Montreal - A Summer's Night (1970/2008 Remastered Edition)
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Album: Montreal - A Summer's Night (Remastered Edition)
Released: 1970 (2008)
Genre: Psych-Folk, Jazz-, Prog-Rock
Gnosis Rating: 9.2
Fallout FOCD 2088
Produced by Richie Havens (who also contributes sitar), this lost classic was recorded in New York in 1970. Featuring Canadian musicians Fran Losier, Gilles Losier and Jean Cousineau, as well as leading jazz flautist Jeremy Steig, psych-folk legend Buzz Linhart and the Carolyn Hester Coalition's Skeeter Camera, it's a mesmerising collection of jazzy folk-psych.
Packed with glorious vocal harmonies and unforgettable melodies (culminating in the spellbinding acid folk masterpiece 'Infinity'), it makes its long-overdue CD debut here. - Fallout
This project led by canadian musicians Fran & Gilles Losier, Jean Cousineau was recorded in New York with the help of the four top US musicians Jeremy Steig, Buzz Linhart, Skeeter Camera and Richie Havens. The result is a beautiful folk album with occasional jazz and psych influences. Check the songs for one of the freshest version of "Summertime" and the dark "Infinity". - ProgNews
The reason this album exists traces back to Richie Havens, the man who single handedly opened Woodstock. He got the Canadian trio of vocalist Fran Losier, guitarist Jean Cousteau, and Gilles Losier on piano and bass into his New York studio with some well-known psych-folk locals, produced their lone record, and released it through his own Stormy Forest label. Havens even contributes a little sitar here and there, but A Summer’s Night doesn’t sound like Richie’s solo albums. Instead of intense acoustic strumming and gruff vocals, the emphasis here is more on head nodding Arlo Guthrie-like folk arrangements and a little lounge jazz. The cover of Gershwin’s “Summertime” even breaks out the old brushes on the drum kit. It’s a very subtle album, one whose depth is not fully revealed ‘til after several listenings. The mood throughout is quite subdued, with Fran’s Nico-ish, occasionally slightly masculine vocals leading the way. “Infinity” is the record’s opus, running its eight minutes through passages sparse and dense, reversed and reverberated, lyrical and emotional. All the pieces come together in that classy raga. However, patience was never a virtue of the American buying public and, in its time, the album sold poorly, contributing the eventual dissolution of Stormy Forest a few years later. Don’t let history repeat itself. Fairport Convention fans should find this in their collections immediately. - PopMatters
‘Montreal’ is a kind of support to some soft folkpsych song musicians from Montreal, Canada (Fran & Gilles Losier,and Jean Cousineau, on vocals, guitar and piano/bass), in cooperation with some New York musicians (production with Mark Roth of old folkie Richard Havens : on sitar, koto ; jazz flutist Jeremy Steig on flute ; Buzz Linhart on vibes and Skeeter Camera on percussion).
A strong point is the beautiful, first folkie voice of Fran Losier, who sings at first a few more sweet-happy romantic songs accompanied by various acoustic guitars, and with subtle arrangements of vibes, flute, and smooth percussion, a few times with a semi-Latin touch on congas (chachacha-alike). Then the mood becomes smoother and becomes jazz (the singing, piano, and double bass) (“Third Floor Walkup”). The first song on side B, “Every Passing Moment” features some sitar, rhythmically it is smooth-mellow jazz-pop with a bit of a jazz lounge Vibes. Also "Summertime" is covered, successfully, with another semi-Latin-jazzy acoustic guitar vibe (following a rhythmic variation within 5/4), swirling flute improvisations, double bass and electric jazz guitar, soft jazz percussion. “Round and Round” features some piano circles, and is a song led by piano this time. These songs sound more sad-sweet, and serious, while keeping the charming warm almost romantic soul in it intact. The last track, “Infinity” is the longest, most unusual track, starting off quietly improvised with double bass, guitar, bells, sitar, using also subtle reverb effects in the song, comes closer to the sound of Oriental Sunshine. A really beautiful album that deserves appreciation. - psychedelicfolk.com
"Indicative of the fine working ability of Canada's enthusiastic musicians is MONTREAL - the makers of the music you are about to hear.
Canadian musicians and performers have always been true to the gaiety of a Canadian summer and have the ability to use the long winter as a working tool. In our efforts to know a new kind of music and determine its influence upon the times and ourselves, we have yet to spend time really listening. This is listening music. Since man first began making sounds, there has been music to move the feet and music to move the mind. The music produced by these fine artists of today merge free-feeling music with words of importance. Although the nature of our situation will allow us to dance, these are still words to be heard.
Jean Cousineau's guitar will never cease to intrigue your imagination. Gilles Losier's piano and bass act as an organic rubber band, while his knowledge of sound will create other instruments from the one he is playing. Fran's voice will bring the sun in the mornings and set it many an evening in your home or pad or camp-out. Montreal is a place for all ages, and so is MONTREAL'S music. A necessary exoerience" - Richie Havens
1 What About the Wind? (02:28)
2 Summer's Night (03:37)
3 Circles and Lines (02:45)
4 Sometimes in Stillness (03:00)
5 Third Floor Walk-Up (05:30)
6 Every Passing Moment (02:59)
7 Summertime (04:11)
8 Round and Round (03:05)
9 Infinity (07:58)
Fran Losier - vocals
Jean Cousineau - guitar
Gilles Losier - piano / bass
Richie Havens - sitar / koto
Jeremy Steig - flute Buzz Linhart - vibes
Skeeter Camera - percussion
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