Lisa LeBlanc presents Live avec l'Orchestre symphonique de Québec, an album recorded during an unforgettable concert at the Grand Théâtre de Québec in March 2024. Bringing together the Acadian multi-instrumentalist singer, her band, the 63 musicians of the OSQ and conductor Jean-Michel Malouf, the album combines the simplicity of Lisa's lyrics with her taste for extravagance. The result is as delightful as it is surprising.
This project was born out of a desire to further explore the composition of her album Chiac Disco (2022). The collaboration with the OSQ turned out to be the perfect opportunity for Lisa to reimagine her repertoire in a glorious yet accessible way.
Featuring songs in both French and English, the album's impressive arrangements evoke a range of emotions. Aujourd'hui, ma vie c'est d'la marde is embellished with a harpsichord, and Québec comedy icon François Pérusse makes a guest appearance on Gossip II, while her most sentimental songs like Kraft Dinner and Me semble que c'est facile become more poignant.
On this album, Lisa LeBlanc also pays tribute to those who mixed pop and orchestral music before her, such as Dusty Springfield, Bobbie Gentry and Lee Hazlewood. The arrangements of Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted and City Slickers and Country Boys recall the spaghetti western sounds of Ennio Morricone, though the many nods to the heyday of disco remain an essential part of the album.
This creative trip was also an opportunity for her to bust out her banjo, proving that this instrument, an integral part of her musical DNA, is not exclusively intended for bluegrass and traditional music. As one of the first artists to bring together a banjo and a wide array of classical instruments, Lisa LeBlanc has successfully pulled off the challenge of creating an orchestral album that is both humble and majestic.
