My first thought when I listened to Live at the Fortress of Louisbourg was ‘This is what music is all about.’ Two performers, two guitars, no electricity. A great display of artistry in front of friends who can’t wait to show their appreciation. You can feel the room’s bright mood in the playing on stage and in the applause that surrounds it. This was an evening of laughter and comfort.
Maxim and Gervais Cormier: Live at the Fortress of Louisbourg is the latest release by Cape Breton’s guitar virtuoso Maxim Cormier. The record is a collection of Scottish-style, Cape Breton fiddle tunes, rounded up with a bluegrass medley and a rendition of the popular Django Reinhardt manouche swing standard “Nuages.” It was recorded and performed live by Cormier, accompanied by his father Gervais, at the historic Fortress of Louisbourg chapel in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.
Let’s save ourselves some time. If you like guitar, instrumental music or live performances at all, you should get this record. The selection is vibrant and balanced and just grows with repeated listening. Each track is focused and free of filler. Clocking in at around 17 minutes, Live at the Fortress is a short work that never overstays its welcome. On the contrary, if you play it in the background you’re likely to be surprised when it ends. You’re also likely to play it again a few times in a row.
It’s hard to overstate how rich and accomplished the playing in Live at the Fortress is. The performance is seemingly free of blemishes and full of heart. Maxim explores a rich vocabulary that incorporates elements of Celtic music, bluegrass, and jazz, and Gervais joins in with a conversational foundation to match. Serious guitar enthusiasts will especially appreciate the nuances in Maxim’s trademark technique of combining flat-picking with a classical sensitivity. This approach gives him a unique signature sound. There is an almost harp-like character most evident in track number two: “Blackberry Blossom/Big Moon.” Jazz explorers will also find plenty to enjoy in the duo’s take on “Nuages.” There is simply a lot to appreciate here, and it’s all honest, legitimate, and lovingly crafted.
The production does what it needs to do and stays out of the way of the music. Both performance and space are superbly captured, giving you an experience that mirrors the live event. The guitars themselves breathe and resonate without saturating, and their room sound reveals every minor interaction between the performers and their instruments. Capturing the room sound also pays off at a few key moments, when you can hear the players’ breathing change after a particularly enjoyable bit of playing. You really can hear the joy of music here.
In the end, Maxim and Gervais Cormier: Live at the Fortress of Louisbourg will leave you with a profound regret for not having been present for its recording. As a consolation, we get a fantastic live record and the chance to be on the lookout for Maxim’s next performance — and maybe even a little guitar duo tour with Gervais? Fingers crossed.