Maneige (1974)

Maneige - 1974 ProgQuebec Records

  Back a number of years ago (2007) at Prog Èst in Montreal I got a chance to talk to and have signed this album by Gilles Schetagne (percussion) of Quebec`s Maneige.  I remember telling him how much I loved this album and `les Porches`and he too was very proud of this work.  

   Maneige`s first two albums are pretty much the quintessential Quebecois Progressive Rock albums to own.

The Maneige albums are special albums and each offer different musical perspective. 

   On their debut album Maneige were an all instrumental psych-jazz-prog band who in many ways remind me of a mix of Ummagumma era Pink Floyd with pieces of Mike Oldfield, Jethro Tull and traces of Canterbury prog tossed in. Their music is captivating and like many of the 70's prog quebec bands carried a high degree of musicianship and deep song writing ability. On this first album maneige mix a wide range of instruments with some great mallet work, flute, various percussive tones, woodwind and sax. 

   This is my personal favourite of all the Maneige albums and an absolute essential album to own.