Taking their name from a traditional song, Les Poules à Colin were raised behind the scenes at folk festivals, learning their craft at kitchen parties amongst some of Quebec's finest trad musicians - which included their parents - in a region famous for its living heritage.

Despite their young age (22-27), the group has already performed in major cities and small towns in Canada, the US, Europe, the UK and Australia, and Africa, amassing a wealth of impressive experience in a short time. Their sound is a seamless blend of their strong folk upbringing and North American influences that range from old-time to jazz, with some provocative and moody effects.

The repertoire is a mix of original and traditional pieces, primarily in French but with some English compositions, and reveals gorgeous vocal, instrumental and rhythmic prowess. Their adaptations of traditional songs from Quebec, Brittany or Louisiana speak eloquently to their generation while retaining the beauty of timeless music. Fiddle, guitar, lapsteel, banjo, mandolin, piano, bass and foot percussion form a rich and varied backdrop for their inventive arrangements. Les Poules à Colin reveal a unique and modern perspective on traditional Québec culture.

For their third album, the aptly-named Morose, Les Poules à Colin apply their wide-ranging skills to traditional songs of a darker, more sombre spirit than their usual offerings. Imagine the captivating melody of Celtic folk, performed with the rhythmic and instrumental verve of jazz, but with the content and mood of bluegrass murder ballads. Typical examples are “Morbleur, Sambleur!” and “La volerie,” the former of which finds a cuckolded husband prepared to chop his wife’s head off, and the latter of which ends with a roguish thief about to hang on the gallows.