The origins of the group
In 1974 was born the musical collective "Le Grand Rouge", popular music group around fifteen musicians from the folk-club La Chanterelle in Lyon. He works primarily in the first instance in the village fairs and political parties in the Lyon area and then quickly in Auvergne and Limousin. It is indeed in these two regions, with forays en Bresse and Ardèche and Morvan, or it will set up any important work of collectage that the group will draw most of the terms of his music. In 1976 the Great Red occupation is formed with fiddler Olivier Durif the cabrettaire Eric Montbel, the vielleux Pierre Imbert and the old fiddlers Slap Galoche, Christian Oller.
The first album
Shortly after its foundation, Le Grand Rouge sign in Cezame and released his first album. A dominant instrumental, it consists of a sample of dances (mazurkas, marches, and stuffed branles), from collections or collectages and limited to areas of the Centre and the Haute-Loire, which is fairly standard among groups Lyon. Conscripts songs add a companion song telling the story of a paper from Angoulême ("This is a Picard") and the tragic evocation of the Beautiful in the tower, confined by her father for having " unloved ". Note for the latter, the simple accompaniment of Bruno de la Salle harp Crystal. The brilliant and very original style of the old Peter Imbert game and Eric Montbel bagpipe technique attract attention. Work on fiddler Massif Central is here a decisive Durif illustration with Olivier and Christian Oller. Although less known than their colleagues in the Bamboche, the musicians of the Great Red turn many in the Lyon area where they have a real reputation. They are also in demand by the organizers of folk festivals: the summer of 1977, they are found in Saint-Georges-sur-la-Prée in Saint-Florent-sur-Cher, Saint-Chartier in Sainte-Livrade , etc. Our musicians are all manifestations.
The second album
Traverser Du Pays comes out in 1979 in France. This second album will be an event in the world of folk. More sophisticated musical and vocal point of view, Le Grand Rouge offers us, in addition, some compositions like "Parlons d'aimer " (text and music by Le Grande Rouge). This song expresses "the plight of the musician that rolls every morning and evening for a few tunes, few choruses" and the benefits of cohabitation: "Let's talk about love, not to marry." Words, therefore, well in line with the mentality of the time, the hour when one criticizes the folk living beyond its time. Neither sun nor moon is a composition of Eric, in which is discussed on the traditional way, the theme of repression: "If I am caught is my fault, have failed to keep quiet enough, [. ..], having spoken on the government instead of Vienna. " For the rest, many traditional tunes Corrèze (like this Bourrée of Trech interpreted several violins), Auvergne, Limousin, sometimes accompanied by traditional songs in French or local dialect, occupy the beaches. Pride of place is, again, devoted to Eric Montbel, who stars in "Nos la tenem" the chabrette. It is, in short, a varied and interesting disc, attended by traditional musicians from Corrèze and Toulouse.
New line-up
At the end of 1979, a new formation of the Great Red sees the day when Jean-Pierre Champeval (violin) and Jean-Michel Ponty (violin, hurdy-gurdy, keyboards), already on the second disc Cross Country, will replace Christian Oller. The music of Le Grande Rouge changing quite dramatically to a more creative music or sound and traditional themes are mixed with themes and works of different musicians of the group, serving an aesthetic that will sustainably influence the music together " Centre-France ". They then participate in numerous festivals in France and abroad. The group will separate at the end of 1981.
After Le Grand Rouge
Today, Eric Montbel and Christian Oller continue to make music, Olivier Durif is director of the traditional music of Limousin Center (which does not prevent him from continuing an artistic career). Pierre Imbert, installed several years in Canada, died suddenly of a heart attack in August 2001, Jean-Pierre is Champeval luthier in Liege in Belgium and continues to play with Olivier Durif, Jean-Michel Ponty is now a teacher art school.
Founding members
Olivier Durif: violin, accordion, vocals
Pierre Imbert: hurdy gurdy, guitar, mandolin, mandola, tambourine, vocals
Eric Montbel: bagpipes, laud, chabrette, musette-Béchonnet, spruce, hurdy-gurdy, flutes, clarinet, vocals
Christian Oller: violin, spruce, guitar, concertina, drums, vocals.
Tracklist:
1. Parlons d'aimer 2:30
2. Ni soleil ni lune - Polka du père Frédéric 4:49
3. Nos la tenem - La zaï 3:29
4. Les Réveillez 6:05
5. Céline 3:08
6. Le vicaire 3:46
7. La fille du geôlier 5:20
8. Bourrée du Trech 3:24
9. Traverser du pays - Dans l'emprison - Branle carré 6:45