Simon Trottier

Over the years, Montreal guitarist Simon Trottier has developed an interest in avant-garde, electro-acoustic, underground rock, free jazz, improv, folk, and blues music. His curiosity and need to improve musically brought him to study jazz guitar and electro-acoustic composition at Concordia University. In the last few years, Simon has collaborated with a number of instrumental rock and improvised music groups, and has accompanied pop artists such as Québec’s French pop duet Tricot Machine and Halifax’s spooky folk duo, Ghost Bees. He is now a member of Ferriswheel with Torngat's multi-instrumentalist Mathieu Charbonneau, as well as Toronto’s haunted blues-folk group Timber Timbre. He also works with electro-acoustic composer Nicolas Bernier with whom he created two albums, “objet abandonné en mer” (2007) and “…et retrouvé en forêt” (2009), released in by the German Net-Label 12rec.
ferriswheel
WOODSONGS FROM THE BACKROOM
Instrumental project of montreal’s pianist Mathieu Charbonneau (Torngat) and guitarist Simon Trottier.
"Keyboardist Mathieu Charbonneau and guitarist Simon Trottier make some instrumental magic together on this debut LP...From parlour classical to porch folk, their sometimes lively, sometimes staid compositions evoke the antiquated and the pastoral"
-Lorraine Carpenter, Mirror
"With the help of their many guest musicians, Trottier and Charbonneau made a record that surprises the ear but never rushes it, both original and respectful of the traditions it carries"
-Samy Bennaoui, the Silent Ballet
Bernier + Trottier
... ET RETROUVÉ EN FORÊT
Electroacoustic folk with Nicolas Bernier.
Free to download at 12rec.net .
"On retrouve ici la collaboration Bernier/Trottier sous des formes que l’on aime : mystérieuse et puissante par son pouvoir de création. Une avant-garde légère qui prend racine dans une tradition forestière, solide comme le tronc d’un chêne centenaire, légère et docile au vent comme la cime d’un pin rachitique."
-Goûte mes disques (Belgique), 3 septembre, 2009
Bernier + Trottier
OBJET ABANDONNÉ EN MER
Electroacoustic folk with Nicolas Bernier.
Free to download at 12rec.net .
You can also buy a really nice handcrafted hardcopy from their boutique.
«Objet Abandonné could almost be imagined as one direction John Fahey might have taken had he got into laptops as well as turntable manipulation.»
-Sam Davies, The Wire
«Their cooperation results in a 4 track ep with beautiful, maybe a bit romantic, electronic scapes and melodies.»
- Jos Smolders, Earlabs
«Quite a nice release, defying categories and make four strong points themselves.»
- Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly
«Record pops and glitch-y samples provide a filmic ambience to acoustic guitar chants, and the music sometimes drifts into the electro acoustic space…»
- Nilan Perera, Exclaim