Flûte Passion : Claude Bolling – Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio Nadia Labrie, Jonathan Turgeon, Dominic Girard, Bernard Riche

• Claude Bolling (1930 - 2020): Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio
• 1Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Baroque and Blue05:53
• 2Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Sentimentale08:42
• 3Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Javanaise05:10
• 4Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Fugace03:51
• 5Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Irlandaise03:25
• 6Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Versatile05:47
• 7Bolling: Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio: Véloce04:01
• Total Runtime36:49

Info for Flûte Passion : Claude Bolling – Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio

For her ATMA Classique debut, flutist Nadia Labrie presents the Suite for flute and jazz piano trio by Claude Bolling (1930-2020), the iconoclastic French composer whose series of flute suites has become emblematic of jazz-classical crossover music.

Alongside Jonathan Turgeon (piano), Dominic Girard (double bass) and Bernard Riche (drums), Nadia Labrie dives into Bolling’s playful, jazzy musical universe with the first digital volume, culminating in the release of a box set in 2025 featuring Bolling’s two Suites for flute and jazz piano trio and the Picnic Suite.

In an 1982 interview with the New York Times, Bolling asserted that “what people say the music is, or is not, does not disturb me. I have no pretension of inventing anything. I’m not writing pieces that are very concerned with the aesthetics of music, or with presenting the image of genius. I am only writing music for fun. I try to maintain a certain level of taste and quality, of course. But my main purpose is to make the musicians happy, and if possible, to make the audience happy too.”

Moving out of my comfort zone and taking on new challenges: that was my frame of mind before embarking on this major project to record the complete works for flute and jazz piano trio by Claude Bolling. As Jean-Pierre Rampal had experienced in his time, I too had never had the occasion to play with jazz musicians before. Bolling’s work provided me with the possibility of exploring a new type of musical ensemble, and I was delighted with the opportunity! I recall with gratitude uncle Martin Painchaud who, by humming the opening bars of Baroque and Blue to me at family gatherings, finally convinced me to embrace this fascinating project and the new adventure it offered. Before taking the plunge, however, I needed to come to grips with music unfamiliar to me. It was after the release of my album Flûte Passion: Mozart that I took it upon myself to intensively analyze Claude Bolling’s scores and listen to his recordings while walking little Mozart, my dog! After doing this for a while, I heard and viscerally felt how I would interpret this music, which had conquered the world back in the 1970s and 1980s. What now remained was to find musicians equal to the task; this proved to be a real challenge, for the mix of classical and jazz styles calls for a rare combination of solid classical technique and great improvisational ability. Bernard was the first musician I contacted following harpist Valérie Milot’s kind introduction. After discussing my needs and musical vision, Bernard then introduced me to Dominic and Jonathan who completed the jazz trio. From the very first rehearsal, I was thrilled, and the project was born. I dedicate this series of albums to my husband, Jeannot Painchaud, and my children, Alicia and Samuel, who are my source of courage and inspiration in moments of doubt. And to all, I wish happy listening and the finest of rediscoveries of this fabulous music! (Nadia Labrie)

Nadia Labrie, flute
Jonathan Turgeon, piano
Dominic Girard, double bass
Bernard Riche, drums

Nadia Labrie
Before obtaining her master’s degree from the Université de Montréal, Nadia Labrie graduated from the Conservatoire de musique du Québec with First Class Honours and Great Distinction. As a soloist, she has appeared with orchestras on several occasions, performing Mozart’s Concerto No. 2 and Concerto for Flute and Harp; Devienne’s Concerto No. 7; Concerto Tradiciónuevo for flute, guitar, and orchestra by Patrick Roux (a Canadian commission); Fantaisie brillante sur “Carmen” by François Borne and his adaptation of Pablo de Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Orchestre classique de Montréal, Arion Baroque Orchestra, the Kamloops Symphony (B.C.), and the Orchestre symphonique de l’Estuaire. She served as principal flute with the Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra for two years, touring the world with such renowned soloists as Anne-Sophie Mutter and James Ehnes, under the direction of numerous eminent conductors, including Kurt Masur, Yoav Talmi, and Franz-Paul Decker. Since 1998, Nadia and her twin sister Annie Labrie have performed as the duo Simila, which has been cited as “the best flute and guitar duo” by the UK’s Classical Guitar magazine. Together, they have released four albums on the Analekta label, of which Nota del Sol won the Félix Award for Instrumental Album of the Year at the 2004 ADISQ Gala. Since its formation, the duo has gained international renown, performing over 500 concerts in 13 countries. In 2018, Labrie released her album Flûte Passion : Schubert, in 2020, Flûte Passion : Bach, and in 2021, Flûte Passion : Mozart, which was nominated for Classical Album of the Year at the 2021 ADISQ Gala. Labrie was awarded the Governor General’s Academic Medal for Excellence during her college studies. She also served as a judge for the Canadian Music Competition and was honoured with the distinction of Relève citoyenne by the lieutenant governor of Quebec and the president of Celebrations Canada, Marc Garneau. Having developed a strong interest in early flutes in recent years, she has honed the art with the renowned Claire Guimond.

Booklet for Flûte Passion : Claude Bolling – Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio