Michel-Georges Brégent (1948-1993) was a composer and keyboardist. He is known for his involvement in two groups bearing his last name; Brégent, which focused on setting French poetry to music (recited/sung by his brother Jacques), and Dionne-Brégent, a keyboards+percussion foray into progressive electronic music with Vincent Dionne. Conservatory-trained, his compositional style also included solo piano, chamber music, and electroacoustic pieces.
| "Poussière des regrets" came out in 1973. The final song is a 12-minute largely instrumental excursion, significantly rearranging the original by Léo Ferré. Jacques Laurin (later of Conventum) plays on both Brégent albums. Paul Leger, who played with a host of 70s prog bands from Quebec, drums.
The first Dionne-Brégent album came out in 1976 and contrasts an "active" and "ambient" side. The side I am playing, well, you can hear it. The other side is dark and ominous, and reminiscent of some of his electro-acoustic work. |
| Dieu est nègre Brégent - Poussière des regrets - RCA Victor 
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| ...Et le troisième jour - Incarnation Dionne-Brégent - ...Et le troisième jour - XXI
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| ...Et le troisième jour - Chant d'espoir Dionne-Brégent - ...Et le troisième jour - XXI
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| ...Et le troisième jour - Résurrection Dionne-Brégent - ...Et le troisième jour - XXI
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| The second Dionne-Brégent album came out a year later, and is more in the vein of the first side of the first album, accessible but not getting too light. Somehow they managed to put both these albums out on Capitol. The CD reissue came from a label called XXI in Québec and includes some nice bonus material on the 2-CD set.
The final Brégent album came out in 1979. This album is more musically ambitious than the first in general. Vincent Dionne replaces Leger on drums, and Claude Chapleau of Lasting Weep also makes an appearance. It was reissued on ProgQuébec in 2007. |
| Transit Express Dionne-Brégent - Deux - XXI
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| La folle complainte Brégent - Partir pour ailleurs - ProgQuébec
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| We will close with part of Michel-Georges' electro-acoustic piece Atlantide, which came out originally on a CD paired with a piece by Walter Boudreau. Boudreau, while not the subject of this show, is known as the founder of Quebec's new music group l'Infonie. For another time... |
| excerpt Michel-Georges Brégent - Atlantide - SONARt
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