LOIC BLEJEAN & TAD SARGENT /// Bandcamp

Our album, recorded in 2016, was sold out, but it’s available again on Bandcamp (CD & digital): loicblejean.bandcamp.com/

L’album que nous avions enregistré en 2016 était épuisé, mais il est de nouveau disponible en CD & téléchargement sur Bandcamp: loicblejean.bandcamp.com/

Reviews / article de presse:

“In hindsight, it was almost inevitable that Loïc Bléjean and Tad Sargent should record an album together – both are superb musicians, Loïc with the uilleann pipes and low whistles, Tad on the bodhrán and bouzouki and they share the same musical passions for the Irish tradition, for innovation, for style and flair and for ‘getting it right’.

They met formally, if you like, at a session in Flynn’s Bar in Ealing, west London, in late 2013 and immediately hit it off. Loïc called Tad a few months later, as he was keen on putting a duo together for the festival he runs in his beloved Brittany. There followed stays and rehearsals at Tad’s fabled flat in Barnes, then gigs in France and England, all leading to the two of them opening the show for “The Taming of the Shrew”, the widely and wildly acclaimed 2016 production at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

And meanwhile, they were making this album…. Recorded at Sylvain Barou’s studio in Brittany, it has Sylvain himself guesting on flute, Jean-Baptist Boclé on keyboards and Ben Somers on double bass and backing vocals, each one highly regarded in his own right. Well, class attracts class!

The album has nine tracks, six sets of tunes in what has become their trademark manner – percussive, driven, with a complexity of rhythm from Tad underscoring the precision and beauty of Loïc’s melodic lines. There is sensitivity too; it is not all fire and fervour and when the tune merits a light and gentle touch, that it receives! Tad adds three songs, “Missing You” (J. MacCarthy), “Dunnes Stores Girl” (J. Spillane) and “Beeswing” (R. Thompson), each with a fitting new arrangement and delivered with his fine vocals.

It has been presented at 2016 ‘Return to Camden’ Festival, the premier Irish music festival in London, then officially launched on Feb 8th 2017, at the Irish Cultural Centre, in Hammersmith. Rather appropriate, since London is where it began.”

BLÉJEAN BROTHERS & NICOLAS QUÉMENER

Les Frères Bléjean et Nicolas Quémener ont sillonné les scènes bretonnes tout l’été 2021, de pubs en festivals, de chapelles en animations en plein air, à la rencontre d’un public toujours nombreux, merci à vous pour votre accueil chaleureux! Vous pouvez suivre la suite de nos aventures ici…

The Bléjean Brothers and Nicolas Quémener had a very busy Summer 2021, fantastic audience along the road, thank you all for your kind support! You can follow us here…

★★★★★ ”Soirée faste, mercredi à Erdeven, au festival des chapelles avec un trio composé de trois pointures de la musique bretonne et irlandaise.” Le Télégramme – 05/08/2021
★★★★★ ”Affluence inédite mardi soir à la chapelle du Vieux-Bourg de Pléhérel pour le concert des Frères Bléjean et de Nicolas Quémener.” Le Télégramme – 02/09/2021
★★★★★ ”Clap de fin réussi en présence d’un nombreux public pour la 48e édition du Festival des Lundis Musicaux de Camaret en compagnie du trio Bléjean-Quemener.” Le Télégramme – 25/08/2021
★★★★★ ”Affluence exceptionnelle au concert des frères Bléjean, accompagnés de Nicolas Quémener.” Ouest-France – 04/09/2021

Festival Interceltique de Lorient 2021 – Photo Pierre Sallier

Chapelle du Vieux-Bourg – Photo Marie-Line Salaün

BLEJEAN BROTHERS

Les frères Bléjean ont démarré en 2018 trois nouvelles collaborations: la première, avec leur ami de longue date, Nicolas Quémener, guitariste, flutiste et chanteur qu’on ne présente plus en Bretagne, et qui tourne régulièrement aux Etats-Unis et en Irlande avec Celtic Fiddle Festival. La seconde, avec Siobhan O’Donnell, multi-instrumentiste et chanteuse originaire du County Sligo, dans le Nord-Ouest de l’Irlande. La troisième enfin, avec Erwan Moal, extraordinaire guitariste (et sonneur) du Trégor, dans un répertoire de musique bretonne à danser.
Ils ont également participé à l’enregistrement du nouvel album du William Kennedy Piping Festival “Live Recordings”, qui marque les 25 ans d’existence de ce prestigieux évènement en Irlande de Nord, aux côtés de Paddy Keenan, Mick O’Brien, Cillian Vallely, John McSherry, Patrick Molard….
Contact scène

In 2018, Blejean Brothers started three new musical collaborations: first with acclaimed guitar player and singer Nicolas Quémener, who has been touring for years with Celtic Fiddle Festival, then with Co.Sligo amazing singer and multi-instrumentalist Siobhan O’Donnell, and finally with Breton guitar wizard Erwan Moal, in a new breton dancing music repertoire.
They also joined the line-up of William Kennedy Piping Festival’s new album “Live Recordings”, along with Paddy Keenan, Mick O’Brien, Cillian Vallely, John McSherry, Patrick Molard….
Booking infos

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LOÏC BLÉJEAN

«THE AMAZING SOUND OF LOIC BLEJEAN’S UILLEANN PIPES»
“In Tune”, BBC Radio 3

“HIGH OCTANE INSTRUMENTAL OFFERINGS”
Daniel Neely, New York IRISH ECHO

“VIRTUOSO FROM BRITTANY” – Colin Bailey, R2

Loïc Bléjean est considéré comme un des joueurs de uilleann pipes (cornemuse irlandaise) les plus prolifiques de sa génération. De son apprentissage en Irlande aux planches du Shakespeare Globe Theatre de Londres, dans les studios du monde entier, et sur les scènes des plus grands festivals, il a passé les trente dernières années à repousser sans cesse les limites de cet instrument mythique, en explorant les univers musicaux les plus divers au sein de nombreuses formations. En plus de ses concerts solo et de ses master classes, il parcourt le monde avec le groupe Irlandais Réalta, le quartet jazz des frères Boclé, et son frère Ronan Bléjean.

Loïc Bléjean is considered one of the finest and most prolific exponent of the uilleann pipes today. During the last thirty years, from his apprenticeship in Ireland to the stage of London’s Shakespeare Globe Theater, in recording studios all over the world, and playing at major festivals, he kept pushing the boundaries of this legendary instrument, exploring a great diversity of musical genres. Besides his solo performances and master classes, he tours the world with Irish band Réalta, the jazz maestros Boclé Brothers and his brother Ronan Bléjean.

Loïc Bléjean & JB Boclé /// Sliabh na mBan

Loïc Bléjean (uilleann pipes) & Jean-Baptiste Boclé (Hammond organ)
. Listen to a unique combination of uilleann pipes chanter, drones & regs, with Hammond organ, arranged & recorded in Brooklyn, NY by JB Boclé, in this rendition of the slow air “Sliabh na mBan”, inspired by the beautiful version of Traveller and extraordinary musician Johnny Doran.
Also check Boclé Bros. Keltic Project out on this website and at https://www.bocle.com/

wkpf2015-46

Boclé Bros. /// William Kennedy Piping Festival 2015