Folk Roots Radio Episode 528: Guillaume Jabbour… In Conversation – A Sound Experience Programme

Episode 528 of Folk Roots Radio features an in-depth conversation with Quebec folk musician, Guillaume Jabbour who was artist in residence for the ELAN ACE Sound Experience Programme at Sainte Agathe Academy in Sainte Agathe QC, this past winter. The programme took place at the school from December thru March, and then virtually from April to June, after the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. Students in the programme were able to produce a variety of different audio pieces, including video soundscapes, soundscape poems, original songs and interviews. It’s a wonderful conversation – so much so, that we’ve decided to dedicate the whole episode to it. So, settle down and enjoy Guillaume Jabbour and the Sainte Agathe Academy Sound Experience programme on Folk Roots Radio. Check out the full playlist below.

Interview

As part of the ELAN ACE artist in residence program, Quebec based folk musician, Guillaume Jabbour (Jabbour) recently wrapped a winter 2020 residency at Sainte Agathe Academy.

The Laurentians based folk musician and the school’s art teacher Janet Vekteris developed three different projects, each leading to the production of audio pieces to be shared at a launch event finale and then online:
(1) Sec 2 (Grade 8): Poems based around the theme of “Empathy” recorded by students and accompanied by student-created digital music.
(2) Sec 3 (Grade 9): Student-created soundscapes to accompany dramatic scenes captured on video.
(3) Sec 5 (Grade 11): Student-led interviews of Grade 1 students, edited and accompanied by sounds relevant to the themes discussed. What resulted was an exploration of sound manipulation (recording, editing, mixing) through the creation of these audio pieces.

As the project progressed, interested students began to congregate in the classroom during lunch hours, where Guillaume Jabbour had set up his portable studio. Gradually, rappers and songwriters began to emerge and they had the opportunity to record the vocals for the songs they had been working on. From there, this developed into a lunchtime songwriting and recording club.

As the ACE project was approaching its end, the school and ELAN ArtEd combined their funds to allow Guillaume Jabbour to continue running the lunchtime songwriting club until June. After the coronavirus pandemic hit, the songwriting sessions moved into the virtual arena using Zoom.

The content from the final project was recently launched online following a private launch on Zoom with the participants from the project. Subject to the pandemic restrictions being lifted, a live event will take place at a later date.

You can check out the sound art prepared during the project on the programme’s Soundcloud page and YouTube channel.

Themes directly addressed in the project design include empathy, media awareness, self-esteem, collaboration (in-person and using shared files online), content management, creativity and self-confidence. Themes that presented themselves casually include abusive relationships, drug-use, misogyny, fatherhood and isolation.

That’s all we have time for. Thanks to all the artists who share their music with us, and thank you for listening. We have a lot of great music and interviews to bring you on future episodes.

If you enjoy the music we play on this show and want to support the artists – many of whom aren’t able to play live at the moment because of the Covid-19 pandemic, don’t just stream their music – that earns them much less than a penny per play. Instead, buy their music – and really make a difference to their income. They’ll love you for it!

Listen

You can listen to this episode again on Soundcloud by following the link below. You can also listen to episodes of Folk Roots Radio, on demand, via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Tune-in Radio. (Click on the highlighted link to reach your chosen platform.)

Playlist

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises
Roll Right (2019, self)

Blue
Lyrics and vocals by Jasmine Forget, Rap by Domenic Cenci, Music by Jasmine Forget and Guillaume Jabbour (with Carl Rufh on bass, Drum loop from looperman.com)
(Demo)

Interview: Guillaume Jabbour discussing the Sainte Agathe Academy Sound Experience programme Winter/Spring 2020

Sainte Agathe Academy Students: Sec 2 (Grade 8)
Empathy In Words & Music:
A Vision of Peace
Stuck In A Crowd
Compassion
I Really Do Wish
(Demo)

Sainte Agathe Academy Students: Sec 5 (Grade 11)
Media Interviews Mash-up
(Demo)

Think Back
Lyrics and Vocals by Madyson Sargent, Music by Madyson Sargent and Guillaume Jabbour (with Carl Rufh on bass)
(Demo)

Guillaume Jabbour
My Way Around
(Demo)