Guy LeBlanc

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Guy LeBlanc
Guy LeBlanc during soundcheck at FMPM 2007
Guy LeBlanc during soundcheck at FMPM 2007
Background information
Birth name Guy LeBlanc
Born October 16, 1960 (1960-10-16) (age 47)
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Origin Ottawa
Genre(s) Progressive Rock, Jazz Fusion
Occupation(s) Keyboard Player, Songwriter, Record Producer
Years active 1975 – Present
Label(s) Xntrik Records, Mahl Productions, NEARfest Records, Musea Records, Camel Productions
Associated acts Nathan Mahl, Camel
Website Nathan Mahl Official Myspace

Guy LeBlanc (October 16, 1960) is a Canadian keyboardist and composer. He leads his own progressive-rock band - Nathan Mahl, and was a member of the British progressive band Camel[1] from 2000-2003. He produces and releases his own solo[2], as well as Nathan Mahl's discs, and has appeared as guest keyboardist on several other releases.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Guy LeBlanc performing at Ottawa U in 2006
Guy LeBlanc performing at Ottawa U in 2006

Born in 1960 in Moncton, New Brunswick, he began formal musical training at age 4, and ended his classical piano training at age 11, in order to concentrate on composition and modern electric music. He started playing keyboards in Rock bands at 15. He co-founded Nathan Mahl at age 20 with Mark Spenard, Don Prince and Dan Lacasse. In 1991, on a dare, he released a series of recorded improvs with 2 drummers, and dubbed the project Mahl Dynasty[3]. After reforming Nathan Mahl several times over many years through to the present, he managed to record a few of these lineups, and chose to release some of these as independent discs[4]. On the strength of his performance at NEARfest[5] 1999 with Nathan Mahl, he was invited to join the British progressive band Camel, with whom he toured in 2000-2001 and recorded the studio disc a Nod and a Wink[6] in 2002, writing a couple pieces with leader Andrew Latimer. Since late 1999, he has been producing all his discs in his own digital studio, Subversia [7], named after his solo album from the same year. In 2001, he recorded one song with Curtis Reid on his disc Omniumgatherum[8]. In 2003, he played keys with Donnamatrix on several tracks of their Cool Lynx EP[9]. He is also recording other tracks with a few different projects, and hopes to catch up someday. In 2004, he released his second solo disc All the Rage[10], and recorded with Nathan Mahl the opening track to Odyssey[11], a massive 9 band collaboration spearheaded by The Finnish Progressive Music Association (Colossus) and the French label Musea. Currently he is rehearsing with Nathan Mahl and preparing what appears to be an assault on unsuspecting audiences which will once and for all dispel the silly notion that one can only blow the roof off[12] a venue but once. And, he is composing again.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Subversia (1999)

Guy LeBlanc promo pic 1999
Guy LeBlanc promo pic 1999

Guy LeBlanc (leader of Nathan Mahl) offers his first solo disc[13]. The disc includes guest performances from several friends, including the widely acclaimed guitarist Scott McGill[14] (Hand Farm, Finneus Gauge and McGill-Manring-Stevens) on guitar. Winner of the best Fusion album of 1999 from Radio CFLX-FM in Sherbrooke (Délire Musicale).

Songs:

  1. The First Lie
  2. Joyride
  3. A Question of Authority
  4. The Cold Truth
  5. The Trial
  6. Subversia
  7. Home

[edit] All the Rage (2004)

Guy LeBlanc promo pic 2004
Guy LeBlanc promo pic 2004

Guy LeBlanc delivers this solo disc, aptly titled All the Rage[15]. Composed over a 2 year period, the disc parallels the tumultuous personal events that have helped shape this artist's life and work. Each song on this 70-plus minute opus tells a story within a story, and each story exposes a search within for the answers to life and art.

Songs:

  1. Life on the Blade
  2. All the Rage
  3. Ailleurs
  4. One Sky
  5. the Silent Thread
  6. the Immortals
  7. the One who Knows
  8. Choices

[edit] References

  1. ^ Camel Productions. Camel Official Site Timeline 2000. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
  2. ^ Michael McCormack (2000). One-For-One . Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 0738844241. 
  3. ^ Prognosis. Prognosis Entry: Nathan Mahl. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  4. ^ Bob Eichler. Ground and Sky Review: Mahl Dynasty - Borderline. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
  5. ^ NEARfest Productions. NEARfest Official Site 1999 Scrapbook for Nathan Mahl. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.
  6. ^ Joe McGlinchey. Ground and Sky Review: Camel - A Nod and a Wink. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
  7. ^ Bob Eichler. Ground and Sky Review: Subversia. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  8. ^ Clayton Walnum. Progressive World Review: Curtis Reid - Omniumgatherum. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  9. ^ Donnamatrix. Donnamatrix Official Soundclick Main Artist Page. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  10. ^ Yves Dubé. Sea of Tranquility Review: All the Rage. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  11. ^ The Finnish Progressive Music Association. Colossus Official Site Odyssey Project. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
  12. ^ Brandon Wu. Ground and Sky Review: Live at NEARfest 1999. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
  13. ^ Jerry Lucky. Ghostland Review: Guy LeBlanc - All the Rage. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
  14. ^ Scott Mcgill. Scott Mcgill Official Site Extended Discography 1999. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
  15. ^ John W. Patterson. All About Jazz Review: Guy LeBlanc - Subversia. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.

[edit] Further Reading