Qwaarn more than a band....
Launched in January, 2004, at the initiative of drummer François Bernatchez, the musical formation Qwaarn proposes a musical epic entirely in progressive rock, an interplanetary voyage lived through Qwaarn, the story’s main character.
Qwaarn is also a “group in progress” whose members are fluid, appearing according to the musical needs of the piece they are working on. Several of them are active in other groups or are working on solo projects. The varied backgrounds and the fluidity of the musicians also enriches the sound and musical landscape of this group with its unusual way of operating.
In the two concept albums of Qwaarn can be found highly imaged musical networks that melt into a space-time continuum that unites science fiction and pathetic reality.
Surrounded from the start by Martin Bleau on the guitar and Daniel Bernatchez (brother of François) on the keyboard, the trio rapidly put together its first album, The Word of Qwaarn, which appeared at the end of 2004. They were joined for the taping by Stéphane D. (Mélia, Sens…) on bass and Mathieu Lessard (Dagmahr) who supplied vocals.
In 2005, enthusiastic over their first experience, a new two-part session of musical work and research began. First, the keyboard player, Robert Bériau, and the bassist, Daniel Bouchard, joined Martin and François, in drafting ten new compositions while Daniel Bernatchez, Stéphane D. and Mathieu Lessard drifted on to other projects.
Subsequently Didier Berthuit, author, composer and perfomer, also joined the group. Other than the song’s melodies, he’s been involved in writing all the arrangements and in deconstructing and restructuring the ten pieces of the new album. At the same time, Robert Bériau and Daniel Bouchard, also left the formation for solo projects.
By 2006, the musicians were in studio taping their second project.
If the first album was influenced by groups like Genesis, etc, the second turned towards the pop and rock of the 60s and 70s. You’ll note influences from the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Tears for Fear, etc., as well as a touch of classical music. Its progressive rock had become, in a way, sort of “pop-gressive”. The emotions of the dramatic passages make this second album an artistic tapestry that is rich, singular, and unusual with lyrical and dramatic accents proving the only limits to creativity are those imposed upon it.
At the present time, six musicians and friends present the fruit of this labour on stage:
Antoine Bernatchez, guitar
François Bernatchez, drums
Didier Berthuit, vocals
Martin Bleau, guitar
Guy Brindamour, bass
Mathieu Chamberland, keyboard
