LISTEN AND SHARE “ROSES”
STREAM / BUY "ROSES" HERE
NEW ALBUM DUE LATER THIS YEAR VIA ARTS & CRAFTS
“…a succinct collection of minimal piano compositions that runs the gamut of human emotions: hope, sadness, joy, and fear.” – Noisey on Il
"Jean-Michel Blais strings together stunning improvisations and composed pieces that harken back to Chopin, Satie, and modern minimalists like Harold Budd... The music breathes, and it invites you to take a moment and recognize there’s still plenty of beauty left in the world."
- TIME Magazine on Il, #10 Album Of The Year 2016
"Simply put, Il is a masterpiece." - Exclaim on Il (9/10)
“Blais's compositions can be as poignant as they are playful, mixing together accessible melodies with experimental flourishes.” - CBC on Il
PHOTO CREDIT : John Londono // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Post-classical pianist and composer Jean-Michel Blais has shared “roses”, a new song that explores the cathartic effects of music and the understanding of sickness and wellness it provides. On it, Blais deftly treads the lines between the classical and pop worlds, simultaneously referencing Radiohead's "Pyramid Song", Rachmaninov / Carmen's "Concerto no 2: Adagio sostenuto", and Celine Dion's "All By Myself". The composition feels equally at home in concert halls and rock clubs.
LISTEN AND SHARE “ROSES”
STREAM / BUY "ROSES" HERE
About the track, Blais says, “'roses' is a funeral piece dedicated to my friend’s mother who died from cancer. The ostinato, the repeating single note in the intro, represents her beating heart, and the ever-present tumour, sometimes forgotten but still growing. How do ill people find peace, if they can at all? "roses" is my attempt to reflect a journey of someone's musical memories, wandering from pop to classical remembrances, concluding on nostalgic harmony.”
Last year Blais collaborated with CFCF for an acclaimed EP Cascades on Arts & Crafts, which struck a unique balance between classical composition and contemporary electronic music. The collaboration stemmed from a featured performance the at the Red Bull Music Academy in Montreal. In 2016 he released his debut album Il, which introduced Blais as an exciting new voice in the realm of crossover classical music. Blais will release a follow-up to Il later this year on Arts & Crafts.
“ROSES” SINGLE ARTWORK // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
PERFORMANCE DATES
Feb 03 - Ebullition - Bulle, CH
Feb 04 - One of a Million Festival (OOAM) 2018 - Baden, CH
Feb 08 - Théâtre Les Treize Arches - Brive, FR
Feb 09 - Festival Génériq - Mulhouse, FR
Feb 10 - Festival Génériq - Besancon, FR
Feb 11 - Festival Génériq - Dijon, FR
Mar 24 - Église Emmanuel - Cowansville, QC
Apr 15 - Salle Pauline-Julien - Ste-Geneviève, QC
May 13 - Théâtre du Marais - Val-Morin, QC
Jun 29 - Festival International de Jazz de Montreal 2018 - Montreal, QC
MORE PRAISE FOR JEAN-MICHEL BLAIS’ IL
“...meditative modern classical instrumentals… stark and accessible emotionality” - The Fader
“a succinct collection of minimal piano compositions that runs the gamut of human emotions: hope, sadness, joy and fear” - Noisey
“...nothing short of stunning… This is music that makes your chest feel tight. It is music that feels like clusters of stars being born and dying. It is music that will persist.” - IMPOSE
“the blissful eight-tracker captures Blais' penchant for experimentation” - XLR8R
“...a blindingly bright 28-minute release exploring piano textures” - FACT Mag
“There's this sense of measured extemporaneity to his playing that allows my mind to wander unlike anything else this year.” - MTV, Meaghan Garvey
“Il features both astonishing flurries of notes and graceful pacing...It’s thrilling,
versatile music.” - The Verge