09/23/2023
Storvan/An deiziou kaer/Keltia Musique/1996
Personnel:
Christian LeMaitre: violin and guitar
Franck Le Bloas: bouzouki and bass pedal
Herve Guillo: wooden flute
Christian Faucheur: bombard and low whistle
An deiziou kaer (which means “Springtime” or “Beautiful Days” in Breton) was the second recording from the group Storvan in the late ’90s and a benchmark recording for this reviewer. Coming with a slight change in personnel (Christian LeMaitre replacing Frédéric Samzun on violin) several years after their first, more simply produced recording Digor N’ Abadenn, it represented a quantum shift in presentation for Breton music. An deiziou kaer combined a variety of sonic textures in a pleasing aesthetic whole with powerful, complex arrangements and superior production. It also provided a bit of a surprise popular hit with the tune Ar Biniou. After not listening to the disc for quite some time I revisited it recently with special interest in seeing how it would compare to modern releases and the ever-expanding envelope of stylistic influences, production technology and sounds in Breton music. Did it hold up? It did!
This disc has all of the elements that compel my interest in Breton music: hypnotic and exciting dance rhythms and haunting, sinuous melodies interwoven with varied harmonies, all beautifully arranged and played. While lacking some of the ‘innovative’ antics of today’s bands, the arrangement of LeMaitre’s fiddle, the unique, intricate bouzouki of Le Bloas, the thick tone of Guillo’s solid and always perfectly fitted flute parts and the incredible articulation and drive of Christian Faucher’s epic bombard solos are still nothing short of stunning. An deizou kaer is always effortlessly mesmerizing and tasteful in a way that many current bands can only wish for. Honestly, every aspect of this recording is superior to the majority of what is being produced today, as this is not an especially golden age for recordings of almost any genre due to the corrosive effect of streaming services.
Discs published by Keltia Musique do not typically suffer from poor production values and that is most certainly the case here. This recording in particular presents itself as a whole; a recognizable soundscape that ebbs and flows, charges and gallops in a way that has allowed it to remain intriguing after many repeat listens over the years. Storvan still perform very occasionally, with guests filling in for the late Le Bloas, who left us in 2021. 2023 saw a return to a regular performance schedule, with the return of Frédéric Samzun on violin and young guitarist Erwan Moal stepping in as the stringed instrument player.
-Fañch
Storvan 2023! Storvan returns after a decades-long hiatus, with original violinist Frédéric Samzun and new guitarist Erwan Moal.