The Quatuor André Lachance was founded in 2010. The musicians are Brad Turner on Fender Rhodes and piano, Chris Gestrin on Moog synthesizer bass, Joe Poole on drums and André Lachance on guitar and compositions. These musicians have been playing music, recording and touring together for over 23 years in one formation or another, and on various instruments (André playing double-bass in both the Brad Turner Quartet and the Chris Gestrin Trio as well as many others). This group is somewhat of an offshoot from an earlier trio with Gestrin on Hammond B3, Turner on drums and André on guitar that played around Vancouver off and on for a number of years. It was however conceived as a separate new project with new material and a different approach. Ever since the Quatuor’s first performance during the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, the group has been regularly featured in the Vancouver International Jazz Festival over the years and in many other performances around Vancouver music venues. 

 

In 2017 and thanks to support from the Canada Council For The Arts, the group celebrates the release of their first album ‘The Orange Challenge’. Some of the material was composed specifically for this session (Vert, The Orange Challenge, El Gecko’s Dilemma) while the other pieces have been played live for a few years by the group. The album was recorded by John Raham in August 2016 at the legendary “Afterlife Studios” ( formerly known as Mushroom Studios and Can-Base Studios) that has seen the likes of Diana Ross and the Supremes, Led Zeppelin, Heart as well as a who’s who of West Coast musicians record there since 1966. The room features superb high-ceiling acoustics and vintage analog equipment that capture in full warm detail the intricacies and dynamics of the music, from acoustic piano ballads to electric rock. 

 

The group’s approach is eclectic, electric, improvised and interactive and draws from their collective experiences in acoustic and electric modern jazz as well as progressive rock, pop, improvised music and ambient electronic textures. Of particular note is the variety of sounds provided by Gestrin’s playing on the Moog, covering the bass parts and also at times a much wider palette of soundscapes. 

 

"The Orange Challenge" is the coming together of four strong voices, old friends and each member's personal journey and experiences in the music world that create a truly unique group sound.

 

Hope you enjoy the music and look out for a short video EPK from our recording session coming soon!