Guy LeBlanc

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Guy LeBlanc


Img_capt = Guy LeBlanc during soundcheck at FMPM 2007
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Guy LeBlanc
Born = birth date and age|1960|10|16 Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Origin = Ottawa
Genre = Progressive rock, Jazz fusion
Associated_acts = Nathan Mahl, Camel
Occupation = Keyboard Player, Songwriter, Record Producer
Years_active = 1975 – Present
Label = Xntrik Records, Mahl Productions, NEARfest Records, Musea Records, Camel Productions
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/nathanmahl 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 [cite web | author = Camel Productions | title = Timeline 2000 | url=http://www.camelproductions.com/CamelTimeline2000_.html Camel Official Site | accessdate = 2007-12-29 ] from 2000-2003. He produces and releases his own solo [citebook|title=One-For-One |author= Michael McCormack|year= 2000|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|url= http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0738844241&id=mjWn2QFS6ZIC&pg=PA159&lpg=PA159&ots=8NILiGz8mM&dq=%22Guy+LeBlanc%22+mahl&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=gEBfviAQxn4_mAl3GmklF6TO1Xs|id=ISBN 0738844241] , as well as Nathan Mahl's discs, and has appeared as guest keyboardist on several other releases.

Biography

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 [cite web | author = Prognosis | title = Entry: Nathan Mahl | url = http://www.silverdb.com/MUSIC_DBArtist.asp?txtArtistID=206 Prognosis | accessdate = 2008-01-04] . 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 [cite web | author = Bob Eichler | title = Review: Mahl Dynasty - Borderline | url = http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=md-bord Ground and Sky | accessdate = 2007-01-04 ] . On the strength of his performance at NEARfest [cite web | author = NEARfest Productions | title = 1999 Scrapbook for Nathan Mahl | url = http://www.nearfest.com/history/scrapbooks/scrapbookpage.asp?iYear=1999&iBand=10 NEARfest Official Site | accessdate = 2007-12-29 ] 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" [cite web | author = Joe McGlinchey | title = Review: Camel - A Nod and a Wink | url = http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=cam-anaaw Ground and Sky | accessdate = 2007-01-05 ] 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" [cite web | author = Bob Eichler | title = Review: Subversia | url = http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=gl-sub Ground and Sky | accessdate = 2008-01-04] , named after his solo album from the same year. In 2001, he recorded one song with Curtis Reid on his disc "Omniumgatherum" [cite web | author = Clayton Walnum | title = Review: Curtis Reid - Omniumgatherum | url = http://www.progressiveworld.net/reid.html Progressive World | accessdate = 2008-01-04] . In 2003, he played keys with Donnamatrix on several tracks of their Cool Lynx EP [cite web | author = Donnamatrix | title = Main Artist Page | url = http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=114537 Donnamatrix Official Soundclick | accessdate = 2008-01-04] . 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" [cite web | author = Yves Dubé | title = Review: All the Rage | url = http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=1582 Sea of Tranquility | accessdate = 2008-01-04] , and recorded with Nathan Mahl the opening track to "Odyssey" [cite web | author = The Finnish Progressive Music Association | title = Odyssey Project | url = http://www.colossus.fi/125/index.php?id=24,20,0,0,1,0 Colossus Official Site | accessdate = 2007-01-05] , a massive 9 band collaboration spearheaded by The Finnish Progressive Music Association ( [http://www.colossus.fi Colossus] ) and the French label [http://www.musearecords.com/ 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 [cite web | author = Brandon Wu | title = Review: Live at NEARfest 1999 | url = http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=nm-lanf Ground and Sky | accessdate = 2007-01-05 ] a venue but once. And, he is composing again.

Discography

ubversia (1999)

Guy LeBlanc (leader of Nathan Mahl) offers his first solo disc [cite web | author = Jerry Lucky | title = Review: Guy LeBlanc - All the Rage | url = http://ghostland.com/ghostland/cd_reviews.asp?ID=132 Ghostland | accessdate = 2007-01-05] . The disc includes guest performances from several friends, including the widely acclaimed guitarist [http://www.scottmcgill.com Scott McGill] [cite web | author = Scott Mcgill | title = Extended Discography 1999 | url = http://www.scottmcgill.com/discography.cfm Scott Mcgill Official Site | accessdate = 2007-01-05] (Hand Farm, Finneus Gauge and McGill-Manring-Stevens) on guitar. Winner of the best Fusion album of 1999 from Radio CFLX-FM in Sherbrooke ( [http://members.tripod.com/~cflx/delire/ Délire Musicale] ).

Songs:
# The First Lie
# Joyride
# A Question of Authority
# The Cold Truth
# The Trial
# Subversia
# Home

All the Rage (2004)

Guy LeBlanc delivers this solo disc, aptly titled "All the Rage" [cite web | author = John W. Patterson | title = Review: Guy LeBlanc - Subversia | url = http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=5918 All About Jazz | accessdate = 2007-01-05] . 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:
# Life on the Blade
# All the Rage
# Ailleurs
# One Sky
# the Silent Thread
# the Immortals
# the One who Knows
# Choices

References

Further reading

* [http://www.myspace.com/guyleblancmusic Guy LeBlanc Official Myspace]
* Nathan Mahl Official Wikipedia
* [http://www.myspace.com/nathanmahl Nathan Mahl Official Myspace]
* [http://www.silverdb.com/MUSIC_DBArtist.asp?txtArtistID=600 Prognosis] Guy LeBlanc Entry
* [http://www.gepr.net/l.html Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock] See Guy LeBlanc Entry
* [http://wc09.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=GUY|LEBLANC&sql=11:w9fexqldldae~T0 All Music Guide] Guy LeBlanc Entry
* [http://www.arlequins.it/pagine/articoli/corpointerviste.asp?chi=120 Arlequins Italian Prog Webzine] Guy LeBlanc 2004 Interview
* [http://www.eer-music.com/reviews/nathanmahl_guyleblanc.html Eclectic Earwig] Nathan Mahl and Guy LeBlanc CD reviews
* [http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/index.php?albumId=4312&left=year&year=1999&content=review Baby Blaue Prog] Subversia CD Review
* [http://www.e-prog.net/bands/leblanc.htm E-Prog] Subversia CD Review
* [http://www.durp.com/reviews/1999/g/guyleblanc/subversia.htm Progressive DisDURPance] Subversia CD Review
* [http://progressive-newsletter.de/index.htm?/cd28_44.htm Progressive Newsletter] Subversia CD Review
* [http://www.progressiveworld.net/leblancg.html Progressive World] All the Rage CD Review