The core of Harmonium was a folk trio formed by guitarists Serge
Fiori and Michel Normandeau and bassist Louis Valois. Fiori was already
earning a living as a ballroom guitarist with his father Georges Fiori's
orchestra (a prized icon of Montreal's Italian community) when he met journalist
and drama actor Normandeau in 1972. With the addition of Valois, they began to
perform as a folk guitar trio under the name Harmonium in the summer of 1973.
Concerts in singer/songwriter cafés attracted some attention. After a live radio
performance, CBS (the French division of the major label Columbia) expressed
interest and a record deal was struck.
Recorded as a trio, Harmonium was released in April 1974. By the end of
the summer, it was a big seller, with the songs "Pour un Instant" and "Un
Musicien Parmi Tant d'Autres" becoming FM hits. After a tour of the province,
the group went back to the studio. Fiori had more elaborated ideas for Si On
Avait Besoin d'une Cinquième Saison, so reedsman Pierre Daigneault and
keyboardist Serge Locat were drafted. The album was released in 1975. It
showed leanings toward mellow progressive rock stylings and metaphysical lyrics.
After another tour and a sabbatical year, the group reconvened without
Daigneault. Fiori had devised an ambitious suite of seven songs related to the
seven states of consciousness. Normandeau had contributed to the lyrics, but the
lead singer's outburst of creativity (and clarity of musical vision) was phasing
him out, so he left. Drummer Denis Farmer, flutist Libert Subirana, guitarist
Robert Stanley, and vocalist/second keyboardist Monique Fauteux were recruited.
Neil Chotem was brought in to compose and arrange orchestral bridges between the
songs. The resulting two-LP set, L'Heptade, came out in late 1976. It
achieved a new standard of excellence in Quebec rock and became a minor classic
in the history of progressive rock, thanks to its universal theme. The group
toured Canada, going all the way to Vancouver in June 1977 (the live En
Tournée was recorded there) and performed at Berkeley College of Music in
California (immortalized in the National Film Board of Canada production
Harmonium en Californie). There were also European dates opening for
Supertramp.
After a few attempts to lay down the bases for a new album, it became obvious to
Fiori and consorts that they had given their best. In late 1977, a press release
announced the dissolution of Harmonium. Fiori recorded a duo LP with guitarist
Richard Séguin backed by former members of the group (Deux Cents Nuits à
l'Heure, 1978). They all appeared again on Neil Chotem's 1979 LP Live au
El Casino. Normandeau and Locat released solo LPs around that time (Jouer,
1979 and Transfert, 1978).
~ François Couture, All Music Guide
You like beer right? You might get a kick out of this Ozzy skit. Here's the new film Gabby Skab and I made last night for upcoming Pabst sales convention. The Skabs "PBR Me Right Now". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGPLSnltauk
