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l'Oumigmag

l'Oumigmag is first and foremost the "musk ox" in Inuktitut langage, a distant and mysterious animal that lives on the edge of reality near the Arctic Circle. It also is the promising jazz and avant-folk sextet from Canada, led by composer and guitarist Sébastien Sauvageau.Their research: to be inhabited by the strong force of the Oumigmag. A force that lies between contemplation and spontaneous gesture. Their unique blend of local traditional music with contemporary jazz and modern classical timbre plays make them one of Québec’s (CA) most innovative and refined ensemble. Their latest double-album and show Habitant (2019) was highly acclaimed by both critics and public. All About Jazz gave it a 4,5/5, while national radio Radio-Canada describes it as one of the year’s best records and "a huge disc". l'Oumigmag shapes vast soundscapes through which the light of traditional tune passes. "Just incredible, simply a stellar performance!" - Roots Music Canada

Awards

Research and creation Grant Québec Art Council Production Grant Canada Art Council Territoires - Best of jazz 2017 Radio-Canada Territoires Jazz album of the year - GAMIQ Public's choice Festival International de Jazz de Rimouski 2017 Territoires Musicaction Grant 2017

l'Oumigmag: Habitant

by Matt Hooke
October 10, 2019

L'Oumigmag's Habitant is an ambitious reimagining of traditional Quebecois folk, based on the environment and natural beauty of the area around the St. Lawrence River. It has a feeling of comfort that is often reminiscent of a friendly bluegrass jam. Habitant is a reference to the first French settlers of the St. Lawrence River. The record is a tribute to them, not only with a primarily acoustic sound but with a great sense of adventure. The adventure is ...

Album Review

Sébastien Sauvageau - l'Oumigmag: Territoires

Read "Territoires" reviewed by Mark Sullivan

by Mark Sullivan
August 26, 2017

l'Oumigmag means muskox in Inukitut (the Inuit language spoken in the central and eastern Canadian arctic, which includes Quebec). Territoires is an impressionistic journey through the imaginary, spiritual and geographic territories of Quebec. Guitarist/composer Sébastien Sauvageau took inspiration from contemporary jazz and traditional music. Opener “Lac Arthabaska" (Lake Arthabaska) starts the album on a bright, upbeat note. Sauvageau's acoustic guitar and Alex Dodier's tenor saxophone front line call an ECM date with Jan Garbarek to mind. The introduction ...

★★★★ 1/2 "L'Oumigmag captures the sound of the trees and water that the first Habitant's lived in. Though the almost ineffable qualities of nature are hard to capture, L'Oumigmag, through the use of primarily acoustic textures and the playful rhythmic patterns, express the organic variations within the natural world. Habitant uses old standards to make the passage of time go from the world of the abstract to the physical world, drawing a line from those first settlers to the people who live in Quebec today. A stunning achievement." Matt Hooke, All About Jazz

"Juste incroyable ! That was the reaction of the audience to this afternoon’s performance by L’Oumigmag. [...]this six-piece ensemble had everyone spellbound. We felt we were floating during this concert, the music giving aural form to clouds in the sky and waves in the ocean. [...] Simply a stellar performance." Elizabeth Szekeres - Roots Music Canada