISQ, the non-profit that supports Quebec’s independent artists, as its instrumental album of the year.
Eight of the 11 tracks on this one are originals that are true blue with elements of funk and folk, and all of his work is full of rich, cinematic arrangements – several of which are instrumentals — that deliver far more azure treatments than the usual one-four-five format.
In addition to demonstrating his fluid work on the reeds throughout, Bélanger also delivers vocals on three of the tracks, and Sylvie Desgroseillers and Nanette Workman make guest appearances on the mic for two others. They’re backed by Rob MacDonald on guitar and dobro, Michel Dufour on percussion and Marc-André Druoin and Alec McElcheran on bass along with Bruce Cameron on keys and Claude Fradette on guitar, weissenborn and kalimba for a few cuts each.
The instrument “Bayou’s Ride,” a stylish reverie with Gulf Coast overtones, percolates to the open, providing space for MacDonald to shine as he trades riffs with Bélanger throughout. Most of the remaining numbers — beginning with Nina Simone’s “Do I Move You,” which follows – glide effortlessly forward at an unrushed pace. A strong Chicago-style feel propels that one as Desgroseillers delivers the lyrics in a manner that would have mind while Guy’s steady, unvarnished harp runs play counterpoint to the words.
“Kilimandjaro,” which pays tribute to the mountain while misspelling its name, soars slowly as it also honors one of Bélanger’s close friends who’s exhibited courage in the face of unspoken adversity. It yields to a brief, heavy drumbeat, which opens an uptempo, instrumental version of Jimmy Hall’s “Duck Soup” and gives listeners an opportunity to hear Guy at his bluesy best. McElcheran joins the roster for the first of four tunes for “How Do You Do It,” providing rhythm and vocals for his own composition. It expresses wonderment at a friend’s ability to overcome obstacles as easily as the person does.
The mood changes dramatically for “Nieve,” an slow-paced, lush number that slowly picks up tempo mid-tune before settling down once more. It flows into the ballad “No One Else,” which features Bélanger’s pleasant mid-range voice for the first of three consecutive tunes, and “I Can’t Make You Love Me” before he delivers a relaxed version of Slim Harpo’s “King Bee.” The lush instrumental, “The Sun Will Rise,” provides a little light during a time of trouble before Workman joins forced to deliver “Au Bout du Chemin,” a number that appeared in the movie Vivre à 100 Miles à L’Heure by Guy’s movie director brother, Louis.
If your tastes run to the classier side of blues, this is it. Enjoy!
