Name of producing station: CKUT
Name of producer: Donovan Thorimbert
Short bio of producer (1 paragraph, 250 max words):
Donovan is a hardworking up and comer in the field of multi-media productions. He grew up in
Northern Saskatchewan where he studied in the french immersion program. His interest in music
and language prospered when he began studying languages and linguistics at the University of
Saskatchewan. He graduated in 2010 with a major in Russian. He spent several months abroad in
Russian and other Eastern European countries where he pushed his language skills to colloquial
excellence.
Donovan's main focus though is music. At an early age he studied piano and sang in a boys
choir. When he entered his teens he took up the guitar and began recording himself on the
family tape recorder. He spent many quiet evenings alone in his bedroom recording his
compositions if not for distribution, at least to create a record. He formed several bands over the
years and played the bass guitar in the high school band and jazz band.
He formed several bands and has been recording in the studio and live for a decade since high
school. He just released an Ep under his solo folk project based in Montreal called 'Avalon
Blue'. He is currently enrolled in the Graduate Diploma of Communication studies at Concordia
University. He is starting a career in sound processing and composing soundtracks for
commercials and for film.
1-2 Sentence description of the show:
This show is all about French Canadian Music. It profiles different cultures of music and how
those cultures came to be.
Longer description of show/content (500 word max, to go on website -please provide
shortened detail on each information update or audio capsule):
This show is all about French Canadian Music. It profiles different cultures of music and how those
cultures came to be. Each audio capsule features a different cultural phenomenon. The first one is about
Ernest Gagnon and a song he popularized called 'A la Claire Fontaine'. It is a well known Canadian song.
The episode about 'Acadian Music' tells about the history of the Acadian people which leads into how
music has always been very important to them. This episode features a song by La Famillie Arsenault
called 'Un P'tit Coup'.
The Episode about Louis Riel and the Metis people tells a little about the life of Riel. The song playing is
called 'Chanson de Riel' and it is performed by Gaspard Jeanotte.
The episode about Felix Leclerc tells about what is known as 'La Chanson du Quebec'. The episode
reveals that he composed music for theater and the song that is featured in this piece is called 'Le P'tit
Bonheur' which was composed for a play.
The Fransaskoi episode introduces the francophone community of Saskatchewan. It features a song by a
well known Fransaskoi band called 'Raquette a Claquette' called 'Bonjour Saskatchewan'.
The episode about Jean Carignan tells a little bit about his life growing up and playing the fiddle. It
profiles his style of playing and his renown. The recordings that are featured here are 'Les Frais et les
Framboises' by Carignan and 'Michael Coleman Medley'.
La Bolduc is a well known French-Canadian folk singer. In this episode her life and times are introduced
along with her story of rags to riches. Her song 'Ca Va Venir Decouragez-Vous Pas'.
The episode about Les Cabarets Montrealais tells the story of how burlesque became very popular in
Montreal. It explains why this happened and how they eventually became out of fashion. The song that is
features is by Charles Aznavour and it's called 'La Boheme'.
The episode that covers 'Metis Fiddle and Dance' features two common Metis reels: 'Reel on 4' and
'Whiskey Before Breakfast'. Both of these numbers are performed by 'John Arcand and Gary Pruden'.
The episode that introduces Michif is all about the language of the Metis. It features a clip of a man
speaking Michif French and then a popular song being sung by people in the town of St. Laurent,
Manitoba.
The song 'Mon Pays' is the topic of another episode. It is also about Gilles Vigneault and his life. The
episode profiles his career and talks about how the song was integral to his success.
Radio Radio is an electro-hip-hop duo that rap in Chiac. Chiac is a variety of Acadian French. The songs
featured in this piece are called 'Ej Savais Pas Mieux' and 'Cargue Dans Ma Chaise' which are both from
the album 'Belmundo Regal'
The episode called Rikki is about anglophones using french-language catch phrases in compositions. Take
phrases like 'Joie de vivre' or 'Je ne sais quoi' for example. The song is by a little known artist living in
Hepburn, SK named Spuddy Madillon. His song is called Rikki.
Vive La Rose is a song by Emile Benoit. He is a well know Franco-Newfoundlander musician.
Willows is a Franco-Manitoban folk-pop musician currently based in Montreal. The song featured in this
episode is called 'Les Chemins'.
Songs played (If any):
Artist
Producer(s)
Song Name
CanCon
Luc & Manuel Dauvin
and Jim Anderson
La Famille Arsanault
A La Claire Fontaine
Y/N
Time of
Song
1:33
Un P'tit Coup
Y/N
1:30
Gaspard Jeanotte
Chanson de Riel
Y/N
1:23
Felix Leclerc
Le P'tit Bonheur
Y/N
1:34
Raquette a Claquette
Bonjour
Saskatchewan
Les Fraises et Les
Framboises
Y/N
1:30
Y/N
0:23
Jean Carignan
Length of
Song
and
Charles Aznavour
Michael Coleman
Medley
La Boheme
John Arcand & Gary
Pruden
1:01
1:25
Reel on 4
and
Whiskey Before
Breakfast
Mon Pays
1:08
0:38
Spuddy Madillon
Ej Savais Pas Mieux
and
Cargue Dans ma
Chaise
Rikki
Emile Benoit
Vive La Rose
1:31
Willows
Les Chemins
1:34
Gilles Vigneault
Radio Radio
La Bolduc
Ca Va Venir
Decouragez-Vous
Pas
Format of audio (Select one)
a) A single 28 Minute stand alone Documentary
0:16
1:27
0:35
1:34
1:25
b) A single 28 Minute "Magazine style" Spoken Word show
c) 6 5Minute "Information Updates"
d) 15 2Minute "Audio Capsules"
For more information, please visit http://www.ncra.ca/rvf