Makusham! Florent Vollant and the OSM
Makusham! A gathering to share in music with generosity and joy: a celebration to the eternal heartbeat of the Teweikan. Musician-laureate of the Innu nation Florent Vollant welcomes to the stage two of the bright young stars of our current Indigeneous renaissance, multi-disciplinary Métis artist Moe Clark and innu artist Scott Pien Picard. Together with an intimate ensemble of OSM musicians, this concert explores the diverse musical heritages that animate the practice of this visionary group of contemporary artists.
With the singers Florent Vollant, Moe Clark, Scott Pien Picard
Ann Chow, violin
Sylvain Murray, cello
Nicolas Lapointe, marimba
Blair Thomson, composer
Florent Vollant
Innu author, composer and singer Florent Vollant was born in Labrador in 1959 and grew up on a reserve named Maliotenam, east of Sept-Îles. He began his musical career in the middle of the 80s and helped to create the Festival Innu Nikamu, which, since its founding, has brought together many musicians and singers from various Amerindian nations.
When Florent Vollant joined forces with Claude McKenzie, another young Innu, the duo Kashtin was born. From 1989 to 1995, the group recorded Kashtin, Innu and Akua Tuta, three albums which earned them four Félix awards
Florent Vollant has released five studio albums in career Nipaimianan, Katak, Mamu Eku, Puamuna and recently Mishta Meshkenu which appears the beautiful music video My blues pass pu in door.
During his career, Florent Vollant has won numerous awards and distinctions: Artist for Peace (1994), Juno for Niapiaminan (1999), Companion of Arts and Letters of Quebec (2017), Best Album and Best Artist - Puamuna at the Teweikan Gala (2017), Sodec European Jury Prize / Rideau Scholarship (2018), Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec's Gold Medal (2018).
